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Mostly Cloudy Watch out, American Idol - here comes grandma!
Contestant Robby Rosen's grandmother and friends text their votes from Atria Lynbrook assisted living
American Idol isn’t just for the young — it’s also for the young at heart.
An often overlooked segment of the population that may make a difference as voting begins on the popular T.V. contest this week.
The residents at Atria Lynbrook, a senior living community on Long Island, started following the show this season. The draw is Robbie Rosen, of Merrick, the 17 year-old Long Island contestant in the Top 24, who is also a grandson of Atria resident Joan Yuni, 77. Teenage girls may consider themselves his biggest fan, but they have fierce competition from his grandmother. Robby come from a long time of entertainers — he comes from a long line of cantors.
Rosen, a junior at Calhoun, continued his journey towards stardom last week on “American Idol,” advancing to the top 24 in the famous national competition.
The fate of Rosen is now in the hands of the public, as eliminations are decided by the number of votes each performer receives following their performances.
On Feb. 23, Rosen performed in a group of three, singing the Beatles’ “Got to Get You into My Life,” and the trio did so well that they all advanced.
The next night, Rosen had one more performance to give before the judges decided if he was advancing to the top 24. He chose to sing Elton John’s “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word.”After the performance, Rosen was informed by the judges that he had advanced to the round of 24.
“Honestly, you’re one of the best singers we have,” judge Jennifer Lopez told Rosen.
“You know what I love about him?” judge Randy Jackson said to Lopez after Rosen had walked off stage. “He’s so unassuming. You wouldn’t even know that he’s a genius.”
The final 24 is divided between 12 females and 12 males. Each week, two from each side will be eliminated until there are six females and six males. This Tuesday at 8 p.m on FOX, Rosen, along with the rest of the males, performed live, hoping to keep his dream alive.
Hi-tech senior citizens
Residents at Atria Lynbrook plan to use all the technology at their disposal to vote for Rosen. New this year, in addition to the unlimited calling and texting during the two-hour post-show window, Americans can also each submit 50 Facebook votes per night. On Tuesday, residents held an American Idol party. These active Long Island residents will be tuning in to Robbie’s next performance, armed with their phones and Facebook logins.
