One of the pleasures of living in the capital of Idol Nation is getting to drive past the giant American Idol billboard on Pico Boulevard, about half a mile from the Fox lot. Hung each year on the first day of the final rounds, the billboard features a row of headshots of the Top 13. Each week after the elimination, a heartbreaking giant red X is placed over the face of the newly eliminated, bringing gasps to fans as they drive past and are forced to confront the reality of a world with out Jasmine, Jorge or Alexis on such a gigantic scale.
Below is a shot of what the billboard looked like at season's open:
But today, on April 1, the pranksters at Fox have pulled a little switcheroo on the Pico Boulevardiers. This morning, drivers glanced up to see who remained in the top 9 and saw the billboard below instead: