Ian Benardo

Ian Benardo rose to prominence after his 2007 appearances on the popular US talent competition television shows American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance? as a contestant. He has also been widely publicized on shows such as , Access Hollywood, and numerous other tabloid shows and magazines. He has also regularly appeared on Good Day New York for his outlandish and outspoken behavior. Videos of his television appearances have become widely available on the internet, popularizing Benardo as an internet phenomenon.
Biography
Ian Benardo was born November 29, 1980 in the Riverdale section of Bronx, New York. He attended P.S. 24 and the LaGuardia High School for Music and Art. He studied at SUNY Geneseo and majored in Sociology in 1998. After one year he left and traveled to Israel where he resided part-time for the next six years. He holds dual American/Israeli citizenship.
Talent show appearances
Benardo's appearances on reality/talent contest television shows brought him to public attention. In both contests, Benardo was rejected at the first audition and had his performances harshly criticized by a British judge, each resulting in an angry confrontation. Benardo's act was characterized by his outspoken claims to superstardom, his argumentative style, camp retorts and inventive use of language.
Benardo's first appearance was on So You Think You Can Dance? (season 2) in 2007, in which his dance entry was criticized by the judging panel. During the ensuing altercation, judge Nigel Lythgoe told him "you're wasting our time". He subsequently appeared as a contestant on . His performance of the song Gloria (popularized by Laura Branigan), was criticized by the judge Simon Cowell as "rubbish". During the confrontation, Benardo demanded to see Cowell's working visa and questioned his eligibility to work in the United States.
Once Benardo got out of the audition room, he also mentioned "You know what I'm doing, I'm calling National Geographic to let them now that the Dodo Bird is not extinct, it's in there and it's called Simon Cowell.
Video clips of both these television appearances are now widely available on the internet.
He is currently the host of The Better and Bestest Show, and working on an upcoming television show entitled "Ian Benardo". He appears regularly on numerous radio stations throughout the country, and is a huge enthusiast of cult camp classics such as , The Lonely Lady, and Showgirls.
Discography

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu