A friend of mine went to the auditions - there are two ways to enter - either apply by mail or turn up on pre-arranged days. My friend did the former - and was invited to a 'pre' audition before the producers - not the panel, and she was turned down - but obviously there were some terrible acts that got through to see the panel so it could be filmed for entertainment value. Hence - people are devastated when they get bad reactions from the judges when they have already got through one stage. And how else do you think they have footage of their home lives and sob story's!