Karl Skinner Nearly Steals Ryan Seacrest’s Job + Sings ‘I Feel Good’ on ‘American Idol’ Audition

Karl Skinner auditioned on tonight's (Jan. 31) episode of 'American Idol' in Oklahoma City. He was mined from the small town of Joplin, Mo., when the 'Idol' bus rolled through town as part of its initiative to pluck talent tucked in the remotest regions of the country. The judges joked that he might steal Ryan Seacrest's job because he had so much personality. But how did he sing?

The producers set it up to make it seem like the 26-year-old pizza chef with the flame-hued hair would be a complete and total bust, but he wasn't. He performed 'I Feel Good' by James Brown and his voice had soul ... but his dance moves were suspect.

Then he picked up his guitar and strummed, reminding us of Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips. Not in his style, but the fact that he could sing and play an instrument. Skinner wasn't a joke, even though he started out as one.

"I want to be incomparable," he said.

The judges felt he was a wild card, and that he lit up the room with his personality and pizzazz. Nicki Minaj felt that the guitar restricted him and his full-of-life style, while others said it opened him up and that we saw the real Karl Skinner, as an artist.

He got a unanimous push to the next round.