"American Idol" viewers saw two memorable local stories unfold during the St. Louis audition show that aired Feb. 2.

Reis Kloeckener, 20, of south St. Louis County, told how he was bullied as a senior at Mehlville High School until he found support in the school choir.

Ethan Jones, 22, of Granite City, spoke about his father, Todd Jones, a founder of local band Well Hungarians, who had been in drug and alcohol rehab. Ethan Jones also plays in the band.

Jones was eliminated during the Hollywood rounds Thursday. Kloeckener's fate in Hollywood will air on "American Idol" on Wednesday or Thursday on Fox (Channel 2).

Both aspiring singers spoke with the Post-Dispatch on Friday.

Reis Kloeckener

Q • What has the "Idol" experience been like so far?

A • Getting to go out to California and Hollywood was surreal. I'd never been. It was really neat, but a lot of pressure. The first audition in Hollywood was solo rounds, so I really had to prepare.

I sang "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5, and they really liked it and put me through (off camera). Getting through the solo round was an accomplishment in itself. Each step is an accomplishment. Finding a group wasn't too difficult. I had a friend and we got together and found two girls and we formed. There wasn't a lot of drama, not compared to what was shown Thursday.

Q • How did you initially come into the "Idol" experience?

A • I had auditioned the year before in Nashville (Tenn.). I thought it was a great opportunity, and I was going to go for it. I didn't make the cattle call … I tried out again in St. Louis. I wasn't going to, but I was pushed by my mom and dad.

Q • What has been the biggest surprise about the process?

A • The amazing people I've met just by doing this. It's so cool, and everybody shares the same talent and the same gift. Meeting all these amazing people has been eye-opening.

Also, Steven Tyler's response to my original audition was amazing. He said it was so beautiful, it made him cry.

Q • What was your high school experience like?

A • I came from a small Lutheran school and, like a lot of kids, went from a Lutheran school to public. It was a difficult transition. I didn't know many people and got pushed around. Since I was small and didn't know many people, people acted like my friend but gave me a lot of trouble. I didn't realize what they were doing or the effect it had.

Finding one or two good friends was difficult, but I found them. That's what helped me.

Q • How did choir help?

A • As time went on in my senior year, I found choir … and that was a big help confidencewise.

Ethan Jones

Q • How do you feel about your elimination?

A • It was a tough thing watching it. I watched it (Thursday) night and, honestly, like I said on the show, it was a bittersweet feeling. I wanted to stay in the competition, but I got a phenomenal band right here in St. Louis, the Well Hungarians. I couldn't ask for a better group of guys to play music with.

Q • Did you expect to go further in the competition?

A • I thought I did a pretty good job in Hollywood, had an all-right audition. Throughout the day, I saw singers whose voices cracked and they'd forget words and make stuff up. I knew it because I knew the songs. And they made it through and I didn't.

Q • Viewers didn't see your Hollywood audition (only the dismissal). What happened?

A • I don't think you saw the audition because I didn't create a lot of drama. They said thank you, and that was the end of it. There was no critique. … Some people who made it through the group round got the same response, some got a huge response. I didn't know what to think.

Q • How is your father?

A • He's not in rehab anymore. He'd just gotten out when I auditioned. But it's an uncomfortable thing talking about my dad.

Q • What's the Well Hungarians' upcoming album going to be like?

A • It's going to be a whole new beast. It's going to be the real Well Hungarians stuff. The record out now ("Sorry About the Mess") doesn't define the band. The next one will.