The Competition may be heating up on American Idol - but in some cases, one could say things are cooling off.
On the March 7th episode, Jessica Sanchez gave an emotional rendition of the late Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You." The vocals were spot on, fog was filling the stage, and suddenly, as Jessica broke into a particularly dramatic part of the refrain, a powerful blast of air stirred the fog and completed the theatrical feel of the performance.
Following the song, Ryan Seacrest took notice of the inspired theatrics, saying "I want to see that move again! Can we dim the lights and crank up that fan? Can we still crank up the fan, Jim?" Jim obliged the host, and for a moment, the audience caught a glimpse of Jessica's supporting actor. Though it was incognito in an all-black paint job, the now-famous fan was actually a Vornado 293 HD. Without it's signature yellow and gray coloring, even Vornado enthusiasts may have had a tough time recognizing the rugged fan.
The American Idol crew couldn't have picked a better air mover- the 293 blasts a tight beam of air up to 100 feet (allowing it to be placed well off camera, of course.) The rubberized handle makes it easy to toss on and off stage, and the durable OSHA approved construction means it can take the kind of beating that only a bustling production set could deliver.
