Alexis Cohen

Alexis Cohen
Cohen auditioning on American Idol
Born
Alexis Erica Cohen

(1983-10-17)October 17, 1983
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 25, 2009(2009-07-25) (aged 25)
Seaside Heights, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationStudent

Alexis Cohen (October 17, 1983 – July 25, 2009) was a two-time reality TV show contestant on American Idol who directed an expletive-filled televised rant at the show's judges[1] after comparing her singing style to vocalists Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, and Pat Benatar.[2] She was called "Glitter Girl" in the media.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Cohen was born on October 17, 1983, in Brooklyn, New York City. She attended and graduated from East Stroudsburg North High School in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania. She then attended Montgomery Community College, where she studied veterinary medicine.[5]

She lived in Allentown, Pennsylvania with her mother, Mindy Dallow.[6][7]

Singing career

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Cohen's first audition on American Idol was in American Idol season 7 in Philadelphia, where she sang "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplane. All three judges voted no, and she was eliminated from the season 7 competition.

Cohen returned for a second audition in 2009 for American Idol season 8 in Boston, singing "Like a Prayer" by Madonna.[8] She again reacted negatively on camera after judge Simon Cowell called her performance "horrendous".[9]

Death

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On July 25, 2009, Cohen was struck by a hit and run driver in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Her body was found by two passersby along a road about 4am. Paramedics performed lifesaving efforts before they arrived with Cohen at Community Medical Center in Toms River, where, at age 25, she was pronounced dead at 6:35am.[7]

Daniel Bark of Toms River, New Jersey, aged 27,[10] was later arrested and indicted for drunk and reckless driving, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident.[11][12][13]

Bark, who had a previous 2004 DUI conviction, was fleeing police who were pursuing him after his involvement in a previous vehicular accident when he struck and killed Cohen after failing to stop as a bicycle patrol officer ordered him to do so.[14] In November 2011, Bark accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to eluding police and drunk driving. Prosecutors dismissed manslaughter and other charges in the deadly traffic accident. A judge quashed Bark's confession because police failed to advise him of his rights.[15]

Cohen's death was covered by People Magazine,[16] Entertainment Weekly,[17] MTV,[18] Rolling Stone,[9] ABC News,[19] and New York Daily News.[7]

Cohen was interred at Keneseth Israel Cemetery in Allentown, Pennsylvania.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Idol hopeful killed in accident". 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-08-19.
  2. ^ "Idol hopeful killed in Ms nam I'd francisaccident". BBC. 2009-07-27. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  3. ^ "American Idol Glitter Girl Gets A Makeover". OK! Magazine. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  4. ^ Diane Macedo (2009-01-30). "Idol Ends Auditions With a 2-for-1 Special". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2011-02-04. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  5. ^ Sarah Cassi (26 July 2009). "Alexis Cohen, 'American Idol' contestant from Allentown, found dead in New Jersey". Lehigh Valley Live. Archived from the original on August 30, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  6. ^ Cassi, Sarah (26 July 2009). "Alexis Cohen's mother speaks about her late daughter's third 'Idol' audition". lehighvalleylive.com.
  7. ^ a b c Rich Schapiro (2009-07-26). "Wacky American Idol Wannabe Alexis Cohen Killed". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  8. ^ Van Houten, Mariella (10 March 2019). "Which American Idol Contestants Have Died?".
  9. ^ a b Daniel Kreps. "American Idol". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  10. ^ Bill Egbert and Jane H. Furse. "Punk nabbed in hit-and-run death of 'American Idol' wannabe Alexis Cohen". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  11. ^ "N.J. Man Indicted in Death of "Idol" Contestant". CBS News. 2010-07-10. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  12. ^ "Arrest Made in Ex-"Idol" Contestant's Death". NBC New York. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  13. ^ "Idol Contestant Killed". CNN. 2002-09-02. Archived from the original on 2012-03-10. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  14. ^ Simon Vozick-Levinson. "Prosecutor: Suspect was fleeing police when he hit 'American Idol' contestant". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
  15. ^ "Plea bargain ends case against man in 'American Idol' death". Associated Press. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  16. ^ Samantha McIntyre and Diane Herbst. "Former American Idol Contestant Killed". People Magazine. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  17. ^ Simon Vozick-Levinson. "American Idol Alexis Cohen Dies". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  18. ^ Gil Kaufman. "Man Indicted In American Idol Hopeful Alexis Cohen's Hit-And-Run Death". MTV. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  19. ^ Sheila Marikar. "American Idol Contestant Alexis Cohen Killed in Hit and Run". ABC News. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  20. ^ Staff, Us Weekly (2009-07-31). "American Idol's Alexis Cohen Laid to Rest - Us Weekly | UsWeekly". Us Weekly. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
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