Lauren Alaina performs in front of the judges on “American Idol” on Wednesday.
Michael Becker / FOX.Fans almost never got to see a good bit of the footage shot here during “American Idol” finalist Lauren Alaina Suddeth’s return visit here thanks to a misplaced backpack.
Saturday evening as crews were cleaning up at Coolidge Park, Friends of the Festival Talent and Production Coordinator Joe “Dixie” Fuller noticed a backpack lying on the ground.
“I figured it was one the rigging guy’s and put it in the back of the Riverbend box truck to give to [crew member] Chris Keene later,” Fuller said.
He transferred it to the back of his own truck later and drove home to relax and didn’t give it much thought. Monday morning around 11:30, “Idol” producer/director Brian Robinson called Fuller.
“He said, ‘Dixie, man, I’ve got something really, really important. Really important to ask you.’ He said, ‘I’m sitting here watching footage of the show at Coolidge and I can see a backpack sitting on the stage so I know it exists, but we can’t find it.'”