What would you do if you participated in a talent show? Some might sing, dance, or crack a few jokes. But if you ask 78-year-old Mrs. Farida Farr, she’d raise a perfectly drawn eyebrow, smirk, and say, “I’d bring Eric.”
No, not her husband. Eric is a blow-up doll, named after the real Eric, her late spouse, who she claims “still can’t dance, even in plastic.”
When Farida auditioned for America’s Next Phenomenon, no one expected a petite, silver-haired woman in leopard-print heels and a glittery blazer to steal the show. Backstage, she had a cheeky exchange with the host:
“Are you nervous?” he asked.
“Darling,” she purred, “I survived three husbands, menopause, and raising four boys. I think I’ll survive this.”
She strutted onto the stage with Eric in tow, his rubbery hand awkwardly clasped in hers. The judges exchanged confused glances. Simon Cowell leaned forward, intrigued but visibly skeptical.
“Are you married?” Simon asked, folding his arms.
Farida tilted her head. “Widowed. But Eric here is very… supportive. Never talks back, always ready to dance.”
The crowd erupted in laughter. Then, the music hit: “Stand By Your Man” by Tammy Wynette.
What followed was a performance for the ages. Farida twirled, dipped, and slow-danced with Eric, interjecting sass-laced one-liners between verses:
“He’s the only man who listens when I talk.”
“And he doesn’t hog the remote!”
“Stiff? Oh honey, only in the right places.”
The raunchy jokes flew under her sweet smile, catching the judges completely off guard. The audience was howling. Even the stagehands in the wings were doubled over.
By the end, Farida took a mock bow with Eric. The judges were stunned—amused, but stunned. The camera caught Simon smirking despite himself.
He cleared his throat. “Farida, you’re absolutely insane.”
She winked. “And yet, here you are smiling.”
Three yeses rang out from the panel. Simon gave a begrudging “no,” but the damage was done. Farida was going to the next round.
In the lobby afterward, she hugged a thrilled teen fan and whispered, “Always bring your own man, dear. Preferably one who inflates.”