Was That Really Marjorie Taylor Greene Auditioning for 'American Idol' Back in 2002?
"There is no way anyone is gonna be able to convince me that this is not MTG."
Published March 24 2025, 12:06 p.m. ET
It isn’t surprising to see a politician audition or even appear on a reality TV series or competition. After all, before becoming a political figure and president of the United States, Donald Trump hosted his very own reality TV show, The Apprentice, where contestants competed for a job within the Trump Organization.
So, when a 2002 American Idol clip resurfaced in 2025 featuring a contestant who bears a striking resemblance to Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, representing Georgia's 14th district, we weren’t shocked, but we did have to dig a little deeper to see if it was actually her auditioning. And we uncovered some pretty entertaining stuff!
Did Marjorie Taylor Greene try out for 'American Idol'?
Marjorie Taylor Greene never auditioned for American Idol, but a woman who looked like her named Stefanie Sugarman did in 2002 during Season 1. Stefanie showcased her vocal skills to Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson with the bold song choice of "Knocking the Boots" by H-Town.
Afterward, Paula didn’t hold back, telling Stefanie, "I personally don’t feel you’re the next American Idol," while Randy bluntly stated, "Stefanie, you’re not a very good singer." Stefanie, not backing down, shot back, "I think you’re lying through your teeth." While we could totally imagine Marjorie saying something like that ... it still wasn’t her. Simon also chimed in, "It wasn’t great."
It appears the woman who auditioned for American Idol — Stefanie — is Marjorie’s doppelgänger! They say everyone has someone who looks just like them, and Stefanie definitely resembles Marjorie. While some people are sharing the now-viral clip of the audition, suggesting Marjorie might have used a fake name, there’s no actual evidence to support that claim. In fact, we tracked down Stefanie herself, and she seems to enjoy playing up the resemblance to Marjorie.
Meet the woman who resembles Marjorie Taylor Greene and auditioned for 'American Idol.'
Stefanie Sugarman is a singer, dancer, and actor married to Jennifer O'Farrell, according to her Instagram page. Since her American Idol audition and being linked to the outspoken politician, Stefanie has embraced the resemblance and even created social media channels to have fun with it, calling herself "Marjorie Taylor Sugarman."
In one of her clips, she’s out at a bar when someone attempts to confront her (as Marjorie Taylor Greene), and she goes ballistic — very MTG fashion. Her resemblance is so striking that TikTok users are calling for her to appear in Saturday Night Live skits. One person even asked, "Why aren’t you on SNL playing MTG??" prompting others to tag the show. She would definitely make a great MTG in terms of appearance!
In addition to her comical political content, Stefanie has shared throwbacks to her American Idol days, along with witty skits where she imagines herself back on the show. Despite receiving a hard pass from Simon, Paula, and Randy back in 2002, she’s since gotten back behind the mic, proving her confidence in her singing talent.