The season premiere of "The X Factor USA" featured contestants who stood out for bad and for worse.

Out of the many in Austin, Texas, where the first round of auditions were held, a Phoenix-based airline worker stood out not for his performance but how he responded to the judges' feedback.

Shawn Armenta brought drama on the first episode of the two night premiere of Season 2. After he received poor feedback for a song he wrote and rehearsed for over a year, the 50-year-old expressed discontent for the criticism and decided to do some critiquing of his own. .

"X Factor" show creator Simon Cowell responded to Armenta's out-of-tune performance by telling him he was a "mouse trying to be an elephant."

"I worked way too freakin' hard for this," Armenta shot back. "I'm not a bad singer -- I know I'm not."

The show's new judge Demi Lovato tried the approach former judge Paula Abdul was known for, by telling him very nicely that "a lot of people work really, really hard for their dreams, but it's not meant for everybody."

Armenta expressed his sensitivity to her feedback by telling here "That's why you use Auto-tune, and I don't!"

Fellow judge Britney Spears weighed in by sharing her thoughts on Armenta's defensive reaction. "I want to know who let you on stage."

"I feel uncomfortable with you just staring at me," she added.

As Armenta walked off stage he told music executive L.A. Reid, "I'm a better writer than you!"

Armenta later revealed off-stage he had practiced 18 months for the audition and felt "offended" by the rejection from the panel.

Part two of "he X Factor USA" season premiere airs on Fox Thursday, Sept. 13 at 8/7c.