Video: Halie Hilburn's rejected "American Idol" puppet Oscar resurfaces as rapping pooch OzCar

When ventriloquist Halie Hilburn, a 2008 Oklahoma Christian University graduate from Texas, returned to Oklahoma City to try out for “American Idol,” she initially got lots of giggles from the judges for her yodeling and for her canine puppet pal Oscar.

But once the judges heard her just sing, they sent her to Hollywood – without Oscar.

Last we saw Oscar, he had been dumped in a trashcan on an Oklahoma City street. As it turns out, Hilburn’s puppet pooch isn’t the type to take that kind of rejection lying down: He has reemerged as the rapping puppet OzCar with a new video for his comeback anthem “I’m OzCar,” which gives a shoutout to OKC Thunder star Kevin Durant and takes hits at “Idol” judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson.

According to Oklahoma Christian’s website, “OzCar performed at different venues in OKC for a few weeks before meeting someone who offered to help produce his first video. Now, with more street cred and determination than ever, OzCar is well on his way to celebrity. OzCar’s debut single features a stream of clever jibes at the dismissive ‘Idol’ judges, but it also tells us why he’s doing this in the first place.