Loading ...American Idol 3
Having avoided the first two instances of this very popular show, I somehow have managed to catch the first two episodes of their first season. Although entertaining on a certain level, I don’t know how many more of these “audition” shows I can take. So much is repetitive. Most of it is just people getting up on stage and trying to sing. I guess people who are tone deaf cannot tell that they sound hidious. Ok, some of them are so horrible it’s funny, but after a while, it’s like… I get the point! People just can’t tell. There’s nothing inherently funny about that. It’s like thinking it’s funny that a blind man can’t tell his tie is crooked, or that some hair is sticking up, or something. You’re basically making fun of people because of a disability. What this indicates to me is a couple of things: 1) people can’t tell others to their face that they can’t sing, and 2) when someone ELSE does it, a lot of people get kicks out of this. I know it’s supposed to be entertaining, but really is it necessary to mock these people? Simon and Randy take turns trying to insult the person, and laugh at them. Randy Jackson is supposedly a music producer with 20 years of experience in the industry. But his comments are bafoonish! His complements are so general that I could have come up with them. Stuff like “you have an interesting voice” and “you’re fun” is as intricate as he gets. Then he yells out to those who end up passing in a silly voice “welcome to hollywood, baby!” He seems more of a clown than someone who has actual experience with this stuff. Half the time he seems to defer to Simon or Paula so that he will not stand out as having an opinion very different from the other two. Sorry for the rant, but these are my first impressions. I don’t know whether I will continue to watch the show or not, I suppose if I’m cooking or something and happen to have the tv on in the background, that’s the best chance!
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January 21st, 2004 at 2:22 pm
It’s actually pretty good. Auditions (thankfully) don’t last too long. Once it gets to the next stage you might enjoy it more. As for the judges. Randy’s okay, and Paula is *always* nice (although she seems not so this season) and Simon is awesome, though sometimes cruel. Anywho - I’ll read more of your blog
February 5th, 2004 at 12:51 pm
Sorry I haven’t been here in awhile.
I felt the need to refute Arkali’s comment. No. American Idol is not a good show. My friend is obsessed with it, and I have been forced to watch most of all three seasons. It’s not good. Most of the singers on there are genuinely good, but they just crack under pressure and then are told that they are horrible. It sickens me to watch her laughing hysterically in her chair at some poor sap who thinks he can sing. They are not let down easily.
In addition, it makes the viewer think they are superior to every singer that is belittled. After one of Simon’s nasty comments my friend turned to me, pursed her lips, shook her head, and said “Well, he’s just not good enough. Simon’s right. That was a horrible preformance.” If she had not seen it on TV with Simon, my friend probably would have thought it was phenominal. (I think that’s spelled wrong) It makes me sad that people enjoy the misery of others.
In real life my friend is constantly moralizing about how cruel people are and how we should all try to be nicer to our fellow man. Yet she loves making fun of the singers on that show, “all in the name of good fun.” It’s a horrible show. I wish it was cancled, but I know it won’t because there are too many idiots that love seeing someone else suffer.
February 5th, 2004 at 1:34 pm
Frugal, it sounds like your friend has some issues. I’m glad they are starting to get over the initial interviews. I realize there’s definitely an element of masochism in the appeal the show has. Some people seem to love watching that “abuse” and I think the show feeds off of it. If they were really polite to people, it wouldn’t be as “scandelous” and so wouldn’t appeal to that darker side of people. It would just be a glorified talent show - which it really is anyway.
As far as many of the contestants actually being able to sing, well, I would agree with you in some cases. Others it’s obvious that they just have no musical talent. Nerves can do a lot, but it can’t make someone sound so horribly out of key, etc. Some seem to be so bad and not know it that I wonder if it’s all an act just to get on tv. Others are so upset by the whole process and I just wonder about them. Are they just so naive that they think that they have talent, or have they just never been handed really harsh, cruel, criticism? Or is it just an act again? I wonder because obviously most of these applicants have seen previous seasons of the show and so know that the judging is very tough, and cruel, especially Simon. I suppose even prepared with that knowledge when you face it personally it may be very different, but still.
What I find is sad is these folks who are convinced that they have this great talent and try over and over again and refuse to take the hint from others that this may not be their calling. I admire their persistance and they may like their own voice and who am I to tell them to stop singing. Let them do that if they feel that is their outlet, their calling, etc. At the same time, I think if your only or main way of trying to share that passion is by this hyped up show that doesn’t just judge singing ability, but appearance, attitude, style, and just the choice of song, they are choosing the wrong place to try their hand at starting a career for themselves.
But I do often disagree with the panelists, especially Simon, because I am only listening to the voice. I could care less how the person looks. And for the record, I actually tried a couple times to sing a song in my living room after watching the show and came to the conclusion that if I ever tried out for such a show I would be among the people taped with Simon saying I was the worst singer he ever heard!