Posted on 01/19/2007 11:01:04 AM PST by meg88
Idol" Sparks New Controversy on Access Hollywood
By Laura Saltman
The show is only back two days and already "American Idol" is sparking controversy. Today the buzz all around my office is about how mean-spirited the show is during the audition rounds. While I was out having dinner, an email came over my blackberry from our music producer, Nancy Harrison, who was on the east coast watching the show, "I must say tonight's episode was quite disturbing. Two of the Seattle contestants--Kenneth and Jonathan--were clearly limited... and the judges still poked fun of them. I found this to be in really poor taste and can't believe this show would sink this low for ratings." My first thought, having not seen the show yet was, "old news." The show has done this throughout its first five seasons on the air. The fact of the matter is that snickering at people who clearly can't sing or telling people they are "too fat" or "not the right look" to be the next American Idol is nothing new here. That's what the audition shows are all about each and every year. They poke fun of bad singers and everyone laughs.
Then I got home and watched the show and realized what the outrage was over. I want to share this email I got from our show's Senior Producer, Claudia Eaton, who was watching with her son, David. As a parent, I'm sure her sentiment is something being felt all over households today: "Last night's programming was uncomfortably entertaining ... painful to laugh at ... I had to explain to my son on more than one occasion how inappropriate these adults were. And, as a budding thespian, had to convince him that it would in fact be ok for him to try out for the school play. What does bother me as a newcomer to the Idol craze is how cavalierly the public seems to accept the way Simon talks to people to their faces about things as basic as how they look or talk ... PLEASE let them hurry up and get to the finals ... where hopefully truly talented people will truly entertain people with talent ... and we do NOT laugh at people for being "ugly," "odd," "tall," or just plain different."
While I don't think the format of the audition shows has changed, what I think has happened is that the judges are acting more and more like catty school children with each passing season. Simon is the bully on the playground and Randy and Paula are his underlings. Someone says something mean and the others either laugh or play along. It's like watching the movie, "Mean Girls." Every once in awhile Paula and Randy will scold Simon but in a laughing manner, never to the point where someone is saying 'you know what, this is inappropriate.' Do I think it's their fault? Partially. Only partially because Idol is a reality show and therefore the producers must create situations. That means they must put bad singers in front of the judges to make the auditions interesting. After seeing thousands of people who are either playing it up for the cameras to get on TV or just plain delusional about their talent it has to get frustrating for the judges.
Having said that... you, America, are the ones who have allowed this type of behavior to go on. 37 million of you were watching on Tuesday night while the insults were flying... up 2 million from last year. If people were truly offended, well then they should have tuned out last night. Not the case though. Another 37 million watched the Seattle auditions. In fact, the audition shows always get a higher audience then the performance shows. This morning I talked to Katharine McPhee, who did not watch the audition shows this week but heard about the controversy on "The View." On the subject, she told me, "There crosses a point I think where you start actually being mean about people's appearances and I think that kind of really is just wrong. I've never liked that part of the show. So, that's why I don't really tune in for the early part of it."
Last night's outrage I'd say was mainly over the way 21-year-old contestant, Jonathan Jayne, and 23-year-old Kenneth Briggs were portrayed. Obviously, a little different than others, Simon's calling Kenneth a "bush baby" just went to far. We talked to Jonathan this morning who truly was just happy for the chance to be on TV. His only complaint wasn't about how he was portrayed on TV but that Randy was chuckling during his audition, " I just think that he was trying to make television at that time. He didn't really mean it." He did however get very upset about the way Kenneth was treated, "They treated him horribly. I just didn't like what they said about him. That really made me kind of ticked off that they were treating him like that."
Hollywood is dead. Long live CommieWeird.
The carnival was never the same when the freak show became politically incorrect. The closest thing I've seen in years was the Idol audition. And that guy DID look like a bush baby.
ROFL! Good description of the judges.
"I wish Katharine McPheever was back this year."
I gave up looking for her CD. Did she ever make one?
AI is the culmination of 30 years of "self esteem training" in lieu of education. After a lifetime of having their self-esteem built up without ever really learning anything, college-age kids who can't carry a tune in a bucket think they have a God-given right to a record deal and stardom.
Watching reality (in the form of a wickidly funny Brit) smack them in the face is almost as much fun as watching the DUmmies during the 2004 election. If you haven't tried it, I recommend it at least once. Lots of stereotypically mincing gays, too, which also always makes me laugh--lowbrow but come on, still funny.
I think its coming out February 1st.
I've never watched the show more than a few seconds once and a while.
But just in those bits and pieces, and all I can say is...
Even the good singers can't sing.
Yelling is now taken as 'singing'.
American is full of talentless clones if this any indicator.
What's the point?
And yeah, the meanness was the #1 reason I never started watching it.
See, that's the problem. I don't think Simon is even mildly funny. A shrewd businessman, yes, but funny? Not in this universe. As for trying it out just once, I just can't go there. I think I'd rather have a root canal with no novacaine.
Whitney got my vote last night. I don't think this crop of candidates is as good as last year's Nashville Star, but it's early yet. And who on earth is the bearded judge supposed to be?
All of the contestants now wildy oversing like Christina Aguilera
I have an "Amici" CD that someone lent me. OMIGOD! The voices are so pretty! They are really singing songs on key and they are so pretty!
I thought it was a lost art.
But now, everyone yells, wails, flings their arms around and we hear "She can really belt out a song!"
OK, but can she sing?
Remember last year at the finale where they had some of the bad singers back to sing on the live show?
I think some bad singers have this in mind.
15 minutes of fame isn't enough....they're shooting for 30.
Sorry, but there's a third; my wife. We're a small club to be sure.
Like this guy?
Ruben Studdard, American Idol winner Season 2
I love AI - it's the most cheesetastic show on TV. It's really not a talent competition at all. It's more like a game show where the top 2 finishers become overnight celebrities and multi-millionaires. Great fun!!
Trajan88 saying hello to another "88"er.
Ooops... Trajan88 saying hello to another "88"er.
Sorry 'bout that Holicheese... message meant for "meg88."
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