BS: American Idol...

Subject: BS: American Idol...
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:28 PM

Couldn't figure whether to put this above the line or down here in the outhouse so I flipped a coin and outhouse won...

So, tonight is the night!!! American Idol begins another season and I confess... I love it... Reminds me of a long time ago when half a dozen of us were sittin' on the floor in the mens room of the Crossroads Coffee House in Richmond and we were all more than a tad nervous...

I mean, I just love seein' the youngin's going thru this stuff... Oh, and I love the early episodes, too, because some of the folks that come to audition are flat out crazy... Like "Gong Show" nuts...

Any other ***Idolers*** here???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:35 PM

nope... when I realized it was only a slight step above Gong Show...but trying to take itself seriously... I bowed out.

They KNOW they don't have enough real talent to make a full show each week, so they use "Gong" material for entertainment...and probably know exactly who's gonna win until the finals begin.

....and 2-3 times watching Simon insult folks gave me a clue about the way it was gonna go.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: ClaireBear
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:38 PM

I've never watched because I realize I could easily become a nutcase raving fan just because of its sheer lameness...and the reasons you;ve cited, too. But I think I'll give it a try tonight, now that you've reminded me. Especially as hubby won't be home to ridicule me!

(I HAVE, I confess, become a huge fan of "Sunday Best," BET's gospel talent show along American Idol lines. And I love it for all those same reasons, too.)

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:41 PM

Oh, bull, BIll... I loves ya', man, but there are one heck of alot of really good singers that make it onto the show... You get down to the finalists??? They can all flat out sing... Okay, maybe it ain't yer kinda music but, hey, its a talent show...

I mean, even most of the "Gong Show" nuts that never make it past the audition are some fine comedians...

Check it out, ol' man... Won't hurt you... Channel 5 from 8 to 10 and you can get it on that ol' RCA black and white TV ya' got in the basement if ya adjust them rabbit ears just right...

B~ ***grin***

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:43 PM

See, BIll, ClaireB an' me gonna be tuned it...

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 07:49 PM

8-10 is Olbermann & Maddow.... guess where I'll be... *grin*

Watchin' a kid yodel the Star Spangled Banner in falsetto, just in case there 'might' be a good singer next is not my cup of tea....but you go on and get some culture.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 08:02 PM

I've never watched it, or any other reality shows.
Classic sitcoms, documentaries, and if something on the movie network
catches my eye, I'll watch.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Beer
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 09:09 PM

Sorry Bobert but I never watch it. Was turned off years ago and here is the thread that I started at that time explaining my stand. For me, nothing has changed.

ad.

thread.cfm?threadid=98347&messages=88

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 09:34 PM

See, Bobert, I got other and more important things ta do, like pickin' ma nose.

'Course, I don't watch much more than a hour of teevee a month anytime, and that's usually the weather.

I admit to watching some of the "Mythbusters" shows, mostly because they blow things up.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: gnu
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 09:47 PM

I am with Bobert... it is a great show that showcases talent that might never be seen otherwise.

It is not a reality show... it is a talent show that gives these talented people a shot at showing the world thier talent.

WTF is wrong with that?

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Ron Davies
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 11:26 PM

Hmm.   "these talented people".    There is a winnowing process at the start--an amazing number think they have talent--thousands in a given city.   For some there's no evidence the viewer can see or hear.   Which itself can be much more entertaining than the popularity contest it turns into later.   Especially if the contestants argue with the judges.

Along the lines of "who are you to keep my talent from the world?".

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bobert
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 08:59 AM

Yeah, Ron, that's half the fun... I mean, that's what I refer to as the "Gong Show" period but that's just the first four, or so, episodes and then it settles into a talent contest...

BTW, Rap, if you practice at it you'll find that you can watch TV and pick yer nose at the same time... Yeah, it's hard at first but if you practice, practice, practice you'll have it down in no time at all...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 09:08 AM

It's drivel.
Sorry, no offence intended Bobertz! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Becca72
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 09:11 AM

I have never been and will never be an Americal Idol watcher. Most of the show is painful to watch.

I'll be watching Mythbusters with Rap...

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Ron Davies
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 11:04 PM

"painful to watch".    The opening weeks are in fact full of great--inadvertent--humor. Since so many are convinced of their world-storming talent.

Seems to be the logical outcome of a parenting style in which the self-esteem of little Johnny and little Susie is always the paramount goal--far ahead of learning anything.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Ron Davies
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 11:09 PM

"And make each prisoner pent/ Unwillingly represent..."

But the thing is these are not prisoners, and not doing it unwillingly.

They are still a fine source of merriment.    Just not good singing.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: gnu
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 03:51 PM

I dislike the really poor singers who think they are good. I feel embarassment and pain for them. I find little to laugh about. The only solace has been that Simon would be honest with them. And Randy at times. The airhead (although talented and beautiful and once intelligent (?)) not so much.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 04:58 PM

Listen, gn-ze... The real lousy ones knew perfectly well that they suck but...

...couldn't care less... It's an opportunity of a lifetime to possibly suck in front of 50 million TV watchers...

The one's I feel sorry for are the ones who don't suck that bad who might be okay singers with a little help... But lots of them just work and work at it and come back every year and try again... Many finalists have come from that group...

As fir suckin' & no shame... Hells bells... They don't call this joint the Mudpit fir nuthin', do they???

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Ed T
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 05:14 PM

There have been many TV talent shows for years. This one adds a blend of USA-UK style entertainment, with celebraties.

It's "somewhat" entertaining, if you can put up with the format and the "cornball humour". IMO, humour not unlike "He Haw" from quite a few years back.

On the positive side, it give a chance at a music career for the occasional talented "find", who likely would not have a shot at one otherwise. So, what's wrong with that?

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 07:45 PM

I'm hoping this year will be a little more real than the formulaic machine that Idol turned into. They have a new music producer and I like the judges.

It was really sad to see how they manipulated the show last year to have Lee win, and then to see what he produced after he wonl. Pure generic power pap.

I love Crystal and was really excited to get her new CD for Christmas, then very disapointed. They stripped all of the poignant delivery and sout right out of her songs with power guitar solos and multitracked click track songs. Compare Farmer's Daughter that she recorded pre-Idol with the overthetop sped up version that was put on the CD. They destroyed the song.

That is what American Idol did to artists. Hopefully it will take a new direction this year.

The second guy that sang on the show on Wednesday was singing the blues and did a pretty good job of it !

JAB

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 08:13 PM

I'm with you, Jimbo...

Crystal was/is the shits... I me3an, that girl can flat out sing...

Kinda disappointed with he CD... She should have gone to Nashville and fopund some better material but...

...she can sing...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Ron Davies
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 08:35 PM

Don't bother feeling embarrassment and pain for Idol applicants.    You can bet they have watched the show themselves and know what could happen to them. If not, they are amazingly clueless--and Simon provided a service. It will be--faintly--interesting to see what happens without him.

Of course none of them could possibly fail, since each one is the next Idol. At least that's what they've convinced themselves--probably egged on by people telling them how wonderful they are-- for a long time.

The entertainment industry is no picnic--and they need to learn that sooner rather than later.



It's the ones who argue with the judges who are the real TV entertainment.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: gnu
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 09:26 PM

Well, it has been obvious from the get-go that the VERY talented are signed early and sprited off the program to be groomed for lucraive careers ASAP (and to make the shock value for TV ratings) except when they are needed to keep the show "interesting"... but, hey, it's TV. Ya gotta keep a perspective about what it's all about eh? $

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Stringsinger
Date: 22 Jan 11 - 06:01 PM

The popular music industry spawns a certain kind of talent. Some of them can sing.
The material that they do really is inferior, the words are banal, the tunes copied and easily repeatable, no content (such as you find in folk music), the idea is that music makes the cash register ring, and boring, boring, boring. American Idol is a paradise for those who want to prostitute their talent for the sake of panelists who really know very little about music although they may know how to milk the cash cow.

Subject: RE: BS: American Idol...
From: Stringsinger
Date: 23 Jan 11 - 01:42 PM

Looking at contemporary political life in Corporate America, there is a new show being offered. American Lie-dull.