American Idol….I Can’t, I Just Can’t
January 17, 2007 by Kath Skerry
I just finished watching tonight’s episode of American Idol and I want nothing more than to drink a bottle of Jack and then take a hot shower. Yes, it was that creepy and uncomfortable. Ick. As I’ve said before, I just don’t really enjoy the early shows as much as most of you do. I feel that American Idol just exploits these socially awkward people, and I find myself fast forwarding more than watching. Now I’m not so high on my soap box that I’m going to stop watching, but I do feel for some of these kids.
And before you start bitch-mailing me saying that they asked for this and deserved this, let me first say that I will agree that this is true for some but not all contestants. See the bad ones…the really bad ones, like we saw tonight, go through round after round of auditions before they reach Paula, Simon and Randy. And with each round they are encouraged to be bigger and bolder because they are “very talented”. So you start with these people, many of whom appeared to my untrained eye to be emotionally disturbed, and then you keep giving them false hope. Some of them are even told that they won’t be respected unless they give back to Simon the harsh comments he gives them. They are set up to fail before walking in there. A reporter went through the audition last year and made it all the way to Simon, Paula and Randy. He was awful…on purpose. He tried to be super outrageous and bad just to see how some of these people made it through to the TV show. I’m going to search for the article and post it if I can.
Anyway, my point is, at this stage of the show, it’s all just a little too awkward for me. Bring on the good singers. Is it Hollywood Week yet?
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Filed under American Idol, American Idol Recap, TV News
OMG I know! Its getting really weird. Especially the two guys, the one with the eye thing, who Simon said he looked like a monkey, and the other guy who got the comment about the pants. It was really sad and degrating that out of so many people that audition, those two were shown to America, and they obviously had problems that were laughed at.
The other people were so strange! “red” was extremely odd, and I don’t understand how those people got to actually see the judges, I would think that at this point in the show’s run, they’d have screeners looking at the people even more closely before they reach the judges, but it’s like they don’t even care. But now, I think they are just going for the craziness to see who will watch.
I remember when I watched the auditions a few years ago, and I laughed because the people were just tone deaf, which they still are, but now I am not only cringing about their singing abilities, or lack there of, but their appearance and things they do and how the judges react to them.
And the judges–well, that’s a whole other story, Paula is just weird, and spacey, Randy really needs to stop with the “dawg” thing, that was so three years ago, and I still kinda like how Simon is so brash, but tonight, he really got me angry with the whole “monkey eyes” thing.
I must say-I liked the brother/sister combination, that should be good come Hollywood week.
hmm.. funny. I was just thinking the same thing. blech. I don’t even want to post about to give them the satisfaction of the attention (like they need anymore. 37 million last night? seriously? probably cause everything else on other networks scattered away in fear). I think I’ll just wait until top 24 so I don’t have a bad taste in my mouth again…
i agree with you guys…i really get uncomfortable watching the auditions sometimes. i’ve actually auditioned 3 times & once, my brother & i both made it to the second round, which at the time was the round before the judges. i was told i had a nice voice but it wasn’t what they were looking for. regardless, it’s true that they put the “joke” auditioners through for entertainment purposes & when i’ve been on line, i definitely think about which person is serious & who just wants to be on tv. i guess i can comment more when they show the ny/nj auditions because i may recognize some people but for right now, i definitely feel for the people w/ real issues that they laughed at.
I don’t watch the early audtions either GMMR…actually, I don’t even watch American Idol anymore! LOL…but, I always felt gross watching the early ones too…the only times I did was when I was looking for my friends.
Couldn’t agree more. This whole “bad singers are funny!” thing is pretty stale after the two dozen seasons AI has given us… There’s the occasional auditioner who still makes me laugh a little bit, but that’s a rarity. Please, Fox, STOP stretching these shows out for months.
i totally agree. i have been watching, but i tend to wait and fast forward all the bad ones. then once i look at the judges faces, i know whether they are good or not so I rewind (thank god for tivo).
The sad thing about it is that AI doesn’t even show all the good people that make it through. In Minnesota, 17 people made it to the Hollywood round, I think we probably saw 10 of them in the 2 hour show. Last night, they exploited Seattle- they KNEW that there were very few people that went through, yet they scheduled a two hour show on the horrendous singing of these people. Just think of all the decent people who didn’t make it through the 1st or 2nd round who could have made the top. It is all up to the producers, and they are only interested in ratings. It’s sad.
Ugh, I know!!! They have just gotten downright mean… Forgive me for plugging another website on yours but I really love Vote for the Worst- they have a whole article on there describing the whole audition process- and how it’s really not all about finding the best singers- but about personalities and making entertaining reality tv.
I’m the same as you though, I fully acknowledge it’s a crapfest but I’ll keep watching anyway. lol
I agree 100%. It truly does appear (to my untrained eye as well) that some of these people have some serious issues, and yet they exploit them. It’s just a matter of time before the next Jenny Jones incident, and the AI producers will probably STILL carry on with their cringe worthy yet ratings-winning ways. The people I feel for most are the kids who are still in high school and are ridiculed on air. They have a tough enough time as it is BEING in high school, don’t add to their angst. So they aren’t good – tell them and move on – don’t mock them on national tv. It’s just not right. I gave up watching 4 years ago, but watched again Tuesday and Wednesday because my usual shows were in repeats. I was embarressed for most of them, and validated why I gave up watching. To me, that’s not entertaining tv.
*stepping off of my soapbox*
I am in total agreement with all of you. I have watched every season but have totally stopped watching the auditions. It is just mean spirited and humiliating and I feel like if I give them my time I am condoning the behavior. It is just so spiteful and mean. Will not tune in until Hollywood rounds.
I have always felt that way about the early rounds – I feel bad for the people who are pretty good singers that are not allowed through, at the expense of encouraging the horrible singers by putting them in front of the judges. I know some of the bad ones know they are bad, and that’s whey they went on the audition in the first place, but many of them genuinely feel that they can sing, and friends and family have never informed them that they really can’t, and when they are allowed through the audition process, it has got to hurt when they are slammed so horribly by the judges. What do the early judges (producers, etc) tell these people – that they are good singers? No wonder they are so indignant when Simon tells them how horrible they are!
I am just more interested in seeing the talent progress than seeing humiliation and mockery. I don’t watch until they are the to 24 or 12 stage. So I didn’t watch this week, not the best to comment on how it was then, I guess.
We get it, there is a process, no need to show it to us each time. We get retrospects everytime someone leaves – stop milking the money/advertising train already!!!
Don’t be hatin’ on me, but I don’t watch AI EXCEPT for the early auditions. I’m just not that entertained by watching people singing on stage. I feel bad for the awful singers that get ridiculed, but there are some people that are just funny to watch and Simon is one of them.
Exactly, Sarcasmo! Once they get to Hollywood, that’s it for me. I refuse to contribute to the “AI” juggernaut once it starts the actual “competition.” I’ve never had a “favorite” on the show because I don’t watch any after this stage. But these auditions…there’s just something about watching someone’s hopes and dreams get crushed…
Okay, that’s a little harsh, but I get a kick out of watching these people who actually think that they are good, or whose parents keep feeding them praise instead of telling them, “Maybe singing’s not for you.” I love to sing, but I know I’m not any good (which certainly isn’t helping things) so I keep it to myself. For the most part. Anyway, I’m not saying anyone deserves it, but people like me tune in to see those people, so I think that’s why they put them through.
They probably should put a sign on that door that doesn’t open, though. First they get their dreams crushed, and then they smack their face on the door? That’s a little much. But I still laughed every time.
I’m curious as to whether you found that article or if anyone else knows where to find it…I’d love to read it.
I’m just glad my dad told me my singing sucks.
Thank you, dad 😀
Kath, I’d really like to see that article as well. Have you found it yet?
I am one of the 39 million people who love AI…every step of the way. No one is forced to audition. If you don’t know how you could be treated when you walk into that room by now, you must be truly delusional.
The truth may hurt for some of these contestants…but in the end, it is the truth.
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