Originally Posted By tiggerdis_ <The two young men who became buddies during the wait had very obviously no talent.> ...d'oh very obviously had no talent.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>The deliberate intent is to exploit these people who are obviously developmentally disabled. Yes, they're volunteering for it, but that still doesn't make it okay.<< Exactly.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Oh my, the past two nights have been painful and hysterical to watch at the same time. The bush baby comment was way over the top for Simon Just cruel. But I have to admit that when the bleached blonde mentioned her mother and the camera shot to her I almost fell off the couch. At least the panel was kind to them but oh, my!
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I missed most of last night, but I did see Tuesday. And I agree with gadzuux - this portion of the process has always ticked me off. Remember, there are 10,000 applicants in a city like Minneapolis alone. Simon, Randy, and Paula don't see nearly that many. There's a whole first round of weeding out that we never see, performed by judges we'll never know. They cut the so-so singers right away. They pass through the actually good ones, and also a certain number of the really awful ones, to be humiliated for our amusement. It's especially cruel because those passed through know that most people got cut in the first (unseen) round, and most no doubt think they passed through because they were good. Every year there are a few where I get the vibe they KNOW they're bad, and are even making themselves worse, in a bid to get their 15 minutes as this year's William Hung. But only a few. Most really think they're good and have a shot, and have been encouraged to think so by being passed through that first round, only to have their hopes very cruelly dashed, even when the judges are polite. And of course, often they're not. Those people are sent into the lion's den in order to be humiliated, and it's all set up for our cruel amusement. And yet, and yet, and yet... If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I laughed along at some of them on Tuesday just as I was supposed to. The cowardly lion lady and a couple of the others were just so jaw-droppingly awful that yes, I laughed at them. Didn't feel good about it, but I'd be less than honest if I tried to say I didn't. Idol, if nothing else, has a keen grasp on human nature. Can't say it made me feel real proud, though. I do like to see the first glimpses of the really talented, but I like the show a lot better once they get to Hollywood.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Every year there are a few where I get the vibe they KNOW they're bad, and are even making themselves worse, in a bid to get their 15 minutes as this year's William Hung.<< Cowardly Lion lady would be an example of that. To me, it's just tedious to watch someone act up like that. If last year's show is an example, they'll bring out these folks once again in Hollywood, so we can all feel better about it all, and to show it's all in good clean fun and everyone lives happily ever after. Except that it isn't -- that's just the sort of justification Howard Stern uses after mocking a mentally challenged person for an hour on his show. After the bushbaby comment last night, I am over this show. I'm sure they'll build careers for several lucky and talented folks, but I just feel gross about myself watching that stuff last night.
Originally Posted By DlandDug I enjoy watching kids at a talent show. I would not enjoy watching kids at a talent show being humiliated. I don't mind at all when people who know exactly what they are doing are given harsh treatment. But when it is obvious that some who are in that room are kids, it's cruel and painful. Simon apparently understands that it is not acceptable to call odd young men gay. So this year he calls them monkeys. Nice.
Originally Posted By 999HAUNTS <The two young men who became buddies during the wait had very obviously no talent. > OMG - Clara, please tell me you have seen these guys at your restaurant. I just H A V E to spend an evening watching them interact. I thought I was going to pee myself watching this! Brittany and I both felt sorry for you if you had to deal with customers like these two oddballs. They are the next William Hung if you ask me!
Originally Posted By Fe Maiden <<Time to break rank with the general consensus, I love this part. Don't get me wrong I love the whole show. And yes the judges sometimes go too far with the personal comments. But I was rolling on the floor last night when the bug eyed was listening to his friend with Ryan and said "wow he sounds really good.">> DAR, I'm with you. And I know it was wrong but I did find myself yelling LEMUR! at the TV when Simon was trying to figure out what animal the kid looked like. <a href="http://lemur.duke.edu/animals/" target="_blank">http://lemur.duke.edu/animals/</a> <<Who on earth told them that they should try out? Who are these "friends" that encourage them to come out. They, in my opinion, are worse than anything Randy or Simon could say.>> I totally agree. Those people are not friends.
Originally Posted By TiggerPooh1973 Yeah I don't like this part of the show either. I haven't watched at all this season and I don't plan on watching either. I think it would be more entertaining to see the people who actually can sing. These bozos need to be weeded out before they ever get to the judges. I understand why they do it, America seems to enjoy watching these people be humiliated, but it's sad. And these two hour shows are just too much. Besides, I am missing House because this crap is on!
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka It's one thing to make fun of what a person wears to the show but it's not cool to make fun of someone for their physical appearance like Simon did. That was cruel and I don't know how anyone could defend it. Even if the guy really does have eyes like a lemur or aye aye, it shouldn't be used to put the guy down. Simon treated him like he was disgusting because he was ugly. I thought that he seemed like a really nice guy. They should have only commented on his lack of talent. And now that I think about it, Paula and Randy might be worse because they pretended to be offended and then burst out laughing when they poor guy left the room.
Originally Posted By Lake Nona >>And that bleach blonde and her mother. O M G They take the cake.<< They should be a new female stage act like The HAHAHA tour up in Canada. The ratings for Fox are very good. Just blows my mind that 14 people from Seattle made it to Hollywood.
Originally Posted By AuroraRose <<<And now that I think about it, Paula and Randy might be worse because they pretended to be offended and then burst out laughing when they poor guy left the room>>> mele i'm with you here, i said these exact words last night. at least simon has the stones to be creul to someone's face, instead of being two faced like Paula was--don't they realize these people may watch the show and find out what fakes they are--- I too draw the line at attacks on people's appearence, they are there to be judged on their image and singing yes, but a blatant attack like a school yard bully is just wrong.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>Time to break rank with the general consensus, I love this part. Don't get me wrong I love the whole show. And yes the judges sometimes go too far with the personal comments. But I was rolling on the floor last night when the bug eyed was listening to his friend with Ryan and said "wow he sounds really good."<< I'm on board too. I do think the "monkey" comment was mean and that they were a bit over the top with a few people. I don't believe in cruelty, but I find it difficult to sympathize with people who are so deluded and have no concept of how they come across to others. C'mon people! You can't possibly think you really are a good singer?
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger My wife and I have never seen this show before, but we decided to watch the season opener this time. I'd read, from others on the 'net, that the early episodes are the most fun to watch because of the horribly bad singers that show up, but I've decided they aren't, for exactly the reasons that some are discussing here: there are too many people just showing up to get their 2 minutes on TV, with absolutely no talent and no hope of making the cut. I think that the show needs to implement a two stage audition where a couple of judges pre-audition people and weed out the ones that are so obviously not serious.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka That's the problem...they already have two stage auditions. They purposefully let people with no talent through so we can all laugh at them. Randy, Paula and Simon don't even see most of the contestants.
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger Well, I commented before reading this thread and finding out about the screening process. That's just dumb. They shouldn't encourage the no-talents. My wife and I agree with everyone about Simon's lemur comment. That really was cruel. The judges obviously have decided that commenting on weight issues is out of bounds, or at least we never saw them make any such comments. Comments about physical appearance (other than choice of costume) should be, at least, very restrained.
Originally Posted By Fe Maiden The two guys that were the "stars" of last night seemed to be genuinely nice guys. Did they really believe they had a shot at making it further? Maybe. But at this point in the game (not Season 6, but the American Idol phenomenon) I believe there are two types of people that go to the audition: truly talented people (about 15 at each audition), and everyone else whose only shot of getting on TV is to be portayed as a complete no-talent lunatic. I'd even go so far as to say a good portion of the lunatics create some goofy persona to see if they could even fool the producers. So while I still feel a shred of compassion for the guys like last night, when Simon is ripping them a new one, they're getting exactly what they came for.
Originally Posted By DAR <<I don't believe in cruelty, but I find it difficult to sympathize with people who are so deluded and have no concept of how they come across to others. C'mon people! You can't possibly think you really are a good singer?>> Nor do I. But what I think is even worse is when the entire family shows up thinking their son or daughter is good. That is not showing support that is simply enabling. There's no way my parents would have let me go through this because I have been told that my singing sucks and you know what they were right.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Understandable but can you imagine a parent having to say "Don't go, you're too ugly and weird looking"?
