America's Got Logic: Kaitlyn Maher Wisely Sent Home
This week, 4-year-old America's Got Talent contestant Kaitlyn Maher performed the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There." That's a tough, octave-spanning song for even an adult to tackle (Mariah Carey is one of the few capable of doing that), and really probably the only CHILD who could do it justice is little Michael Jackson (who was 11, not a toddler, when he recorded the original).
As usual, Kaitlyn was a button-nosed cutie, but she was clearly waaaay out of her depth:
Meanwhile, the big man with the big voice, Neal E. Boyd, took on one of the most showoffy, going-for-gold ballads in the TV-talent-show songbook, Eric Carmen's "All By Myself." And he sang it opera-style. And he was NOT out of HIS depth:
So last night, when the five AGT finalists were announced, the contestants were summoned to the stage in faceoff pairs...and it came down to a showdown between Kaitlyn and Neal.
And I sat there, remote control in my white-knuckled hand, muttering to myself and/or no one in particular: "Gawd help me, if that toddler takes away a rightful spot in the finals from an opera singer, I will change the channel right now and I will never watch this show again."
Well, luckily that didn't happen. I heaved a sigh of relief and set remote down, happy that America listened to tough-loving judge Piers Morgan this time (instead of booing him) when he warned it would not be fair to put someone as young as Kaitlyn on a Vegas stage.
Fast-forward about halfway through the clip below and you can see Kaitlyn's elimination:
I must say, Kaitlyn handled her defeat rather maturely (if robotically) for a wee 4-year-old. But when Jerry Springer told her, "We'll see you next year," I have to say--next year is still too soon. Give the girl a break and let her grow up a bit, and then maybe we'll see her in TEN years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkcE6Vy-e6c&feature=related
Yea....she was the runner up for Britian's Got Talent. Had Kaitlyn had that kind of talent, I would have had no problem voting for her.
Who would want their four year old performing in Vegas, anyway?
I think what is wrong with America is putting children into the spotlight before they can understand what is wrong with them. A good example of a child star with a stunted maturity and growth is Michael Jackson. I would hate for this wonderful little girl turn into the next tabloid story in 15 years because she acts like a spoiled child due to never getting the chance to actually be a child.
Her parents can nurture her talent accordingly until she is older, then let her make the decision to be a singer. At four, I would rather play with dolls than be famous and make money for my parents.