Please Silence The Lambs---Why American Idol Is Just Plain Mean
When the eighth season of American Idol kicks off on Tuesday, we'll finally be able to see
how new judge Kara DioGuardi acquits herself to the mighty pop music machine.
Will the former songwriter and producer come off as Simon Cowell's bitchy
counterpart? Another Paula-like cheerleader? An analogue to whatever it is that
Randy does? The mind boggles at the possibilities. But whatever route DioGuardi
goes, watching her development will almost certainly be the most interesting
part of the typically insufferable early-season episodes.
I don't understand why more hasn't been made about the truly mean-spirited nature of the initial weeks of every new Idol season. For each singer that gets to move on to the next stage of the competition, a half-dozen are brought on, like lambs to the slaughter, solely for viewers to laugh at. That singer is terrible! Hilarious!
Though schadenfreude is not exactly new to television, there's something particularly offensive about Idol's method of humiliation. The contestants on a show like Dancing With The Stars know long in advance that they'll be on TV. They have the time to prepare. Then, when they're on the show, they're paired with professionals. Everybody has the same shot at winning. Not so on Idol, which instead features people chosen to appear before the judges precisely because they will make for pathetic spectacle.
On top of that, these poor suckers honestly believe they are talented. Sure, hearing how some of these singers treat pitch like the plague suggests that a dollop of delusion is in play, but that doesn't lessen the callousness of the enterprise. Imagine you thought you had a special skill, some TV type said you could demonstrate that skill in front of millions, and then, when your time came, you were told you stunk. That's just cruel--and something very much like it will happen on Idol dozens of times over the next few weeks.
Who knows? DioGuardi might also feel the aforementioned situation is squirm inducing. Maybe she'll try to bestow a little dignity to the proceedings. And if not, well, let's hope karma counts for something.
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point here is the bleeding hearts pick and choose what they want to cry out about...i think like a lot of people feel we have bigger issues here than calling someone a Paki....
Just like the Howard Stern Show Mean, rude,arrogant and as soon as the caller in gets an edge they hang up on you as though you are trailer trash garbage. Contestents dont take it personal its Show Biz.......
Why else would some contestants where cow suits... if they actually thought they were good.
I do agree that some are actually delusional, and its not very nice, but my guess is that before they go before the judges (and on tv) they are told that, at least to a certain extent. Public humility usually doesn't go over well and leads to lawsuits, so I am sure they are made well aware that they are the brunt of a joke.
Or they could just be actors. Reality t.v. doesnt really exist.
Not that I'm endorsing what they do or anything but these people know they're making fools of themselves on international television
Coincidence? I think not.
On top of that, these poor suckers honestly believe they are talented. Sure, hearing how some of these singers treat pitch like the plague suggests that a dollop of delusion is in play,..."
Gee, David, is what you are doing by writing the above, any better than what you accuse Idol of doing?