American Idol

[Jazz Kat]

Are you watching these guys? The good ones are boring, and the bad ones make for great tv!

[Jazzmoose]

No.

[Jazz Kat]

Don't get me wrong, not watching for the music. But its entertaining.

[PHILLYQ]

Haven't watched it this season, but last season I enjoyed the terrible singers more- they were a good laugh.

[Jazz Kat]

Exactly. That's the only reason I tune in to it the first couple of weeks. ONce they narrow it down to the good singers, I stop watching.

[patricia]

JazzCat,

ME TOO!!! The "bad" ones are SOOO bad.

You've got to wonder why they thought they had a ghost of a chance

[Jazz Kat]

I know, you wonder how the hell do they think they are actually the best singers in the world??!!!

[LAL]

I notice that some 'contestants' were trying their best to be the worst, ala William Hung. Sorry to say they weren't funny even a bit (Not that William is funny).

[JSngry]

No.

Same here. Only moreso.

[Rooster_Ties]

I watched off-and-on last season, until the best of the bunch (can't remember her name) got booted out in 4th place. Haven't watched it since.

PS: Quick google says that it was La Toya London who got booted long before she should have.

She's the one in the upper right-hand corner.

[jazzbo]

My wife watches this and I end up watching it as well.

I like it better when they get around to the really good (and really good looking) singers.

Last season I really liked Jennifer from Chicago best and was sad when she walked the plank. . . .

[Dan Gould]

I'm with Jazz Kat-the best part of the season are the auditions ... but I do tend to watch the later episodes, if there are compelling voices in the mix.

After William Hung's experience last year, you have to figure there are people out there hoping to replicate his "fame". But I think the difference is, those people are coldy calculating how to get their fifteen minutes, and what was strangely appealing about Hung was the fact that he was totally sincere.

[catesta]

Never got into the show.

[Jazz Kat]

I watched off-and-on last season, until the best of the bunch (can't remember her name) got booted out in 4th place. Haven't watched it since.

PS: Quick google says that it was La Toya London who got booted long before she should have.

She's the one in the upper right-hand corner.

I know, she sung those jazz tunes great!

[Chrome]

I happened to see last week's show and some woman, after she had been axed, actually got down on her hands and knees and started begging/crawling for a second chance ... it was one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen.

[Jazz Kat]

"I know I have talent. I'm BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD. I AM THE BEST!!! NOBODY"S BETTER THAN ME!!!!!"

"What, i can't go to Hollywood?"

[Brandon Burke]

I hate this kind of shit. You guys might be watching it because it's "funny" or "stupid" but that's the same reason people watch The Simple Life, The Surreal Life, The Apprentice, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette....ad nauseum. As a result, those shows get great ratings and nine more of them pop up every day.

Thanks.

BTW: I don't imagine many of you listen to shitty music because it's "funny". Well...it's the same thing. Every bullshit record that gets popular means a good record that doesn't conform to what the current music market dictates will not get made. How funny is Amercian Idol now?

[RDK]

I hate this kind of shit.  You guys might be watching it because it's "funny" or "stupid" but that's the same reason people watch The Simple Life, The Surreal Life, The Apprentice, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette....ad nauseum.  As a result, those shows get great ratings and nine more of them pop up every day. 

Thanks. 

BTW: I don't imagine many of you listen to shitty music because it's "funny".  Well...it's the same thing.  Every bullshit record that gets popular means a good record that doesn't conform to what the current music market dictates will not get made.  How funny is Amercian Idol now? 

Well, now, if that isn't the most elitist post I've read in a long time.

Guess I should feel guilty for enjoying something?

Thank you, but my world is large enough to "enjoy" both William Hung and John Coltrane. (For different reasons of course.)

Edited January 26, 2005 by RDK

[jazzbo]

R!

Edited January 26, 2005 by jazzbo

[Jazz Kat]

Me NOT tuning in for American Idol no more will not prevent it from airing. American Idol is funny! It brightens up my Tuesday nights! No I dont listen to music because it's funny. Why would I? Television is called entertainment.

[Dan Gould]

I hate this kind of shit. You guys might be watching it because it's "funny" or "stupid" but that's the same reason people watch The Simple Life, The Surreal Life, The Apprentice, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette....ad nauseum. As a result, those shows get great ratings and nine more of them pop up every day.

Thanks.

BTW: I don't imagine many of you listen to shitty music because it's "funny". Well...it's the same thing. Every bullshit record that gets popular means a good record that doesn't conform to what the current music market dictates will not get made. How funny is Amercian Idol now?

What a crock, Brandon.

American Idol squeezes out "good" music from the marketplace?

You have got to be kidding me.

[Dave James]

I'm with a lot of others in that I just watch the auditions. Once they winnow it down to the people who have talent, it's no longer interesting. Maybe that's perverse in some sort of way, but I also guess I don't care. I agree that there seems to be some who are just looking to be the next William Hung (fortunately, there will only ever be one of him) like the guy who sang "Eye of the Tiger" last night. Of course, the show isn't anything other than totally supportive of showing the worst of the worst. They definitely know what puts the butter on their bread.

I do think A.I. is beginning to show some cracks around the edges. Even though there's never a shortage of truly bad singers, even that's starting to get old. And, that faux confrontational stuff between Paula and Simon is really annoying. It's not unlike what American Chopper has morphed into what with the very deliberative adversarial relationship between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. I also don't like the guest judge concept. That adds no spice to the national knockwurst.

I continue to be amazed by how highly people think of themselves and their talent. Thousands of people show up for these auditions and you have to think most of them really believe they have what it takes. Once they get the boot, they still don't think they're bad. How many times have you heard one of the contestants say, "all my friends tell me I'm great." Well, as we know, no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public and that's what you're seeing here. Either their friends can't tell talent from a titmouse or they're part of the great unwashed, musically illiterate masses who couldn't pick up a beat if you clapped in time for them.

One thing I'd like to know is exactly what drug that black guy was on last night. What a piece of work.

Up over and out.

Edited January 26, 2005 by Dave James

[Guest Chaney]

Bad shows squeeze out the possibilty of their being either interest or room for good shows. (I, of course, am qualified to judge for all what is good and bad.)

As for me, I suffer from vicarious embarrassment for these contestants, so I've never chosen to watch. I have heard some of the winners and find that they're hardly that; too many vocal contortionists.

Edited January 26, 2005 by Chaney

[Jazz Kat]

It's on tonight. I want a full page summary of it by tomorrow!

[doubleM]

I find it difficult to endure the singers who won't just sing the fucking notes, but they have to ornament them with all of that overblown Whitney Houston-sounding crap. It's like people who obviously affect a different singing voice than their speaking voice, a la the Matchbox 20 guy, Dave Matthews, and Pearl Jam. WHY!?!?! I do enjoy hardcore rejects on American Idol, though. B-)

Edited January 26, 2005 by doubleM