OK, it started again. Yes, I am an American Idol addict.
But...are the tryouts for real? I mean, can people who sing so abysmally actually get to the stage where they are judged by Paula and Co.? The last woman to go, Mary, was just too much. Are they just trying out to be the next William Hung, who probably made more money than Fantasia?
So far, only the music teacher, Anwan, came close to being worthy, in my book.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Anyone can get in if they wait in line long enough. Who's going to stop them? They are the bread and butter.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Two things on American Idol:
1) They intentionally take people from the tryouts who are bad. A morning show in Saint Louis (and elsewhere, I think) that I sometimes listened to on the way to work sent an intern who is an admittedly horrible singer to try out as a test for this hypothesis, and she made it past several stages of elimination (and she was really, really bad, but apparently not funny enough).
2) The end winner is essentially a random choice among the contestants. They've released statistics on how many people attempt to vote by phone vs how many votes there are, and the first dwarfs the second by far, which means it just depends on which people's votes get through who wins.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
But is there a limit to the number of people who can get in the line?
One story was ridiculous. This woman wanted so badly to get to American Idol that she sold her wedding ring. For 200 dollars. OK, sad. But when she came out of her audition after winning, a whole slew of family members were there to greet her. Enough people who could have chipped in 20 bucks for her to go.
I just think a lot of the losers are acting to get attention.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
Liz, were you at all disturbed by the coverage of Mary Roach's audition last night? I only caught the last half hour, and... while it's possible Mary was just socially inept, it seems likely to me that she's mentally ill. The talk of how she hears multiple voices in her head... I thought the extent and tone of their coverage of her audition was tasteless. If not outright cruel.
For the others, I would find new friends if they told me I was good enough to try out for American Idol.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Fugu, do they have to get screened in before going in front of Paula and Simon? I just don't see how they could listen to all those people unless they were there for two weeks.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
No, there's not really a limit for the first tryout beyond how much time they have to listen to people. People camp out to get in.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Jeni, I think Mary was a hoax. If not, yes, it was terribly cruel.
Edit: Fugu: OK, that makes sense.
[ January 19, 2005, 01:22 PM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
That's what my husband said too...that she was an actress. I dunno.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
It was when she picked up on the "voices" comment and ran with it that I was pretty sure. She had been talking about other singing voices, they said, "oh so funny-and-original" was it voices in her head? And then she started to talk about wht they were saying. I didn't buy it. I wonder if those people are planted there, and not really even trying out.
Mind you, I will still watch the show. How sad is that? And my new daytime addiction is worse: Home Delivery, the Jerry Springer of granted dreams show.
Posted by gnixing (Member # 768) on :
my sister's husband tryed out at the las vegas idol auditions. he made it to the first... booth? and was dropped.
basically, from what i recall, they have several tables with a few "judges" that listen to everyone in groups of 4. the different tables qualify different types of people. the table my brother in law hoped to be at was allowing people that had his music style. but the table he got stuck at was allowing only the minorities (no white guys got past that table).
regardless, he saw some really good people get qualified, and some really good people dropped for less capable performers. some got through just because of the way they dressed.
i don't think my brother in law is "american idol" quality, but he is an excellent singer/performer. so i didn't expect him to get anywhere in the process. it was, however, interesting to gain a different perspective of the show.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Why is that guy from Sugar Ray one of the judges? He really, really can't sing.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
I'm not a big Sugar Ray fan but Mark McGrath is a pretty talented guy and you won't find many people more knowledgable about music than him. He is the Ken Jennings of Rock'n'Roll Jeopardy. I have never seen anyone even close to him in the score. I don't know if this qualifies him to be a judge but he is at least as qualified as Paula Abdul.
Posted by whiskysunrise (Member # 6819) on :
They said he was a guest judge. And from what i saw it looks like they are going to have several guest judges.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
gnixing, I just don't get how these people who are so horrendous can get through, unless they are letting them get through for the funny factor. If your brother in law can even hold a note, he should have gotten to the Paula stage. That is why I think there is some silly stuff happening, which is unfair to people who spend the money to get there.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
As interesting as the show is, it's bothering me a bit now that I think about it...
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
It bothers me a lot, but I am addicted.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
quote: I just don't get how these people who are so horrendous can get through
I think it is exactly what you suggested, they know people will watch. I don't see anything wrong with it, shows like that choose what to air all the time. Personally, I didn't watch it...listening to tons of people who are really bad just gives me a headache...but I know many people who think it is really funny.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
It just seems like they are trying to find some clone of already famous and (a bit boring) musicians, not to dis the other winners, they are pretty cool, but they are not promoting anything new or really cool people who can at least sing like Ella Mmm. The world needs another ELLA.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Fitzgerald?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Yes. It is all about Ella Fitzgerald. Pop music back then was so much better than pop music now. They knew how to write SONGS back then, good songs. It's just sad that they keep abusing such classic songs by putting them in COMMERCIALS!
[ January 19, 2005, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: Synesthesia ]
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
Fugu's right. I've got a friend who puts together the judging panels for the first stages of Australian Idol - it's a franchise show, so it works the same way everywhere.
Only the absolute comedic worst get through, and the ones that have a really good shot - but also fit within whatever agenda they're trying to push.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:It is all about Ella Fitzgerald. Pop music back then was so much better than pop music now.
Bear in mind that you get to cherry-pick the greatest singers of the 20th century when you do that, Synth. I'm sure, looking back forty years, people will wax nostalgic for a time when U2, Modest Mouse, and, I dunno, Run-DMC were all on the radio. They'll think of it as a Golden Age, back before popular music started to suck.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
What's the big deal about Modest Mouse? I can't say I find them terribly compelling based on The Moon & Antarctica...
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Oh, I don't like Modest Mouse all that much, either. I mainly picked random bands that people 40 years from now might errnoneously think were on the radio all the time. Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Ah, okay.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I hope that the ones that are actually good, like that guy they had on yesterday who can dance don't get discouraged when they are not picked.
Posted by gnixing (Member # 768) on :
quote: gnixing, I just don't get how these people who are so horrendous can get through, unless they are letting them get through for the funny factor. If your brother in law can even hold a note, he should have gotten to the Paula stage. That is why I think there is some silly stuff happening, which is unfair to people who spend the money to get there.
heh. honestly, of the four people in the group that my brother-in-law was in, he felt he was the best (and i believe him...), but of the other 3, the one that got selected to move on to the next stage was the one who did not follow any of the instructions provided and was the least capable performer. he (edit: my brother-in-law) was NOT happy.
personally, i get the impression that they are looking for an even mix of good and bad performers to get the ratings and make it interesting. truthfully, how interesting would it be to watch if everyone was awesome? seeing Paula et al reduce people to bits makes it fun to watch, even if it is a bit cruel... and i do think it is cruel. they allow these miserable singers to make it to the main stages, thinking that they are better than some of the stellar singers that got denied, only to be crushed on camera.
[ January 19, 2005, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: gnixing ]
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
How about the two geeky "friends" who were both horrible, and then walked away into the St. Louis sunset together?
(Dang-I have to wait until next week for more to complain about!!)
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:seeing Paula et al reduce people to bits makes it fun to watch, even if it is a bit cruel... and i do think it is cruel. they allow these miserable singers to make it to the main stages, thinking that they are better than some of the stellar singers that got denied, only to be crushed on camera.
This is why I don't watch that show.
Posted by NinjaBirdman (Member # 7114) on :
quote:How about the two geeky "friends" who were both horrible, and then walked away into the St. Louis sunset together?
(Dang-I have to wait until next week for more to complain about!!)
That was funny. The second guy was so confident too. Posted by whiskysunrise (Member # 6819) on :
That was very funny and the second guy was so sure he was going to make it.
Posted by Fyfe (Member # 937) on :
I've only ever seen one episode, but it seems very mean-spirited. Is that just me?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
The mass tryouts are mean-spirited. I think the cirticisms given once the final 10 are chosen are usually well-founded.
Dagonee
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
It's not like they walk in totally ignorant of how sharp Simon can be. I mean, really. Not even the winners of previous years got away from being pretty thoroughly tongue lashed by Simon at least once.
Last night I couldn't help but get the feeling that most of the awful ones really walked out of the building going "YEAH! I'm going to be on TV! And I got to meet Randy, Paula and Simon!"
The only one that really bothered me was Mary Roach. I thought they took it too far covering her so much and hyping up her audition.
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I'm sure, looking back forty years, people will wax nostalgic for a time when U2, Modest Mouse, and, I dunno, Run-DMC were all on the radio. They'll think of it as a Golden Age, back before popular music started to suck.