American Idol... C'mon, fess up - who's watching???

[joeydahlia]

Originally Posted by buzz77

Just saying that it's nice to see something different on the show. And yes a real rocker would do that when they see the dollar signs!!!!! Plus if thats what he wants to do its cool with me.

There were alot of rockers on this show ,around 25 but they all were made fun of,This contest was handed to Bo,just to get another side to cash in.

If Bo wins than they will make money off of 3 winners Bo, Vonzell,and Carri.

Thats not cool,but a scam...

If it goes in this order Carri,Vonzell and Bo they wont make as much money...

JoeyDahlia

American Idol--is gay

[Supersonic]

wtf is tv!!??.......... I gave up on that stuff about 4 years ago myself
No. 1 I can't stand the constant bombardment of marketers
No 2 IMHO,.....there aint a damn thing on it.

[Goport]

I don't like the show or the English counterpart. But...

What this show does is allows you to see the development of a singer (you notice I said singer) developing his/her craft. All singers go through this and all singers make howlers from time to time. What I don't like is this show focuses on their development rather than pick 40 or so singers and school them for 6 months, then do the competition.

When a new band/singer arrives and you like what they are doing, it takes years to find out what they are like as people - in the meantime you focus on the music.

Pop Idol/American Idol focuses on the person and their trials and tribulations. By the time one of them has a deal - everybody knows their personality and then they have no enigmatic appeal. You have seen them fuck up - you know their weaknesses. There is nothing left to discover about them.

This is not the way to build a career in music. And before you say "they are all cover artists" etc - I know!! But others make a career out of this the very same way, but they do it off camera. They are no more valid, but that maintain an air of intrigue, at least for a while.

I actually quite like Simon Cowell. He is brutal and honest (at least in his opinion) and he tries to give an honest, if often scathing, review. Most of the time it seems to me to be based on fact. I haven't watched American Idol at all, so maybe these days he is just living up to his bad boy image but what I have seen has been fair. To my mind this is what the performers would receive in private.

In England this series produced a band called hear'say - they were an ok pop band. the material was throwaway but it stood up against their peers (Kylie, steps, S Club etc). They were so vilified by the "growing up in public" process that they got abused on the streets and eventually split up. They had as much talent as the acts they were up against but they were seen as a manufactured group. They WERE a manufactured group. but so were the majority of their contemporaries. I don't mean to vindicate them but they did nothing offensive - they could sing and dance as well as any of the other shit that is polluting the UK charts.

As I say, I don't like this kind of show. It focuses too much on "unfinished" performers and in doing so robs them of any star value or intrigue. Any potential career is affected by the stigma of being a product of a reality show and therefore devalued.

just my 2 pence worth

[KC_ArtRocker]

Originally Posted by Goport

I actually quite like Simon Cowell. He is brutal and honest (at least in his opinion) and he tries to give an honest, if often scathing, review. Most of the time it seems to me to be based on fact.

Yeah, you might want to check him out sometime on American Idol. He is a cock-smoke most of the time....unnecessarily so. If I were on American Idol, I would wait for him to give his usual "you could barely score a gig singing Karaoke in a hotel lobby," and I would have to reply, "oh really, because your commentaries sound like the opening act of open-mic night at the corner comedy club."

I think Randy Jackson is more fair than Simon. At least Randy has proven talent and has worked with some reputable groups. I have no idea what Simon has done to earn him this spot and therefore holds no credibility with me. He is just a wanker....rarely constructive....just an ass for the sake of being an ass. Yes, occasionally i agree with some of the things he says, but most of the time, his comments are really out in left field. I cannot relate, as if he spent more time/effort trying to come up with a clever slam than he does actually paying attention to the performances. The thing that pisses me off perhaps the most about Simon is that he criticizes people vehemently and mercilessly for something he can't even come close to doing himself. That is pompous in my mind.....having a self-elevated opinion with nothing to back it up.

I'd do Paula though.

:drunk:

[Goport]

I think Simon owns the rights to the program franchise.That is the only reason he is there. Yes he is right up his own arse - but I lie him, mainly for an article I read in NME (english periodical) where he reviewed a few bands and got it spot on imo. TV is different - yes he is a cock and probably smokes a few too.

I have seen American Idol in the past and Paula is basically the nice panellist, Randy is the middle ground and Simon is the nasty one. We have a similar formula in the UK but with another couple of sad gimps. Cowell is the only constant. For better or for worse.

I am not defending SC though - he can be really crass. but then being mr nasty has made him a millionaire, so he is hardly likelyto stop

[KC_ArtRocker]

Originally Posted by Goport

I am not defending SC though - he can be really crass. but then being mr nasty has made him a millionaire, so he is hardly likelyto stop

What about Paula??? Would you do Paula??? ( you didn't comment on that part ).

[Goport]

I thought it was a given

[LaceGuitarPlayer]

All I know is... Bo needs to get back to Alabama... cause he's the one that restrings my guitars and I need them done again... BO... I NEED YOU BACK HOME... MY GUITARS ARE STARTING TO SOUND LIKE CRAP!!! hehehe

Seriously... I think it's pretty cool that my guitar maintenance guy is in the top two... I always knew he was good when he sang in the shop. And girls... he is sooooooooo nice... sweet... cute... polite... ... sexy... I hope he wins!!
GO BO... GO BO.. GO BO!!!

[KC_ArtRocker]

Originally Posted by LaceGuitarPlayer

Seriously... I think it's pretty cool that my guitar maintenance guy is in the top two...

Wow Lace, that's pretty wild coincidence! It's a small world, eh? How come you never mentioned that before? I think he is a true talent, all the way from his singing voice down to the way he handles the microphone/stand. He has his craft down pat. I actually agree 100% with Simon (ironically) when he said that Bo looks like he has been doing this professionally for 20 years or more. I think/hope that he will win it this year (if anything, to break the pattern of how America perceives what an "American Idol" should be), but if not, no sweat, as he has nothing to worry about beyond this season's competition, as far as success.

By the way, and not to knock the wind from your sails, but I have a sneaking suspicion that his guitar re-stringing days may be coming to an end here pretty soon. At the very least I hope you can talk him into hangin around here at G101 and help sing on our recordings!

[joeydahlia]

What I don't understand is how a rocker can get thru to the top 2 ??

when in the past they were made fun of....(pop star)

Hmm.how about this...

They are trying to make more money from the public...


JoeyDahlia

[axeshredder]

yeah the show blows...when are the going to have one for musicians?...have a battle for drums, bass , guitar and keyboards...then form bands with the winners....now thats fun!!

[KC_ArtRocker]

Originally Posted by joeydahlia

What I don't understand is how a rocker can get thru to the top 2 ??

when in the past they were made fun of....(pop star)

JoeyDahlia

Hopefully this is a sign symbolizing a changing of the guard??? They just plain need a new show called American Shredder!

By the way, Axeshredder, you might be onto something. I like that idea. If you invest in the idea and start a show, you could be the next Simon Cowell! (Can I be Randy???)

[joeydahlia]

Originally Posted by axeshredder

yeah the show blows...when are the going to have one for musicians?...have a battle for drums, bass , guitar and keyboards...then form bands with the winners....now thats fun!!

wow just imagine American Guitar Idol

NA to easy....


JoeyDahlia

[VHF]

I think you guys have a lot of things wrong about American Idol:

Simon Cowell does not produce or own any part of the show anymore....he sold it all last year and he's on salary (a big one)...it's Simon Fuller that produces it.

There is clearly some BS going on in the beginning, but after they get to the final 12 it's up to the voters and they are overseen by a real accounting firm....it's most likely not fixed at that point.

It's a massive marketing hype machine for RCA records to build up a star and sell a bunch of CD's. It works because anybody can evaluate vocal talent and they get hooked in a week at a time.

And face it Lace....no matter what happens at this point, Bo Bice will never be re-stringing up your guitars in a local music shop!

A guitar show will not go over on this scale simply becasue 99% of the public has no idea how to judge guitar talent. Everybody can judge a singer.

And my final thought....Carrie is kinda hot! And if you do watch it...use TIVO, I can see the entire hour in less than 10 minutes....and the results show takes about 5!

[nroberts]

The only reality show that I find remotely interesting is the Contender. But then fighting is my other favorite thing to do. I've only ever seen one (don't have tv), but I really liked it. And when else do you get to see boxing on network tv? I could go without all the talking though and just stick to training and fighting. Everyone says the same thing anyway: "My oponent is really great, great guy, I like him a lot, but I am really hoping I cave his face in later."