Thursday, January 18, 2007

American Idol Gone Too Far?

Has anybody watched any of the new American Idol season this week? I am interested in thoughts.

We happened to catch the end of yesterday's show from Seattle and I was left a bit stunned. I had heard media reports that the show was being "extra mean" this season and I quickly came to agree. They are so obviously making fun of people and setting them up for disaster.

I was torn, as I know people go and audition and sign a wavier and need to prepare for editing and jokes. However, I was left in wonder at how popular the show is and all it really is doing at this stage is making fun of people...harshly.

I spend all day working with kids, trying to teach them to get along, make friends, accept other people, and so on. But then we go home and laugh our heads off at other people because they look different, are naive, or gullible.

So I am left to wonder if I am having an intense teacher moment and being too sensitive or if I have a point?

8 comments:

Susan said...

I have heard the media reports too...but have yet to see it. But from just what I've heard, I have no desire to watch it. I've never been a Simon fan...he's beyond rude.

So, even without seeing it, I think you definitely have a point.

megan said...

No! You are not over-reacting! I fight against these fears on a daily basis. Teaching someone to sing in a healthy way is IMPOSSIBLE with these frauds out there telling someone to "put power into their voice" and then tearing them down to shreads.

Okay. Now who's having the intense teacher moment? But I really can't stand the way that they condescend to people. I am trying to build a culture of artists, not iPod addicts!

Janice said...

Are you talking about Big Red, this is the only part i caught, and all though i thought obviously this guy should know that he cant sing and should have never set himself up for it, i felt really bad for him, especially after he walked out and was asking which way to go, you could see he was holding back the tears. Im sure his entire life has not been super easy. I wonder if this has to do with the way he looked that we felt bad for him?
I for one will not be wathcing the show!

m+K said...

I agree as well Amber. I have not seen any of the show this year but I did see some clips on the news and I think it has gone too far. Also, even though people do sign a waiver a lot of them may not be fully mentally aware of the consequences of going on the show and it seems a lot of the time that these are the people they choose to exploit. So sad. The clip I saw the other day showed Paula laughing after the contestant she had just encouraged left. She was also not laughing at his singing but his appearance. Our society makes me sad sometimes. Kylie

Mel T said...

I think you're spot on, and you're definitely not over-reacting! I was watching it as my "flip to" channel, and ended up spending more time flipping away rather than watching it. It seemed, to me, with very few exceptions, it was designed to humiliate not just the contestants but the broader community. The few good auditions I did see were still mean-spirited, which I found more surprising.

Perhaps the show just needs to take a really long break ... or make the judges take a break and re-evaluate what their primary and secondary purposes are.

Crystal said...

Ok. So maybe I'm the odd one out. I have watched both shows so far and yes, I agree to a point that sometimes their criticism is beyond harsh but I also laugh my butt off at some of the singing attempts. I can sing but I also know that I can't sing well enough to audition for a show. Maybe I disengege myself and believe that these people can 't be serious in order to justify my laughing.
I will probably watch all the audtions...

shareen said...

it's just turning into a freak-show these days...a free for all for insults and guilt-free bashing. the one part the I don't understand, though, is that in order to get in front of the television judges these people have to get through AT LEAST three separate auditions! So, either people are laughing behind their back just thinking they're so bad they'll make great TV or telling them they're great and then letting them be crushed on television. That kind of build up? No wonder they all rant and cry.

Jenessa Fowke said...

I have watched the show twice this week, and I had some of the same thoughts as you. Especially when it comes to those who, you can tell, have some differences and exceptionalities. Can't you just picture them as young kids in your classroom having challenges left right and center with many things? They are still vulnerable, but now they are grown up.