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Is American Idol Too Cruel?

General Gonad

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Dec 31, 2005
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Not according to Fox, but I think it is getting nasty:

Fox: 'Idol' not cruel to contestants

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
Sat Jan 20, 5:02 PM ET


The Fox television network chief on Saturday dismissed talk of unusual cruelty by the judges on "American Idol" this year, saying he's heard from people who think the show has been toned down.

"I think it's part of what makes `American Idol' `American Idol,'" Peter Liguori, Fox entertainment president, told television writers.

The talent show returned with a storm this past week, with episodes on Tuesday and Wednesday attracting around 37 million viewers. The episodes featured auditions by the good, the bad and the awful from Minneapolis and Seattle.

Simon Cowell, whose reputation for blunt, nasty put-downs was established at the series' beginning, was in peak form, telling one contestant that his singing was horrendous and he looked like a "bush baby."

Another judge, Randy Jackson, told one contestant his audition was awful and perhaps ruined his business.

"You shouldn't be a vocal teacher," Jackson said. "I wouldn't take vocal lessons from you, I wouldn't tell anybody to take vocal lessons from you."

On ABC's "The View" this past week, Rosie O'Donnell lashed out at the way contestants were treated by "three millionaires, one probably intoxicated."

"If you keep serving people crap and telling them it's a meal, they're eventually going to think it is a meal," O'Donnell said.

Fox's Liguori said the judges know what makes "Idol" and that this is just the continuation of a successful formula.

"Let's face it, the show has been on the air six years, the judges have been critical for six years," he said.

The judges' harsh assessments also were defended by Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair, who is about to take on a Cowell-like role on an upcoming talent show for the CW network, "Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll."

"In order to have a reputation and continue in a healthy manner in this business, you have to tell people `no' all day long," he said. "I'm telling people 'I'm not going to sign you, that song is not a hit' ... And there's no gracious or wonderful way to tell somebody, whose hopes and dreams are on the line: `no.'"
 

bond_james_bond

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Apr 24, 2005
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I gotta admit, I don't think I've ever watched any of the "Idol" shows.

I liked it much better when it was called "The Gong Show."
 

joelcairo

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Jul 26, 2005
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I don't like the heat so I stay out of the kitchen. Although Simon Cowell is a rude asshole, that is a large part of the "entertainment" on this pathetic dishrag of a show. Anyone who goes on after its six year history and is surprised or upset at being insulted probably has the IQ of a bowl of cabbage soup.
 

Big Daddy Cool

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Jul 20, 2005
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I think the show is trashy and I just don't watch it. Besides some radio show, tv news crew, tv commercial or other person will tell me enough to know that I made the right choice not watching that show. Besides Simon is real asshole who has not one shread of kindness or empathy within him. He's one guy that I would love to belt in the face just for being a mean sperited prick.
 

Fat Happy Buddha

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Apr 27, 2005
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There's no doubt about. Ninety-percent of what's on network television is shit, plain and simple. It's depressing to even think about it. There seems to be a movement afoot to clean up junk food because half of Americans and one-third of Canadians are obese. I suspect that in ten years that we'll start paying attention to the fact that half of Americans and one-third of Canadians are illiterate and have a brain the size of a walnut from watching all the garbage on television. Only then will there be a movement to clean up what we feed our minds. Otherwise, our democracy will be shot.

As for Simon Cowell, I say more power to him. He saw an opportunity to make a lot of money off retarded people and he took it. Don't forget, he also produced (if I'm not mistaken) the television show Survivor, which was another megahit.

That said, I don't watch the show. In general, I hate reality shows.
 
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Big Daddy Cool

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Fat Happy Buddha said:
There's no doubt about. Ninety-percent of what's on network television is shit, plain and simple. It's depressing to even think about it. There seems to be a movement afoot to clean up junk food because half of Americans and one-third of Canadians are obese. I suspect that in ten years that we'll start paying attention to the fact that half of Americans and one-third of Canadians are illiterate and have a brain the size of walnut from watching all the garbage on television. Only then will there be a movement to clean up what we feed our minds. Otherwise, our democracy will be shot.

As for Simon Cowell, I say more power to him. He saw an opportunity to make a lot of money off retarded people and he took it. Don't forget, he also produced (if I'm not mistaken) the television show Survivor, which was another megahit.

That said, I don't watch the show. In general, I hate reality shows.

Hayman brother, well said, well said.
 

Fat Happy Buddha

Mired in the red dust.
Apr 27, 2005
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Now for the really important question: Would you bang Paula Abdul?

I would. But I would use my Dennis the vacuum-cleaner salesman persona. She seems kind of unstable and I wouldn't want her stalking me later on.
 

Lusty Pig

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Mar 18, 2005
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Do you hear that ....... ?

You hear it? That sound..................nope, nothing. Thats the sound of someone who is using .0654% of a brain to not give a shit about the incredible garbage that constitiutes entertainment for the ignorant masses.
 

General Gonad

Enlightened pervert
Dec 31, 2005
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Lusty Pig said:
You hear it? That sound..................nope, nothing. Thats the sound of someone who is using .0654% of a brain to not give a shit about the incredible garbage that constitiutes entertainment for the ignorant masses.

LOL, so I guess you're not a fan of Jerry Springer either!:D

GG
 

metoo4

I am me, too!
Mar 27, 2004
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If only I knew...
I did see the part of the episode with the singing teacher. The guy was bad, but not that bad. He would have needed some teaching of his own but wasn't awful.

Some others were totally crap. Makes you wonder if they go there knowing what will happen but do it anyhow just to be on tv? Some are so bad it's impossible nobody ever told them so, totally impossible.

Worst, makes you wonder if they're paid by the production to go there and act... I would't be surprised at all if it would be the case. Look at all these trash talk show "a la Jerry Sprigner", they all did it and still doing it.

Trash tv it is. If all were good, less peoples would watch. Peoples are in a way happy to see other being slapped around. For the producers, it's all "Talk about me good, talk about me bad but talk about me!"

There's the same type of auditions in Quebec (Star Academie) and we never see the auditions, unless sometimes for the really good ones. Why? Respect maybe? Or is there something more? I've known peoples on the inside of the show business in Quebec and they all agree if the auditions were televised, it would be in no way as bad as what American Idol is showing. I can't believe it's because Quebecers are more talented than Americans! It send us back to the question "Are they paid to be that bad?"
 

Techman

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Dec 23, 2004
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They aren't paid to 'be that bad'. Some of them are simply delusional and others are outright nuts. The reason the producers put these losers on the audition shows is that people enjoy watching them. All the contestants are screened before the auditions and the majority of them never audition before the judges. If these people don't know what they're in for then they must never have watched the show or they really are as stupid as they seem. Television is about entertainment. It can't be serious and 'high class' all the time. I happen to enjoy this show, as well as Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance and some times The Amazing Race. I also enjoy watching Masterpiece Theater and British sit-coms. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.

On the other hand, I don't watch any of the other so called reality shows such as Survivor or The Apprentice, or stupid game shows like Howie Mandell's boring show.

Oh yeah...I also have a fondness for Beauty and the Geek. Must be something about the babes on the show.:p
 

metoo4

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Mar 27, 2004
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If only I knew...
Techman said:
Oh yeah...I also have a fondness for Beauty and the Geek. Must be something about the babes on the show.
A tech man like me... Must be because we fantasize on our chances of getting similar babes, right? LOL!!!
 

EagerBeaver

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Rip Off of The Gong Show

American Idol is nothing more than a rip off of the 1970s TV show "The Gong Show" with Chuck Barris. It is the exact same idea and format as The Gong Show, basically updated from the 1970s. See the related link if you are too young to remember:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gong_Show

The whole point of the show was to humiliate the performers with the Gong. THE CONCEPT OF AMERICAN IDOL IS NOTHING NEW.
 
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Techman

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Dec 23, 2004
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metoo4 said:
A tech man like me... Must be because we fantasize on our chances of getting similar babes, right? LOL!!!

Nah. I've had more than my share of gf's that are at least the equal of those girls in looks and vastly superior in intellect. Not that the intellect part of those girls is hard to top.

EB, the Gong Show only had bad contestants and never turned out anyone of the caliber of many of the American Idol finalists. I remember the Gong Show quite well. There is no comparison between the two once the auditions are over. A talent competition is a talent competition. They will all have similar elements. I would say that the Idol shows are more an evolution of the show that Ed McMahon used to host, it's name escapes me right now, but it focused on various areas of the entertainment industry with competitions for singers, musical groups, dancers, comedians and everyone's favorite...the spokesmodel!
 

bond_james_bond

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Apr 24, 2005
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Speaking of The Gong Show,

If you ever get a chance, see the movie Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

In the movie, Gong Show host Chuck Barris claims to be a CIA hitman! :confused:

LOL.
 

Esco!

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Jul 12, 2006
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I love this Idol show, if you cant take the heat then dont be a contestant, thats my opinion.
I cant sing and I know I cant sing, so why would I wanna make a fool out of myself???!!!!!!!!

The only time it bothers me a little is when contestants come on that are clearly mildly retarded. There was one or two last week that looked like they may possibly be schizophrenic.
Thats crossing the line of good taste!!

EDIT: Schizo like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7cPCBEvKE

.
 
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ck_nj

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I have a couple of questions related to this (since I live in the States):

Is Canadian Idol set up the exact same way, in terms of focusing on the bad contestants in the beginning, and the bluntness of the judges? And do they have a cutthroat judge like Simon?

Clark.
 
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