Why the hell is NBC doing this World's most talented kid? I guess as a stipulation of guaranteeing all future Michael Jackson interviews. After all, that was a bigger ratings success than this load of crap ever will be. Seriously, I hate to admit this, but I love American idol. I was a professional country singer a few years back, so I might be a bit biased. In my opinion, (for anyone else watching), Kimberly from Katy will win it. But MY GOD I have a crush on that Julia girl. And, hey, she's 23 so I'm not being a pervert saying that. Joshua won't win because he's married. That is going to deter a lot of the female fans. IMO. Everyone else is not attractive enough.
It gets worse. Fox has said that they will follow up American Idol with American Idol, Jr for 6 to 9 year-olds. The eventual winnerS will form a kiddie band like Menudo or New Kids on the Block. Can you imagine Simon yelling at a little kid, "That was just awful. You are horrible." Then, the kid starts bawling, "I want my mommy!" Just awful.
Jeff: I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree. I was a good singer for a kid. It is tantamount to having a show with basketball scouts sitting there after a junior high school game criticing (sp?) them. Randy: Dawg, you have skillz, but you weren't on your game tonight. Paula: You're a really cute kid. You just picked the wrong game for us to judge.... really cute, though. Simon: You SUCKED! I've never seen a JHS basketball game where I wanted to vomit as much as this. YOU! What is your name again? Jeremy? OK Jeremy, go back to your home and visualize yourself as a grocery stocker, because those are the highest levels, as in shelves, that you will ever get to. Kids do need to be evaluated, but not on this level. I would have been devastated had I heard from these judges when I was 13, or, hell; even 18! The problem is: This contest should be between the ages of 20-30. (an age I still miss, though I would love to try out) Kids are kids and should not ever be judged this harshly. Disciplined? Yes. But this is as harsh as a breakup, and I disagree with the 16 year minimum. After all, who in their life at 16 WAS confident?
Contrary to most, I honestly abhor all these 'reality' shows. I hoped, and indeed thought, that these were waning a year or so ago, but no, they are still with us. I especially hate the shows like that Island one whose entire point is a voyeuristic peek into someone else's pain and suffering...and it's done intentionally. I tried to watch this one once..this Idol one..and it was just awful. " Look, there's another delluded person!" Heh heh.. " Look, there's that British guy mocking that delluded person!" Good fun.. " Look, there's that delluded, mocked person trying to not cry on television..look as they get a close up!" Now THAT"S entertainment...I seriously hated it... But what I hate more than the shows themselves, or the fact that these shows which appeal to the lowest common denominator in us as humans is th faxt that I can't go to work or turn on the radio or read the paper without hearing someone give theri take on whichever reality show was on tv last night, often using the names of these quasi-celebrities as though they are deserving of fame for being,well, famous. What is also depressing is that most people I know who watch them will, if cornered, admit that they are terrible, and often fake...but still watch... Anyone going to the Crucifictions at lunch on Thursday?
I dont see anything wrong with the shows that present kids who are talented. Its amazing the things that they are capable of at such a young age. Pedophile is not a good term to use in this situation.
Hmm, puting children into show business while taking away their childhood. Waaaaiiit....it sounds like....*(shocking noise)*.....yes, it is......JACKO. Don't make more people like "it" in the world. For the love of god, don't ruin these kids. That's why they have parents.
I'm with MacBeth, I hate reality TV. I watched 1 episode of survivor and a few Real Worlds and that was enough for me. I want writing and acting on my shows, not horrible people making asses of themselves in front of America. To me, these shows are a lazy way for the networks to make money. Thank God for HBO, wrestling, and Joss Whedon, otherwise I couldn't watch television anymore.
I'd like to see real live Sopranos. Now that would be damn entertaining. Conversly, I think ABC has gone down the sh!tter. "Are You Hot?" "The Family" What crap.
I truly don't understand the appeal of most reality television, but I do know people who truly get into the machinations of the shows. I've given a few shows a try. I watched the final Survivor from the first season because I wondered what it was I had been missing (the answer: not much, apparently). My girlfriend loved that Big Brother show, so I watched a couple of episodes with her waiting for something interesting to happen (nothing ever did). But I listen to some people talk about these shows, especially the ones that have some sort of "game show" element to them (like Survivor or even shows like The Bachelorette, etc) and they're able to go on and on about the details of the "lives" of people they wouldn't care at all about if they weren't on television. It's almost as if the reality show craze is just an extention of the way some folks used to talk about the rest of the neighborhood. They'd gossip about some exploit or another. How they came in really late the other night or went out with some woman who was all wrong for him, etc. and just transferred to the national scale through television. Since we, as a society, have become less and less likely to really get to know our neighbors, we've lost that ability to gossip about them. So we have to go to "reality" television to get that same kind of fix. But that's just a theory I came up with to try and wrap my mind around the idea that anyone would care who some Miami Heat dancer chooses to date, etc.
Well, I guess it has something to do with America's overall attention span. Looking at these shows on paper, they do have an appeal, although slight, even to myself. Another main issue I see as a problem has got to be the fact that these shows last waaaaaaay too long. Survivor should be like a 4 episode mini series for lack of entertainment and creativity. Joe Millionaire honestly made me want to watch it from it's initial promos. After watching 2 episodes, I couldn't watch any more. It lasted too long, was extremely boring, amazingly unsatisfying, and unbelieveably predictable. If they want a real enjoyable reality show, then do either real life drama, such as documentaries about gangs or skydivers; mainly something that involves risk, drama, or other. I can't wait to see the new Law & Order: Special Lawsuit Unit. It's the sequel to Married by America, where Rick Rockwell is the host. I think it will be a new reality venture for CourtTV. It follows the couples through the long, arduous, and sometimes painful, yet fun-to-watch, process of divorce court. Can't wait!
The irony is that this is the entertainment industry of today. It is safe. It is dull. It is repititious. Did I mention repetitious? Here's the formula... A network or record label or media outfit does something semi-original or a re-hash of something that was original 20 years ago - a cop show, a doctor show, a reality show, a pop singer, an alt band, a funny but biting political talk show...you get the idea. The concept becomes a surprise hit. Every network, record label and radio station scrambles to get their own "version" of the concept in question. All of the network news outlets talk about the new "craze" in music or tv or radio. The concept then begins to mutate - reality survival show becomes talent search, pop singer becomes pop singer with a band and an attitude, funny but biting political talk show becomes show with mostly bathroom humor. Social commentators and professors begin to weigh in on the impact of said concepts on society as a whole. Kids enter the picture - kids talent search, kid pop singer, kids as guests on talk shows. They are so cute! Critics and comedians (mostly the late-night variety) start to hammer how boring this repetitive drivel is and cry for something new and fresh. Celebrities enter the picture - celebrity reality show, celebrity pop singer, celebrities doing talk shows. Audiences get bored and ratings go down. Independant/cable film or artist or show becomes surprisingly popular. Start over. It's pathetic.
The whole reality show craze began when it looked like there was going to be an actor's strike a few years ago (or was it a writer's strike - whatever). The networks threw a couple of these trite-a-thons on the air and wham - everyone is watching. Since the cost of these shows is considerably less than a sitcom or drama, the network are earning more from these shows. The only way it will change is if people stop watching this crap. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that people have become too passive to seek out other entertainment and will just watch whatever is on one of the big networks.
