I was in the middle of responding to a comment from the last show post, and I thought my response (and the resulting discussion) would benefit from being in its own separate post on the site. In show 414, I made some comments about my irritation with the exaggeration of percentages, most notably by the judges on American Idol.
Longtime contributor to the show Wayne responded thusly:
“Well if you will hop back on the American Idol train… 🙂
I am taking a sabbatical – after I read the Ben Elton novel “Chart Throb”, I just can’t watch. I mean, how could 3 people see a whole football stadium full of people? At 2 minutes per audition minimum (before editing), that’s 360 people in a 12 hour day.
It’s a fraud – and you can take that to the bank, 1000% :-)”
No doubt, Wayne – and I’m happy to confirm it.
I can tell you with 100% (ahem) certainty that the three judges DON’T see everyone in that football stadium full of people. Tristan’s former preschool teacher auditioned a few years ago when they came through Denver, and he spilled the beans about the whole ordeal.
If I remember his description correctly, you go through four or five auditions with producers who each wave you through to the next level. And obviously, the producers want the show to be entertaining, so not only do they push through the best of the best, but they also greenlight those folks who make for good “train wreck T.V.”; those people who can’t sing, who have unusual affectations, or in the case of the most recent episode, those who carry with them a baggie full of the last seven years of fingernail clippings.
And that’s what makes the show a little mean sometimes. Some of these terrible singers have been told by the last few rounds of producers that they’re making it through to the next round, so it’s no wonder they look so crestfallen with they finally get the truth from Simon, Randy and Paula. The editing doesn’t help them, either. In some cases, it appears that the singer finishes their butchering of “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, only to find the judges silently staring at them, and the singer sitting there awkwardly in silence waiting for a response. In reality, I’m sure they’ve shot footage of each side silently listening to the other, and with some basic editing, you can make it look like awkward silence.
And I think I’m done with watching the show, or at least joining Wayne in taking a sabbatical from it.
Primarily, and this was also said by the wonderful Len and Nora over at Jawbone in their most recent show, because of the selection process, it’s going to be rare to find exceptionally unique talent. Imagine an unknown Bob Dylan auditioning for the show. Or a Tom Waits. Think of any of your favorite performers, and imagine them singing for the judges. Not to say that there isn’t a place in the music industry for American Idol; I think there very much is. And I think they have discovered some true talent that I’ve enjoyed: Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Kimberly Locke, Katharine McPhee, and more that I’m probably forgetting.
It’s going to be hard, mind you, to stop watching. With four hours a week, it’ll be hard not to stumble onto the show (when I’m not recording my own!)
Yeah, they do that for Canadian Idol too. By the time you’ve gotten to the judges, you’ve auditioned like 4 times.
A friend of mine auditioned for CI, and he told me that the producers asked him if he wanted to go through as a “bad audition”. So, they didn’t feed him false hope at all. He knew that he wasn’t going to make it before the final audition (with the judges).
They probably don’t do that for everyone, though.
Well, Brian, you’re either truly naive about the media and television, or you’re thinking way too much about it. It is a TV show, not an election for President…oh wait…that’s fixed too.
Bottom line, do you find it entertaining, yes. Do they showcase people who would’ve never had a career otherwise, yes. Do you honestly think you would enjoy Dylan or Tom Waits as you do if they came from a pop media factory?
So they cull out the interminable boredom for a few gems and train wrecks?
Sounds like good policy to me – even though I rarely watch the show.
But I nearly always catch Coverville.
(this is not a paid endorsement)
and more Tom Waits!!!!
perhaps German cabaret covers of TW?
I understand in the context you are referring to that exaggerated percentages are ridiculous but in other contexts it is possible to have over 100%. If I charge $1 for something and then raise the price to $3, that is a 200% increase.
Towser,
Absolutely – I completely agree with that!
Sorry, I’m guilty of jumping the gun and posting before listening to the whole podcast. I see that you mention this later on.
Right on, Brian. You ever see the old movie “A Face in the Crowd” with Andy Griffith? It is about a rock star who gets manipulated by the Powers That Be.
You’ve pretty much nailed it right on the head, Brian. My brother had a friend who auditioned for Canadian Idol and while she was good, she was quite disgusted with the audition process and how they selected people that were awful just for the sake of entertainment.
I mean, that whole William Hung thing? Done on purpose because they KNEW it would bring publicity to them, and he became a phenomenon because of it and released a CD.
I think the show or shows, would be much more interesting if it were truly a test between the best of the best.
As it is, I really can’t think of a single winner, of either American or Canadian Idol who’s actually had a successful career. You never hear about them. But here’s the thing. All those second and 3rd place winners have more or less more talent than the first place winner. It’s a pattern I’ve noticed, and it’s those I’ve noticed that you hear more about after the show is over with. All those you listed? None of them were first place winners. There are few and far between who’ve actually gone on to actually have a successful career after their recording contract with the show’s label, and these are usually people who have an interesting sound to them and can usually break out of the mold that the show has given them.
Overall though, I’ve never bough an American/Canadian Idol album.
And today, I was reminded how much I used to like another TV show when I was a kid. A TV show where real people got up to perform in front of three frequently-harsh judges who would interrupt, mug for the camera and laugh while they performed.
It was called The Gong Show.
The more things change…
(By the way, I totally recommend “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”. Excellent movie.)
I can corroborate what Tristan’s teacher said. The Cleveland auditions were a mess… no food, no rain cover, no organization. They basically said “if you’re not one of the top best or bottom worst, you’re not going on”… in fact, it was more like “If you’re not early on in the day, or really good at holding your seat in the rain”. Heck, they didn’t like me, and I won Coverville Idol, right? I think that was a way bigger honor anyway. Plus I got prizes! Meeting Paula would be no prize. Hehe…
And today, I was reminded how much I used to like another TV show when I was a kid. A TV show where real people got up to perform in front of three frequently-harsh judges who would interrupt, mug for the camera and laugh while they performed.
It was called The Gong Show.
The more things change…
(By the way, I totally recommend “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”. Excellent movie.)
I can corroborate what Tristan’s teacher said. The Cleveland auditions were a mess… no food, no rain cover, no organization. They basically said “if you’re not one of the top best or bottom worst, you’re not going on”… in fact, it was more like “If you’re not early on in the day, or really good at holding your seat in the rain”. Heck, they didn’t like me, and I won Coverville Idol, right? I think that was a way bigger honor anyway. Plus I got prizes! Meeting Paula would be no prize. Hehe…
Have you just now come to realize this about American Idol? To me, its been pretty obvious from the start that the audition episodes were very contrived.
“Have you just now come to realize this about American Idol? To me, its been pretty obvious from the start that the audition episodes were very contrived”
Don’t underestimate the power of the media and how expert they are on manipulating the facts. Most people believe that, if it is on TV and you say it enough times, it must be true. Sorry to politicise, but this is the only rational explanation for those phoney Bin Laden videos over the past 7 years, appearing at just the right time to support some action or story. The most technologically advanced cave network in the world!
I’ve always been aware of how little reality you’re actually seeing, and how much of it has been created by careful editing.
But I’ve come to realize that the performers that make it through the whole contest to the end, are performers whose music wouldn’t fit with what I normally listen to or pick for the show anyway.
That said, I will miss the occasional cover performance where they take an original in a clever new direction. Be sure to tell me about those, and I’ll catch them on YouTube.
My niece, who’s now singing professionally, went to Hawaii a couple years ago to try out, got 10 seconds from someone, and didn’t make the cut. Intellectually I knew the judges didn’t see everyone, but knowing about the contrivance has permanently soured me on AI (artificial intelligence, I mean American Idol).
I guess it never occurred to me that anyone would think that *everybody* who auditioned got to be seen by the judges. I think that was explained early on in the series .
Anyway, from comments I’ve seen about the show throughout the years, a huge number of people watch it to see the people who are, how shall I say it, “colorful.”
I was a huge Going Show fan – that and Fernwood Forever had me sitting in front of the TV every day. I guess it is a blessing that they both went off of the air.
I think of those contestants that are shown for strictly laughs sort of the equivalent to the appearance of Richard Cheese and William Shatner and the like on Coverville. TV shows, like Podcasts, want to break the monotony of having only the very best cookie cutter songs/contestants.
From what I’ve seen and heard about real life producers from corporate music labels, the contestants get a lot more time and consideration on AI than they would with them, and Simon is very considerate compared to that real life process.
There are times I scratch my head over decisions the judges make. An example would be that in this season they have had two contestants who sang their audition song remaining faithful to the original artist. I thought they both had decent voices. One of them was asked to sing another song in their natural voice and another was told that she would make a good bar band singer. The first one made it through and the second did not. It felt a bit painful that the second girl had the cameras in her face until she cracked and lashed out in disappointment. I think some people might tune out because of insensitive actions by the producers in showing that footage repeatedly. I hope that the girl in question gets a break from her appearance on the show. It was particularly stupid of the show to treat her that way after showing the footage of her at home with her mother living in a one room apartment.
With the writers’ strike, I am afraid this show is going to look like Shakespeare compared to what’s coming. A game show about people questioned while using a lie detector? The commercials I’ve seen for that game show make it look like a bad prime-time Jerry Springer knockoff.
Having said that, I wouldn’t be upset if the show was canceled tomorrow, but it kills a couple of hours a week and, what the hell, I am a cover freak. I’ve never bought any music by anyone on the show, but my wife has.
Hey Brian – thanks again for a consistently fun and entertaining couple of hours a week. I’ll take every opportunity to express my appreciation for what you are doing here!
As it is, I really can’t think of a single winner, of either American or Canadian Idol who’s actually had a successful career. You never hear about them.
If Carrie Underwood’s or Kelly Clarkson’s careers over the last few years haven’t been “successful”, who has been?
And I still haven’t figured out why no one who’s moderately good has figured out “dress like a fool, pretend I’m awful, then go in and wow the judges” scam.
Great post bibbott,
Amercan Idol…Cover Tunes…both guilty pleasures in my book. Guilty pleasures shouldn’t be taken to seriously.
-Corey
Eh, if you don’t Tivo the show, you’ll miss great stuff like the Filipino guy with the cape from last weel. I, like you, am getting tired of seeing the same blondies getting through, but it is something that my kids love and for the most part, it’s TV we can all watch together. So I’ll be watching and I hope you do too. And if you have no other reason, Brian…THERE IS NOTHING ELSE ON TV! 🙂
Len, that may be a reflection on your TV industry! I must have 50 movies I have not watched yet, countless stuff on the HD etc. Plus, just think of how much time you’ll have to spend on the Wii or PS3 or XBox, as a family.
I often wonder how short a step it is from laughing at some poor unfortunate soul on AA to a Rollerball/Running Man type show. Actually, thinking about it, if they could combine the 2 it would be the top rated show!
Actually, it’s a reflection of the current writer’s strike. Most of the highly rated programs are running, or have run out of new episodes, and it wont be long before every channel is filled with reality shows and game shows we’ve er…borrowed… from the UK.
And based on your last comment, I’m guessing you don’t get our “American Gladiators” shows out there. Running Man without the gore, the life sentences, and Richard Dawson.
It strikes me that it’s not useful to think of Idol et al as Talent Shows. They’re just TV programmes, made for to entertain us when we haven’t got the energy to do anything more demanding.
I’m sure Simon Cowell doesn’t believe his own lies; neither should we!
I have a friend who went through the audition process as well. He has a very good singing voice, and made it through several levels of talen scouts/producers before he was basically told that he was a great singer, but they didn’t like his look, so he wouldn’t go to the last level (which was the TV audition).
So, even talent will only get you so far, you have to have a look too (not, I said “a” look, not “the” look).
We’re discussing whether the producers are letting people continue from round to round, only for the contestant to be humiliated at the end when they find out Simon, Paula, and Randy hate them. I actually feel bad for the contestants for a different reason. Most of the people we see on TV who are bad are SO BAD that there’s no possible way they should think they had a chance. What that tells me is that they don’t have any family or friends who are willing to step up and tell the person they’re not a good singer. I understand family/friends being polite the first few seasons and letting the person audition, but not with the addition of the “bad auditions.” It’s your duty to prevent your friend from making a fool of themselves on national TV.
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