American Idol (1 Viewer)

[Joel Mack]

Y'know....I had no intention of watching this show, but I caught the first few minutes and ended up watching the whole thing.
Maybe I'm just insensitive, but the comments made to the truly terrible auditioners had me rolling. I found it hysterical that the ones that were the absolute worst were always the ones certain they were God's gift to music.
I wonder how entertaining it'll be the rest of the way...

 

[Guy Martin]

I wonder how entertaining it'll be the rest of the way...

That's what I'm worried about. Having eliminated all the truly awful people in this first round, they've also elminated the entertainment value for me. It's funny to see horrible singers thinking that they are the next Andrea Bocelli. But watching and choosing amognst the hundred+ talented people they found isn't going to be nearly as fun. Seeing Simon trash the unworthy is one thing, watching him get mean to people he previously called good isn't funny, it's just sad and humiliating.
- Guy

 

[Dean DeMass]

"Did you take singing lessons?"
"Yes, a few."
"Who was your teacher?"
"A person in Montana"
"Do you have a lawyer?"
"No."
"You should get one and sue that teacher."

Great show and I am looking forward to seeing the talented people compete. There were several people who had fantastic voices.
-Dean-

 

[Malcolm R]

There were several people who had fantastic voices.

Unfortunately, voice means little in the superficial land of "pop idol." The best voice in the UK competition belonged to Rik Waller. But he was fat so he was booted out. Surprisingly he did make it to the late rounds but you knew he couldn't win, great voice or not.

At least he did have a UK Top 10 single after the competition was over.

 

[Kong Chang]

That's because the voting is done by the audience not the judges. The judges weed out the bad ones and leave 30 people for the audience to decide who should stay and who should go.

In the world of pop, looks is everything, and unfortunately, if that kid is fat, even though he may have a great voice, he won't go far, sad to say.

However, there are many great voices, some have both voices and looks, so we'll see who gets picked.

 

[Jonathan David]

Rik Waller. But he was fat so he was booted out

Not strictly true, Rik was in the competition right down to the last 10. But, at the last moment he developed a 'sore throat' and was advised not to sing.

As for not having anymore to say after the first round of auditions, don't worry Simon Cowell can and will say what he thinks.

In the U.K. finals he and fellow judge Pete Waterman (British record producer) were warned about their on screen arquing by the producer of the show.

 

[StephenK]

I have to admit I watched this for the same reason people slow down around accidents... To see the carnage.

In the end, I was glued to the TV. I can't believe how entertaining it was to watch both ends of the spectrum. I was unexpectantly moved by that kid who started crying when he got the thumbs up.

The best were the ones who were completely tone deaf and came back with attitudes. The "I wasn't trying to get the notes right" girl was priceless. What world do these people live in?

Can't believe this stupid show hooked me.

 

[Scott Thomas]

my favorite was the girl that said

"You know, I really dont care about opinion, I couldn't care less. I'm 22, I'm beautiful and I sing good and if you need me, you got my number, Ciao"

Maybe its just but I thought it was those judges opinions that you should care about.
She probaly drinks a cup of Vanity juice everynight.

And of course there was "Tamika"

 

[Dan Huey]

Silent night..........I said a silent night
I can't remember....if I cried....when I read about his widowed bride....but something touched me deep...inside ...the day....the music...died.
Simon: It just did.

 

[Jodee]

My favorite was the girl who ran to hug the judges and fell under the table.

These are the moments PVRs were made for. We ran that back 5 times, we were laughing so hard.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

You can already tell who's going to win, they've already started the manipulation

Deaf-parents boy

He has a sob story, he can sing, and he is rail thin, and not so beautiful he's untouchable. They're being very careful to manipulate the viewer into wanting him to win

 

[Shawn C]

QUESTION:

Why does every single one of these kids sing with so much vibrato?! It's like nails on a chalkboard to me. You would think someone was hooking their throats up to a car battery and flipping the switch at random during their whole song.

"Ain't no mo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-u-u-untain hi--i-i-i-e-e-e-ei-i-i-gh eno-u-u-u-u-u-gh"

I really can't stand it. Who started all of this in popular music? Whitney Houston? Mariah Carey?

 

[MickeS]

A. Because they're not great singers, and try and hide this fact by wailing and vibrato. Did you see the guy who got off the stage down to the seats and sang? Was that supposed to be some kind of meoldy he was singing, or was he just talking and wailing aimlessly?
Some of them have actually had good voices, and they've been able to sing without tricks like that.

B. Because that's how boybands and teen idols sing these days. They think that not holding a tone makes it sound more sincere.

/Mike

 

[Jodee]

I am so going to vote for Justin. He is amazing. The first time he auditioned he just had this look in his eye.

And then when he sang last night he had the whole audience of the people he's competing against going crazy.

I hope he wins, but if he doesn't I bet he's still going to get a record deal out of this.

I had to get a kick out of the heavy-set guy arguing with the judges. "Randy, I'll go to the gym with you."

Some people just can't handle rejection gracefully. Do they really think by telling off the judges they will change their minds?

Too funy when the judges were meeting and they remembered the girl because of her falling. I bet she hates that's why they remembered her.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Vibratto is a trademark of what they call "R&B" today. It's really ludicrous how much they use.

These kid is going to pick up the bad habits when they become the idol, because it'll be encouraged.

 

[D. Scott MacDonald]

Based on this thread, I watched it last night but missed the night before. Please forgive me for asking a few basic questions:

1) Who are the judges? I obviously know who Paula Abdul is, but who exactly is Simon and that other guy. Were they stars at one time, or are they simply industry execs?

2) So in the end will there only be one "winner"? And what will they win - a record contract? Is there any expectation that runners up should benefit from this?

Oh, and I agree that some of the loosers were pretty pathetic - especially the one guy who invited the judge to work out with him and lectured Paula Abdul on how rejection felt like.

 

[Jodee]

Randy Jackon is a record producer. Simon Cowell is a record exectutive from the UK who also did the British show this is based on.

In Britain, the winner of this contest had some huge hits. I watch "Top of the Pops" on BBC America so I have seen him on there a lot. I also heard some of the runners-up ended up getting record deals too.

 

[MickeS]

1) Theyr'e industry execs, Simon was in the UK version too.
2) As I understand it they'll win a record contract. Check Fox's website for more details about the judges and the rules.
Simon is pretty mean though, but he tells it like it is without sugarcoating things at least...

 

[Shane Gralaw]

C'mon- Justin is sooooo winning. I don't need to see the rest of the shows to know that (although at this point I can hardly stay away).

 

[StephenK]

So I'm still stuck on this show...

I can't believe some of the people who are "making the grade". Some of them sounded almost tone-deaf. The guy who went into the audience, the skinny kid, was one. Both the girls from Miami (especially the blond) are horrible and are progressing purely on looks. I don't get it.

I think the clear front-runner is the guy who made Paula "swoon". Pure talent there.

Based on this thread, I watched it last night but missed the night before. Please forgive me for asking a few basic questions:

1) Who are the judges? I obviously know who Paula Abdul is, but who exactly is Simon and that other guy. Were they stars at one time, or are they simply industry execs?

2) So in the end will there only be one "winner"? And what will they win - a record contract? Is there any expectation that runners up should benefit from this?

1) AFAIK Simon is some UK producer that created a lot of UK pop stars. Also did some succesful TV production. He started this show in the UK as Pop Idol which was evidently a big hit, and the shows winner had some hits out there.

The other guy is some US record producer for some big label, don't remember which but he claimed on the show to have worked with the likes of Whitney, Mariah, Celine, etc.

2) In the end, there will only be one winner who gets a record deal and a mgmt contract. I think the only thing runners up get is the exposure.