American Ill-dol
by David Benzion · 01/18/2007 10:06 amI’ve been meaning to post on this one for a while.
I enjoy watching American Idol as much as many of you, especially since it is one of the few shows that is (generally) appropriate for full-family viewing.
It is, of course, amusing to laugh at people who have deluded themselves into thinking that they can sing. And I don’t even mind some mean-spirited mockery of weirdos, oddballs and freaks.
BUT… some of the people being made fun of on this show are flat-out mentally ill.
Not “balanced people who don’t have a clue how talentless they are,” but rather “psychologically disturbed people who have no control over the fact that they are disconnected from reality.”
There is something immoral and unholy about all of America laughing at these people–like a 1920’s carnival freak-show meets Brave New World.
I’m not holding my breath, but FOX would do well to have both a psychologist and ethicist on staff to screen these people out, or at the very least not run footage of them of national TV.
Some things can be “funny” while still not being appropriate to laugh at.
And it isn’t necessary. There appears to be an unending supply of talentless knuckle-heads who should know better but are nevertheless still willing to entertain us with their inanity.
Let’s laugh at them, and guard the dignity of those incapable of guarding their own.
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givvit time - someone will sue the HELL outta Fox sooner or later!
Barb and I both love to sing and we try not to miss a moment of AI…..
I’m sure a lawsuit is what they fear, which is why they allow anyone to audition. We wouldn’t want to exclude anyone from making a total fool of themselves.
I did learn one thing though….I’m never moving to Seattle.
Somehow I just can’t bring myself to watch it.
They can let anyone and everyone audition… but in terms of who they broadcast, there is no good excuse for showing footage of people who are obviously mentally ill.
David, you are Spot On!
I thought the same thing watching the last 2 nites. American Idol has become a forum to make fun of the retarded and mentally ill/unstable.
I think the Michael Sandeki thing in the last episode of Season 5 convinced the producers they had a “hook” with that type of story line, but it’s a turn-off.
The way they treated those 2 guys who were newfound buddies last nite was insulting.
But it nice to see people like that failing miserably, it makes people feel so much better about their own lives. Look at the following Jerry Springer had. Not that I agree with what they are doing. I couldn’t wait until my wife was done watching it so I could play X-Box.
I can’t even watch the inital phase of Idol for more than 5 minutes or so at a time. I don’t generally sit down and watch most of a show until they’re into the performances of the folks who actually have some measurable talent.
I guess the ‘Jerry Springer-ish’ aspect of the open talent competition part of the show does turn me off.
In case you didn’t know it, there is an audition stage before the auditions with Simon and Co. When they had the auditions here in Houston, the masses meet at Minute Maid stadium and went thru auditions. Those chosen by the producers then audition in front of Simon and Co. on another day. You know the producers had to let some of the crazies thru to make for good TV shows. Anybody could have eliminated some of those that have been on TV, if for nothing else, its looks. Remember your talking about an American Idol where presentation is more than half the show—-look at Britney, she’s a perfect example of presentation over talent!!!!!
I too sing, and I simply cannot watch it until they’re down to final 6 or 8. Even then, it is often painful.
Try watching one of the last shows and then immediately turn on the radio and listen for a while. The gap in quality is overwhelming.
Top quality singing is a fairly rare bird.
Let’s face it, last year’s winner will be forgotten in year or two.
I completely agree with the freak show comments.
When you see some of these kids parents its easy to see the fruit doesnt fall far from the tree.
This is the 21st century circus sideshow. When one of these nut jobs commits suicide after the audition this might stop. Until then, it serves to remind us of how our lives aren’t that bad after all.
In addition, this is what our political leaders think we are all like. How else can you explain their actions on taxes and the border.
ugh.. I can’t believe that this show has an audience. I’ve never watched it.. (Not that I watch TV anyway.. ) But I guess it is the same reason people slow down for a car wreck.. Those people have some mental problems of their own.
Never watched AI or Springer, sounds like I didn’t miss anything. I’m more into the History and Discovery channels. Andy Griffith and Green Acres are more my kind of comedy.
David, I thought the episodes Tuesday, and particularly Wednesday night, were cruel and distasteful. If they are intent on turning this into The Gong Show, they will alienate a huge portion of their audience. AI has created a vast pool of goodwill with the American public, but if they abuse it the well will run dry quite quickly. Just ask the GOP.
We caught a part of last night’s AI show while flipping through the channels. Some of those “artists/singers” made me cringe! I was truly embarrassed for some of them! Thinking that you have talent and sound pretty good while singing in the shower or with your friends is one thing but making a complete “?” of yourself on national TV is another!
On the other hand, the slightly large bra-less person in the gold top, white stockings and tennis shoes and her gorgeous mother twin were one example of two really hot Seattle chicks! I can’t wait for the video/album or next show!
/not in this lifetime.
I don’t watch it, so I can’t comment, but from some of the previews I’ve seen, I don’t believe there is too much real talent on there. Shame on the producers for humiliating some of these people for ratings/viewings sake.
What we see in AI is a reflection on society. This “feel good” atmosphere has made some people think they are great at singing. When in reality, if the parents were honest with their kids, they would have directed the kids talents elsewhere. The parents need to give their kids a dose of reality, life is tough and getting tougher. The kids need to experience defeat otherwise they are doomed to be embarraced on national TV.
#14
If you mean the white haired chick with the almost identical black haired mother…
They are from Houston
I know, not our proudest moment. But, hey, the first season chick was from Houston as well!!!
It looks likt the shows producers are afraid that their rating will go into the toilet if they don’t come up with some gimmick to hook viewers. It’s a shame that they have to humiliate contestants just to booost ratings. But, you would think that the ones with absolutely no talent would have friends and/or family that would tell them the truth. I guess that really can be attributed to our “Feel Good” liberal society. Never know, this whole lack of talent thing could be a set up and the ones willing to go on TV and make an a$$ out of themselves may be getting rewarded pretty handsomely.
Katfish - Would you like to sing in a Barbershop Chorus? The Spring Statesmen are always looking for guy’s who like to sing. We practice in Spring…currently at Cypress Creek Community Center on Thursday nights. That includes any of you guy’s who like to sing. Now is a perfect time to join as we have started learning competition music for upcoming District in Shreveport, La. Look up Spring Statesmen Barbershop Chorus on the web.
commercial/off
I too thought it was shame the way some were treated. Why doesn’t someone tell them ahead of time that they simply can’t sing? There has got to be more to this than meets the eye. After last night I thought to myself that maybe I only think I can sing….So far though I have passed the voice tests in the barbershop chorus though. lol
Americans love competition. Seeing the best rise up out of obscurity. This show has done that and now exploits it to the highest level for dollars/ratings. The folks watching is growing every season. Will it peak and die of eventually, who knows. The auditions were humorous the first few years and the humor added to the whole experience. But now the program has seemed to get into the drawn out presentation to make it last so long. They could show all of the city auditions in one night and just pick a few good ones and a few “funny” ones then move on to the real elimination contest. They are pushing it to the limit on the numer of shows and the real substance offered each week. I cannot see it going many more years (with increased viewership).
#17 stomer: That’s the duo! They’re from Houston? I can’t believe (but I saw it with my own two eyes) that they would go to the expense of getting to Seattle from Houston to be on the AI show! They have mirrors and recording devices in Houston! Using just one of those would have saved them the airfare and the embarassment!
DB is now a therapist/ psychologist/ psychiatrist?! Just because people act strange doesn’t make them mentally ill.
Some of what you see could be “acting” as John Lovitz would say. Of course believe the hype if you want to.
I’ve never watched the show but am curious about what it has that other shows, like Star Search, does not have. They both appear to be the same type of show, but American Idol is a blockbuster hit.
If they can do anyone can!
Trying out now.. ” O so la mi O”.
And for my next number:
“Momma’s little baby love shortenin’, shortenin’. Momma’s little baby loves shortening bread!”
Hey guys and gals…think I have a chance?
/malcolm’s bride unpacks suitcase.
You’d be surprised how many people outside the USA actually watch Springer, AI, etc… and think we are all like that. Has been topic of discussion on more than one occasion.
But don’t forget the possibility like the Asian guy who was so bad singing Ricky Martin - and now is making lots of money with a pretty big fan base. You just never know…
Like I said–I enjoy the mockery of talentless knuckleheads and even “weirdos, oddballs and freaks.”
My point is about the mentally ill. Not folks who are strange–folks that are ill.
And while I am not personally an expert, suffice it to say that I am close to and discuss this matter with people who are. Folks who have years of experience dealing with genuinely mentally ill people on a daily basis.
On this subject, I take their word. And they contend that any mental health professional worth their salt can–in about 60 seconds of watching someone interact with the judges on American Idol–distinguish between a talentless oddball knucklehead and someone suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder or Aspergers.
Maybe not with clinical certainty, but like obscenity, “you know it when you see it.”
We must have some readers out there who are licensed psychotherapists or psychiatrists or psych-techs or nurses; feel free to weigh in.
I do feel sorry for some of those people…but is so dadgum funny to watch them freak out after they proved they wouldn’t even be able to sing Mary Had A Little Lamb because Simon says they’re not good enough…and instantly Simon is the bad wicked evil mean guy who won’t let them become the next superstar!! It’s always the judges’ faults right??
#28
I thought it was always GWBs fault?
Great points, David. I just don’t see the thrill of watching someone humiliate themselves, and I feel for these unbalanced people who get to spend the rest of their lives knowing that they looked like imbeciles on national TV.
It used to be all Clintons fault.
With stories like these God knows we are stupid. I think we are doing some kind of reverse evolution.
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/police-probe-death-after-radio-contest/20070117182009990001
If you have never watched AI, the process is long and drawn out for ratings and advertising dollars. Those people who got “gold tickets” get to go to Hollywood where they go thru another audition cycle, then there’s fan voting for the final group and then the fun begins. Yeah, everything could be done in a short period of time but then there wouldn’t be any advertising dollars or sale of memorabilla from their website. You also have to remember, as long as they produce a “star” then they will be successful. Have a couple of winners not make it and its over!!!!!
I watched about 15 minutes of AI for the first time last night. Obviously I heard about the freaks before on other shows or listening to people that routinely watch it. But I have to say I won’t watch it again after last night. During the 15 minutes I watched there was some bug-eyed guy that was obviously mentally unstable, then the two new-found friends Shakey mentioned. But I don’t think its just mental issues. One of them displays symptoms very familiar to me. The son of some friends of mine has had some brain damage and other physical problems from birth that lead to seizures and morbid obesity. One of the guys was just like him. Others have mentioned this, but besides the show taking advantage of them, their parents should be horse-whipped for allowing such exploitation to occur.
But:
1920s Hell! I saw carnival freak shows as late as 1972. They all “wintered” in Florida and seemed to tour the state every fall. First time I ever saw Siamese Twins was at one. And no, they weren’t “conjoined twins”. They were Siamese. It said so right above the one-way mirrored sliding glass door in the side of their trailer. Then there was Tasha the Gorilla Woman! She walks. She talks. She’s almost human!
David,
I agree with you…it borders on the ‘cruel and unusual’
But don’t they have to sign something giving permission to air this? It seems that if they were really mentally challenged then their guardian (or whoever has legal responsibility) would be equally at fault.
It’s still in poor taste on Fox’s part though. If it weren’t for 24 and House, I’d have to boycott them or something.
Sometimes the “judges” on AI are deliberately cruel. Simon told one young man he looked little, weird and had a face like a monkey. I thought the kid looked as though he might have a congenital anomaly that affected both his appearance and his mental ability.
Now I understand. I didn’t realize hamous is the product of a carnival freak show. The Siamese twins were your dads?
Yup, and Tasha was my mommy!
In the 1970’s there was the Pepsi chalenge…two unmarked glasses of soft drink on the table,one contained Coke, the other one Pepsi. Everyone knew Pepsi was sweeter than Coke ( at the time)so you want to be on the T. V. > pick the Pepsi ! You want to be on A.I….act like a fool..it helps our ratings & you get to be on the T.V. It’s a win-win. It’s also a shame ! —> where is Ted Mack ?
A few years ago I saw a documentary on the retired carnival freaks. Most of them retired, where else, to Florida. Almost all of them said they held no bad feelings about the carnivals. For them it was a living and pretty much the only way they could make a living in those days.
I’d still like to see those wolf boys from Mexico
Side show freaks get artsy: Skinphony, the Human Orchestra (warning, may be rated R)
And if this whole chemist thing doesn’t work out for me, here’s where I’m headed.
Ahhhh. The canrnivals in Florida bring back such memories. Went to my first (and now that I think about it….my only) strip show at the Orlando carnival. That Pagan Jones…man she could….. Oh, sorry. Let’s see….I was 19 then and now 63.
Oh where oh where did my youth go?
Interesting (with no suffix of any kind).
Anyone ever seen Nashville Star? I haven’t since the first couple of seasons, and they had some pretty good talent. Miranda Lambert from Texas was a class act!
#40
That site is for freaks
Butch, were you the guy stationed at McCoy?
The Great Nippulini
I was repulsed, but yet, I could not look away.
#47
LOL, that was sick.
/walking away with head turned still looking
Ahh, but there’s sad news in the world of extreme nipple weightlifting:
The Great Nippulini has left the building.
Now who on earth would think that a man who hooks his nipples up to a VW bug and pulls it down the road isn’t special?
Yeah hammy - McCoy.
Well I’m glad all you “therapists” weighed in. Looks like AI is very tame compared to the real world.
Were you around there in ‘60-64′? No - you aren’t that old are ya? That’s when I went to the Fair or whatever it was called. lol It’s the only time I went to the Orange Bowl in Miami also.
#49. I guess I’m glad it wasn’t The Great Penilinni!
Butch, I was around then but was only three in 1960. Had some Uncles stationed there in the mid-60s but I don’t think they were there until ‘65.
#54. 1957 was a good year for you, me and Chevrolet.
Yup, Lawrence.