Am I the only one
Who has ABSOLUTELY NO INTEREST in American Idol? In. The. Least. It seems the hype and people taking about it just haven't got to me, even as Paula Abdul seems to top herself with more and more bizarre (dare I say drugged-out) interviews. Is it just me?
This from someone who's played and a lot of music in my day (piano as a kid, flute and voice as well for good measure). I am likely one of the most dedicated shower singers, hummers, and feet tappers out there. I sing all the time, and am rather shameless about it. I sing when I'm cooking, I sing when I'm out running errands, I sing when I'm cleaning. It's so bad I have to explain to people in my car that if you don't like me singing the only cure is to turn the radio up loud enough so that you can't hear me. I have no delusions about being a good singer, but I do it anyway. It's an ingrained habit I can't seem to shake. I love music.
But back to the show - people who can't sing being humiliated or humiliating themselves on (inter)national television doesn't hold any appeal to me. So much of the show seems about humiliating others.
I have no doubt many of them bring it on themselves - they'd have to be what we lawyers call willfully blind to think they could be some hit recording artist, but trotting them out for ratings to be made fun of (and deservedly so in some cases), seems exploitative to me. They seem to prey on the awkward, the ones you can tell from the start that are doomed to failure. The girl in the too-tight (and accordingly unflattering) dress with the distinctive mustache, the awkward woman showing up with her mum, the ones you know they only filmed to showcase as "losers" later filmed sobbing or clutching to their delusions of brilliance. I don't feel any need to watch people doing that to themselves.
To say nothing of the showcase of screeching, off-key and bizarre vibrato voices butchering "classics" like "Don't Cha" by the Pussycat Dolls.
It's so bad I'm off to clean the house (now that's desperation).
19 comments:
I watch it for the first couple weeks because of the really bad singers. Once they pick the goods ones, I lose interest.
Hear, Hear!
Isn't reality tv dying off YET?
Yeah - I'm not a fan, Heather. I hate seeing people humiliated, even if they had it coming by being deluded. I also hate seeing people who are deluded being disappointed. The show's producers compound the humiliation too - they raise the hopes of the truly untalented (or "ugly" or "weird") people by having them successfully make it through a three-day audition process. By the time they see the judges, they've been led to believe they really DO have a shot! And then they look silly on camera and the judges are jerks to them! Good times.
Um, if I may add my 2 cents. I have come to the conclusion that 'some' of these people are 'paid' actors/actresses that come on the 'entertain' that morbidity (is this a word even??) we all seem to share when watching the weird and the bizarre. That gal that had the truly awful blonde wig (yep, it was a wig) that had her mother look just like her. For her to state that she was "sexy" (??????? gag) Now, if these people choose to audition for this show, they know the consequences (especially if they've been fans for years). They walked into this situation with their eyes wide open. But my vote is still on the paid actors/actresses. It's a way for them to get exposure. Of course, it doesn't show much for anybody's taste that watches these shows (OOPS......I WATCH the auditions!! HAHA) OK, I admit that sometimes, on occasion, I have bad taste and it just has to rear it's ugly head at times. I don't watch it again till the last night to see who the big winner is. That way, I can avoid buying their CD when it comes out.
I am shamelessly addicted to some reality programs (*cough* Project Runway *cough*), but I've never once felt inclined to watch American Idol. I just can't get into it at all, and I don't get the hype.
I had a math professor once who asked the class, "Who here watches American Idol?" When not one student raised a hand, he was flabbergasted. "You don't watch American Idol?" he cried. "Are you from outer space or something?" (I wanted to say, "Dude, we're in calc II. Do you really think we have time to watch TV?")
I hate it. I too can't stand seeing ppl be humiliated. It's like being in elementary school and watching someone get bullied. Not high on my priority list.
You, my friend, are SOOOO not alone. I don't watch it, and feel out of the loop, but still can't give up valuable time to watching it or valuable brain cells to caring.
Teena: Fair enough. I love listening to good voices, but the first weeks to me are awful.
daysgoby: Apparently not.
roro: I didn't realize it was that involved - that makes it even more awful than I thought.
elainemi: It wouldn't surprise me that they were actors, and frankly it'd be better cause it'd be less cruel.
velocibadgergirl: Me either! Calculus at university was well beyond my comprehension.
elaine: What a perfect analogy!
kittenpie: Glad we're both happily out of the loop.
I ragged on Paula Abdul over on Mamapop for that goofy interview but otherwise, I'm not a big AI fan. I wish i could be so I could talk to
the rest of the world about it but it's just not that interesting to me. You're NOT the only one :)
No interest here either. I only watch the tryouts, but some of them are so earnestly bad (and sad, sad characters) that it makes me want to cry.
I KNOW! When there is so much quality programming out there that I have no time for why would I watch that crap? The only thing that's worse is that the American's then turn the winners and runner's up into stars. At least here in Canada we have the common sense to ignore our winners once they've won :).
Izzy: Yeah those interviews were completely bizarre. I think anyone claiming she wasn't ON something should have their head examined.
wordgirl: Yeah the sound of the tryouts often has that effect on me.
Megan: Being without cable, I don't get much of the "quality programming" but it's must miss TV for me.
I used to watch it, not so much anymore. I watched a bit of it this week and it seemed to me like they were intentionally setting up people to look stupid. They were making these people look REALLY FUCKING BAD. I felt really bad for the people they were showcasing and ended up turning it off.
I don't want to hear bad singers, or good ones, singing songs that aren't theirs. There is no need for this to be on TV. If I want to subject myself to that, it's called listening to karaoke at a bar. Which is waaaay more fun than sitting in front of the boob tube. Except karaoke has no mute button!
mamatulip: That was my impression too, and I did the same thing.
luck o' the irish: Very true, well said.
Like you, I have no interest in American Idol. Amen, sister!
I have been watching A.I. and have noticed Paula behavior. Every time the camera is on her she is drinking out of her coke cup and she isn’t talking as much as she used to. All she has is one or two word answers to questions. She totally seems drugged out.
No, you are not alone. In fact, my friend Jess (Fancypants) and I have formed a club, and you are welcome to join. :-)
The very first season ever? Totally addicted. I will admit to crying as Kelly Clarkson sang, "A moment like this" in the finale.
After that? Never again. Never, ever again. I completely lost interest.
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