American Idol is really becoming mean

[dental wiz]

I watched the entire 4 hours this Tuesday and Wednesday. Yes, I am ashamed of that. ;> But there is something strangely enthralling about it. Plus, my kids love it.

The majority of that 4 hours focused, as is usual early in the season, on the really poor performers. I used to think that these poor saps were in on the joke. So it really wasn't such a bad thing to watch them get their 15 minutes of fame as they were mercilessly insulted by the judges.

But after this week, I'm starting to wonder. I do believe that a few of them are in on the joke. Like that "Zitman" -- the software engineer from Utah. I think he was having a hard time not breaking out laughing at certain spots. He didn't really take his singing seriously, IMO -- he just wanted to act like a moron and get on TV.

But many of the others -- I don't think they are kidding about it. In fact, I think that they have some legitimate mental and psychological problems. Like that red-haired guy that closed the show on Weds night. He was not right in the head. I seriously think he was mentally ill. But they put him on for at least 10 minutes, and let the judges rip him up and down, as all of America laughed at him.

And I got to thinking ... where are we going with this? Why not just put some mentally ill (or mentally ********) people on TV, pull some little tricks on them, and let America laugh at them? You could tell them that they just won a million dollars, and all they have to do is reach in a box and grab it. Then, when they reach in the box, they get a hand full of mud, and you tell 'em it was all a joke. Then you insult them, and the camera follows them as they walk out the door crying.

That's essentially what these first few weeks of AI is doing.

Yet, I watch. Although I am starting to feel very guilty about it. Picking on mentally ill people (or just very unintelligent and naive people) just shouldn't be considered "entertainment".

 

[TheGoofster]

OK, I know what you're saying, but try to think of what the alternative would be:
Somebody comes in and makes a fool of themselves as do many of these contestants. In a nice world this would be the judges reactions:

Randy - Sorry dog, but it's a no.
Paula - Oh my you are a lovely person, but I'm sorry, I have to say no
Simon - Sorry, but no

next bad performer:

Randy - Good try dude, but no
Paula - Keep working, but no
Simon - Not today, sorry

etc...

As nice as that might sound, it would be very boring, and the show would lose tons and tons of ratings.

AI is a two part show - first part - comedy
Second part - talent show.

These judges see hundreds of thousand of performers every year. I imagine that most of the judging probably is on the boring side, and only the occassional bad performer / harsh judgement gets the TV Time. Why? Because that's what people tune in to see (you have to admit, it is fun waiting to hear what Simon is going to say, don't you)

 

[ButchJohnson]

There's already a comprehensive thread with almost the exact same title right below this.

 

[Free4Life11]

These judges see hundreds of thousand of performers every year.

I don't think thats true. They are in the cities for two days; I'd bet the judges don't even see more than a few hundred people a day and even that might be steep.

 

[dental wiz]

There's already a comprehensive thread with almost the exact same title right below this.

Oh sorry. That must have been the thread about Rosie O'Donnell. I can't stand Rosie, and I didn't even open that thread.

 

[Deb in IA]

There's already a comprehensive thread with almost the exact same title right below this.

Lots of responses thoughts and opinions here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1329110

 

[TheGoofster]

I don't think thats true. They are in the cities for two days; I'd bet the judges don't even see more than a few hundred people a day and even that might be steep.

OK, now that is interesting, something I haven't considered before. I am by no means an expert on AI, but when I do watch it, they always talk about the hundred's of thousands of contestants who try out every year. It does seem kind of far fetched to believe that Randy, Paula, and Simon actually sit through interviews with all of them. So how do they do it? Are there other judges who listen to contestants as well? Do only so many of the thousands who go out for interviews get a chance to perform?
Seriosly, if anybody knows more about the try-outs part of the show it would be intereting to find out.
Let's suppose that each contestant takes up two minues - that would be a maximum of 30 contestants an hour. Let's say they work 12 hours a day, that's only 360 contestants a day times say three days and you have just over a 1000 maximum contestants that can be interviewed in each city - yet they claim thousands and thousand from each city. So what's the catch?

 

[Free4Life11]

Found a great article about the process:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15310288/

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

Oh sorry. That must have been the thread about Rosie O'Donnell. I can't stand Rosie, and I didn't even open that thread.

But you are in 100% agreement with Rosie here. And she is being bashed for her viewpoint that Simon was out of line in that thread.

So, maybe you have more in common with Rosie than you thought

 

[TheGoofster]

Found a great article about the process:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15310288/

Thanks for sharing the article - very interesting. Not really what they make it look like on TV, now is it?

 

[declansdad]

I don't think thats true. They are in the cities for two days; I'd bet the judges don't even see more than a few hundred people a day and even that might be steep.

a few hundred people a day would still by way too many for me!!

 

[miss missy]

I never watched it. Never was interested in it.

I saw the clip about KEVIN and it was pretty darn bad. It is a sad sad day to know our society finds making fun of people with challenges funny. The judges are sick people! Paula acted like she thought it was bad and then laughed and laughed... they are sick people!

Think of it as if KEVIN was your child, how funny would you find that then?

 

[dental wiz]

hey, sorry I missed that other thread. I haven't read the board for a few days.

In any case, what troubles me about Americal Idol, especially this season, is that I think a lot of the folks whom we are laughing at are mentally ill. The clowns from past seasons, like William Hung, I think they were in on the fun.

But that red-haired guy who closed Wed's show .... did you see his teeth? I think he might have been homeless or something. And he definitely was not playing with a full deck. So we parade him out in front of America for 10 minutes and get a good laugh out of him.

When did laughing at mentally ill people become so funny? I just have a real hard time with the show this year. It's cruel.

 

[declansdad]

hey, sorry I missed that other thread. I haven't read the board for a few days.

In any case, what troubles me about Americal Idol, especially this season, is that I think a lot of the folks whom we are laughing at are mentally ill. The clowns from past seasons, like William Hung, I think they were in on the fun.

But that red-haired guy who closed Wed's show .... did you see his teeth? I think he might have been homeless or something. And he definitely was not playing with a full deck. So we parade him out in front of America for 10 minutes and get a good laugh out of him.

When did laughing at mentally ill people become so funny? I just have a real hard time with the show this year. It's cruel.

How exactly do you tell someone is mentallly ill by looking at them?

 

[Deb in IA]

How exactly do you tell someone is mentallly ill by looking at them?

Good question. The other thead also has folks talking about contestants who "appear to be mentally disabled" . . .

 

[dental wiz]

How exactly do you tell someone is mentallly ill by looking at them?

I doubt that you can tell if someone is mentally ill by looking at a photograph of them. But television offers you more than a photograph. They interviewed this guy and showed him on TV for at least 10 minutes.

Believe me, the lights were on, but nobody was home. If he wasn't mentally ill, then he does a darn good impersonation of someone who is.

IMHO, the producers of the show exploited this guy. We all had a laugh at his expense. That's sad.

 

[Free4Life11]

a few hundred people a day would still by way too many for me!!

For what they can paid they can learn to deal with it.

I do think some of the bad signing is funny and sure they are "asking for it" but a lot of them truly do think they are a good singers. I can't explain it. Nobody can explain it. I happen to think I am a good dancer, but I'm sure if I went on national TV you'd all get a laugh at my sake. I'd also like to see what exactly those producers say to them...you really think they are saying "Wow you are a TERRIBLE singer, but we are putting you through anyways!" But this is first and foremost a singing competition so if someone is a bad singer, they will be called out on it.

But I don't think anyone goes on their to get their physical appearance mocked, whether they have bug eyes, are tall, fat, etc. It's rude and I do think a lot of the people the producers are letting through are of questionable mental status...

 

[declansdad]

I doubt that you can tell if someone is mentally ill by looking at a photograph of them. But television offers you more than a photograph. They interviewed this guy and showed him on TV for at least 10 minutes.

Believe me, the lights were on, but nobody was home. If he wasn't mentally ill, then he does a darn good impersonation of someone who is.

IMHO, the producers of the show exploited this guy. We all had a laugh at his expense. That's sad.

You better not tell the psychiatric community about your breakthrough. They will be out of work.

 

[declansdad]

For what they can paid they can learn to deal with it.

I do think some of the bad signing is funny and sure they are "asking for it" but a lot of them truly do think they are a good singers. I can't explain it. Nobody can explain it. I happen to think I am a good dancer, but I'm sure if I went on national TV you'd all get a laugh at my sake. I'd also like to see what exactly those producers say to them...you really think they are saying "Wow you are a TERRIBLE singer, but we are putting you through anyways!" But this is first and foremost a singing competition so if someone is a bad singer, they will be called out on it.

But I don't think anyone goes on their to get their physical appearance mocked, whether they have bug eyes, are tall, fat, etc. It's rude and I do think a lot of the people the producers are letting through are of questionable mental status...

As I said in any number of threads about this topic, if you go on this show you know what to expect in the audition room.

I do agree that they put people through who have no business being in a talent contest but as viewers we cannot make accurate jusgements about a person's mental status by watching 1 to 2 minutes of edited television.

 

[Deb in IA]

They interviewed this guy and showed him on TV for at least 10 minutes.

IMHO, the producers of the show exploited this guy. We all had a laugh at his expense. That's sad.

While I agree with you that laughing at and exploiting someone is despicable, I still marvel that you can make a diagnosis of mental illness in 10 minutes. Especially given that this was a completely artificial, pressure-filled environment with TV cameras, lights, and complete strangers flinging insults at you.