American Idol, Season 5 **Official Discussion Thread**

[damo]

I think that first and foremost, American Idol is a reality tv show. A lot of the crap that goes on is for pure entertainment value and if people are willing to set themselves up, then they had better be prepared for both the good and the bad.

I think that 99% of the time, Simon hits the nail right on the head. His comments may not be politically correct in everyday life but he is playing the role that he is being paid to play on this reality tv show.

 

[wvrevy]

(Just wait till next year, SSB...Top 10 ranking in preseason may just lead us to the promised land )

Back on topic...to Tiger: If they aren't mentally stable, then they shouldn't be auditioning for the show. The kid last night is a perfect example. He now believes even moreso that America is "prejudiced" against him and that the judges are all horrible bigots. That could easily have been solved by someone in his family simply telling him that he CAN NOT SING. A huge number of those people are under age...they couldn't be on the show without their parents' consent. Don't blame Simon for telling them the truth...blame the parents for not.

 

[Tiger926]

Never mind, it's not worth arguing about as it's a TV Show for crying out loud!! My students' parents are in many cases more unstable and dysfunctional than they are - I won't even bother to tell you what I've seen and heard from parents.

You can believe whatever you like, but since it's my area of expertise, I would absolutely bet that some of them are mentally unstable and learning challenged - and 2 classic symptoms of these are: delusional behaviours, snapping when things don't go your way, etc. Now I didn't say they were all unstable, but there are getting to be more and more examples of these types of behaviors because they get ratings! It's very sad, IMHO.

The fact that some of you think watching unstable people embarass themselves in front of millions of people, speaks volumes about why AI is so popular - it's all very sad that these unstable and untalented people (think William Hung) overshadow the real talented people on the show!

Tiger

 

[spacemountain]

I really liked Ace. I thought he was good.

 

[gometros]

The fact that some of you think watching unstable people embarass themselves in front of millions of people, speaks volumes about why AI is so popular - it's all very sad that these unstable and untalented people (think William Hung) overshadow the real talented people on the show!

I don't know what your credentials are to establish you as an expert, but I don't know how you can call William Hung unstable. No argument he was not talented, but he clearly was astute enough to turn his 15 seconds of fame into much more than that. I am no expert, but I think I comfortably say that William was far from unstable.

I think there's a fare cry from the inability to deal with reality and the phsycological imbalance. Now Zachary? He has some real problems. SOme of the others? I suspect in some cases it's more of an act and put on then the real thing.

 

[FINFAN]

Gina Glockson ( I think that's her name ) the girl with the pierced tongue/ Catfight band, dental hygenist...is from my town....she is dating one of the science teachers at one of our HS. She was pretty good...and my DD boyfirends brothers fiance (got that?)is friends with David /aka Harry Connick Jr. So we have some fun reasons to watch this year.


Pam

 

[Tiger926]

I didn't say William Hung was unstable, I put his name in italics after the words "untalented" - basic grammar lessons needed I see. I talked about both unstable and untalented people being put through the auditions and exploited for ratings, whereas some talented people are overlooked because they may be 'boring' or are wearing 'hideous' clothes as Simon likes to classify people as -hello, has he taken a look in the mirror lately!

In terms of being an expert, I am a special education specialist in an alternative, at risk high school - lots of kids with Bipolar disorder, ADD/ADHD, ODD, OCD, etc. Many of them live on their own as their parents kicked them out for a variety of reasons: drugs, prostitution (the mothers), pregnancy, violence or unmotivated, for instance. Many of our parents are more in need of assistance than many of our students, so we don't really get anywhere with most of them as they are struggling with their own serious issues. I am trained in observation and assessment, and I see so many of my students in some of the AI contestants - especially the ones who are delusional, in denial about their sexuality (several of my boys struggle with this as well), in denial about their abilities, severe anger issues, etc.

Basically I am sensitive to the way they exploit the fragile people (and I still stand by my ascertation that there are more and more of them each consecutive season as they bring ratings!) because of my background. You can blame parents and say they should know better all you want, but the fact remains that many of them don't know any better due to emotional limitations or lack of stable parental support, and it's terrible in my opinion, that this show exploits this.

Tiger

 

[damo]

I really liked Ace. I thought he was good.

Ace was pretty!!! (this is the Ace smiley - his smile took up a lot of space on his face!!!))

 

[ekmdisney]

Well, it looks like on of my early favs will not be going on, because they got stupid. In this day and age...did they really think that they could get a way with it? But it wouldn't be AI with out something like this happening. (These are the first set of twins on the first night, with the white shirts and the facial hair.)

From Fox 5 - Atlanta

AMERICAN IDOL ARREST

Twin brothers from Memphis, Tennessee, sang like angels for their audition on Tuesday's "American Idol" premiere, but they may sound more like jailbirds by the time the show goes live from Hollywood. 28 year-old Terrell Brittenum has been in jail in Memphis since January tenth on an outstanding warrant for charges related to the illegal purchase of a car in Rockdale County, Georgia, east of Atlanta. He and his brother, Derrell, are accused of using another man's identity to buy a 2005 Dodge Magnum in June. The Commercial Appeal newspaper reports that Derrell is expected to turn himself in on the same charges of forgery, theft by deception and financial identity fraud. The warrant was first discovered when Derrell Brittenum was pulled over in the Dodge during a routine stop by police in Memphis on October 30th. The newspaper reports that a license plate check showed the car was stolen from Georgia. Derrell Brittenum was arrested then. His brother was arrested on a fugitive warrant November second and both posted bond. But both brothers refused extradition to Georgia, leading to new arrest warrants. Fox Broadcasting Company has refused to discuss the Brittenums or their status on the show. Both twins have previous arrest records. Terrell has an arrest record for traffic violation and a charge of disorderly conduct for which he paid a 50-dollar fine. Court records show Derrell Brittenum was arrested in 1998 for theft of more than 500 dollars and in 2000 for contempt of court and passing bad checks. (01/19/06 @ 8:00AM)

 

[spacemountain]

Ace was pretty!!! (this is the Ace smiley - his smile took up a lot of space on his face!!!))

Thanks for the picture- he's definitely not bad to look at!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

wvrevy - I guess you're missing the point. It's plain to see that some of the participants are mentally unstable - no one needs to be a psychologist or psychiatrist to see that. Some of them can't speak, don't look in the eye, snap, etc. and that's not from nerves! It's plain exploitation, no matter how you look at it. Saying that it's ok because he is toughening them up is not acceptable - the show's producers are exploiting these fragile people, front and centre and these people are not well enough or with it enough to see that! Zachary, the gender confused teenager is a perfect example of how dangerous this type of attitude is - there is no other reason that the producers put this boy on stage then to exploit him, period, yet there are good singers who don't get to go in front of the judge, hmm? Doesn't take a genius to see what is going on there!

Since Zachery is an underage child (he was under 18, wasn't he?) wouldn't his parent or guardian have to sign a permission form for him to try out for American Idol? Wouldn't that place some of the exploitation of Zachery on them.. surely they had to know that he would "stand out" and they didn't seem to care. Looks like they were looking for their 15 minutes of fame themselves.

 

[Tiger926]

Obi-Wan-Pinobi - Good point that I addressed in one of my other posts about parents being more dysfunctional than the kids sometimes - this is one of those examples. This drives us nuts in high school because we are trying to teach kids about reasonable expectations and living within your abilities - the American dream of "anyone can do anything they want to do" really does a great disservice to so many people. For example, I have students who can't read at 18, yet they want to be doctors. They have 1 credit, sometimes no credits, and so our goal is to help them function as a productive member of our community by being able to hold a job and live on their own - being a doctor isn't a reasonable goal for them since they have so many emotional and learning limitations. Our school board believes in properly streaming kids, and so we are even having to go against parents wishes (that their kids will be doctors) and place kids in classes where they will be successful and can be challenged a little at a time to achieve higher levels of success. This may be what Simon is attempting to do with his comments, but I really don't believe so since we do so gingerly and patiently with our students so as not to insult, embarass, etc. Simon is the opposite of that, so if he really and truly cared about the kids on AI, he would absolutely change his method of delivery.

Tiger

 

[gometros]

I didn't say William Hung was unstable, I put his name in italics after the words "untalented" - basic grammar lessons needed I see.

Those things are called parentheses. Your whole post was italics. Seems like I'm not the one who needs grammar lessons. And civility lessons as well. If that's the attitude you use with your patients, you must foster a lot of confidence.

 

[Nancy]

Ace was pretty!!! (this is the Ace smiley - his smile took up a lot of space on his face!!!))

Yes, Ace is a hottie. I hope we see lots and lots of him!

 

[Nancy]

it's a TV Show for crying out loud!!

Tiger

That's right, it's a TV show. I really think a lot of what you see is an act. Do you really think that guy dresses up in a yellow plaid suit everyday? It was for TV air time. These contestants all sign something, they wouldn't be on TV if not. I don't think you can legally film someone and show that footage on TV without a release form being signed. (someone correct me if I'm wrong) I always figured that is why shows like AFV had faces pixeled out; they didn't have a release to show their face on TV.

The show is not exploiting anything or anyone, you go on it of your own free will, no one forces them to do that, no one forces the ones they show to be on TV either.

I do agree with one thing you said though...the parents are just as delusional as the kids sometimes.

 

[CathrynRose]

Ace was pretty!!! (this is the Ace smiley - his smile took up a lot of space on his face!!!))

Ace *was* pretty - yummmmmmmmmmers!

Fingers crossed he dont blow it in Hollywood cuz I need to see him, week after week, after week....

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They actually treated William Hung nicely IIRC. He didn't pretend that he was great, he didn't pretend he was the next American Idol--he came and gave it his best.

Simon pounces--when there is attitude in the performer that they are all that and a bag of chips.

Take the cowboy. Now while he most definitely will not make it unless he gets the worlds greatest voice coach--did Simon pounce on him--ABSOLUTELY NOT. Why? The guy could carry a tune and he didn't have attitude that he was the best thing since sliced bread.

Watch Simon carefully and you can tell the ones he will cut down and the ones he will not. Chances are--if it is an LD or mentally challenged individual--Simon would be tactful enough to hold back. But so far--they haven't really shown someone in that capacity.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Tiger--no offense in against your resume...but you can honestly look at a less than 1 minute clip on television and immediately classify these people?

I remember as a teen---I was temporarily in a "band"...and we thought we were GOOD. Guess what--we weren't! Had we gone on such an audition--we would have been devestated...but it would have been the truth.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ace *was* pretty - yummmmmmmmmmers!

Fingers crossed he dont blow it in Hollywood cuz I need to see him, week after week, after week....

Okay--who is this guy..did I miss him...what did he sing?????

And I'm not at home with my TIVO!!!

(and is he 18?-b/c I just can't say what you said..I just don't feel right. First google--and one day you know the DIS will be next--I'll get busted and then it will be all over for me. )

 

[CathrynRose]

Okay--who is this guy..did I miss him...what did he sing?????

And I'm not at home with my TIVO!!!

(and is he 18?-b/c I just can't say what you said..I just don't feel right. First google--and one day you know the DIS will be next--I'll get busted and then it will be all over for me. )

LOL - Pretty sure he's 18 +++

Dont know what he sang...didnt matter.