Audience stays away from star-studded Grammys

AP ^ | 02/14/05 | AP

[freeangel]

Maybe "the thrill is gone" because so many of these self congratulatory stars have decided to take up politics pushing as a second career and have exposed themselves to their fans as the shallow idiots they really are.

[AlbertWang]

Did any of you see Mr Richard Betts? Dicky looks real bad, but he sure can play. And The Blind Boys of Alabama were a treat, it wasn't all bad.

[cyborg]

I saw that scene and thought it was horrible because J.Lo was awful, truly awful. However, why would 'middle America' be put off by people singing in another language? They don't have opera there?

[Miss Marple]

Tonight I am watching the Westminster Kennel Club. The dogs are well-goomed, happy, and do not give obnoxious speeches. Great TV!

[lewislynn]

"I think this is the best Grammys we've ever seen," U2 lead singer Bono said as the group accepted an award toward the show's end.

There's an unbiased opinion for ya.

[freeangel]

I was just following that thread myself. No doubt about it--they have a lot more personality than most "stars" these days.

[pepperdog]

"people who keep living their senior year of high school over and over again"

That's it! I've thought that for years, just couldn't find the right words. I knew them in highschool, I just want to forget them now.

[Captain Peter Blood]

When you nominate a slate of films that of which none have passed the $100 Million Dollar mark, "The Aviator" is the leader and it has only grossed $75 Million, most of which the public hasn't seen and probably won't till it hits DVD there is nothing to grab the public.
There are really no compelling stars that have been nominated, except for Clint Eastwood and maybe Morgan Freeman, no one really has stars they care about that much.
Given that almost everyone of these awards shows are down rather dramatically in viewer ship I expect the Oscars to be down also.
Chris Rock looks as though he may be a grenade thrower but I don't think he's going to help the Oscars much.
Whatever magic they used to have is long gone and has been.

[dennisw]

Definitely that's part of it. Living and fighting and dying in Iraq is more real to me than any Hollywood stuff .... which rarely entertains me anymore. Anyhow I know 95% of the plot turns and twists by now.

[Bear_Slayer]

The music industry would do itself a big bahooma if it would take a hammer & blowtorch to every computer involved in the recording process and get back to relying on talent

THE SPIRIT OF RADIO

Words by Neil Pert.

Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays that song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood

Off on your way

Hit the open road

There is magic at your fingers
For the spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude

Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price ---
Almost free...

All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty

One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity

For the words of the profits
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall ---
Echoes with the sounds...
Of salesmen.

[Richard Kimball]

I had a great response, but I could already see post #38 removed by moderator before I hit preview. Let me clean it up enough to say that they would show anything Michael Jackson was willing to do to anyone he wanted to do it to, if they thought it would bring in ratings.

[fat city]

Here's the real ranking of talent in music:

Village Voice Pazz and Jop Poll

The Backdoor Men rule!!

[Will_Zurmacht]

Wow!
That catchy little tune is on my classic rock station every few days around here..

I just spent about 5 minutes today (at work) trying to figure out the lyrics...Thanks!

[SaveTheChief]

One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity

Pretty much says it all right there, doesn't it? Many artists have worked hard and maintained their integrity while producing a quality product. Sadly, most of those who are honored at the grammys do not fit into that group.

[sevry]

Whatever magic they used to have is long gone and has been.

If the academy could only have gotten past its intense hatred of the Faith, in this corner The Passion, in the other corner, Million Dollar Baby, they might have netted a couple million more viewers interested in seeing whether Mel would win. They shot themselves, but good. Serves 'em right.

And second, if people tune in for the songs, what songs are there. Color of the Wind? Annie Lennox singing from LOTR? Heck, theme from Titanic? What stars are there? Eastwood, maybe. But in the past, it was as they say - a cavalcade of stars. Now you've got posers and gifted character actors. But the PC has driven out, or prevented the rise of major box office stars for the latest generation. As for films - forget it. Go back and look over the nominees in the 50s and 60s, never mind the 30s and 40s - every gosh darned year. It's a best of all time roster, practically. Then look at those over the last decade. Some good films, yes. But not like then.

And lastly, of course, there's the 'freeper' factor. FR, in my opinion, tends to represent the majority American opinion. And American feel utterly betrayed by their institutions, including the entertainment business (or parts of it). They see the writers and directors, the actors personal opinions, as practically treasonous. And they don't want to be a part of that. They would rather defend the country, and take the snide insults dished out by Hollywood types, Dems, and libs of all stripes, if that's how it must be.

[KingNo155]

Made for Radio music is not my cup of tea all those band suck.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

"This was the show to beat in terms of how it was produced," said Shari Anne Brill, a television analyst for Carat USA. "It was just great. It wasn't about someone handing out awards. It was about performances. Viewers who didn't tune in missed a treat."

Oh, silly me, and to think that I didnt watch it because I didnt feel like watching a bunch of lip-synching no talent losers who sue kids for getting their crappy music online instead of paying 100 times the cost of a CD. Any award show for pompus ass millionaires is a waste of time to the average person

[dr_lew]

Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

[beaversmom]

I didn't tune in, and now I'm just SO DAMN DEPRESSED :)!

I've seen this kind of thing before. Don't let it snowball. Get help before it's too late.

[vikingchick]

LOL! I missed the whole thing. As for the Aca-Me-Me Awards, I haven't seen any of the elected movies, so I would only watch it for the freak show element.