Posted on 01/19/2007 11:01:04 AM PST by meg88
Idol" Sparks New Controversy on Access Hollywood
By Laura Saltman
The show is only back two days and already "American Idol" is sparking controversy. Today the buzz all around my office is about how mean-spirited the show is during the audition rounds. While I was out having dinner, an email came over my blackberry from our music producer, Nancy Harrison, who was on the east coast watching the show, "I must say tonight's episode was quite disturbing. Two of the Seattle contestants--Kenneth and Jonathan--were clearly limited... and the judges still poked fun of them. I found this to be in really poor taste and can't believe this show would sink this low for ratings." My first thought, having not seen the show yet was, "old news." The show has done this throughout its first five seasons on the air. The fact of the matter is that snickering at people who clearly can't sing or telling people they are "too fat" or "not the right look" to be the next American Idol is nothing new here. That's what the audition shows are all about each and every year. They poke fun of bad singers and everyone laughs.
Then I got home and watched the show and realized what the outrage was over. I want to share this email I got from our show's Senior Producer, Claudia Eaton, who was watching with her son, David. As a parent, I'm sure her sentiment is something being felt all over households today: "Last night's programming was uncomfortably entertaining ... painful to laugh at ... I had to explain to my son on more than one occasion how inappropriate these adults were. And, as a budding thespian, had to convince him that it would in fact be ok for him to try out for the school play. What does bother me as a newcomer to the Idol craze is how cavalierly the public seems to accept the way Simon talks to people to their faces about things as basic as how they look or talk ... PLEASE let them hurry up and get to the finals ... where hopefully truly talented people will truly entertain people with talent ... and we do NOT laugh at people for being "ugly," "odd," "tall," or just plain different."
While I don't think the format of the audition shows has changed, what I think has happened is that the judges are acting more and more like catty school children with each passing season. Simon is the bully on the playground and Randy and Paula are his underlings. Someone says something mean and the others either laugh or play along. It's like watching the movie, "Mean Girls." Every once in awhile Paula and Randy will scold Simon but in a laughing manner, never to the point where someone is saying 'you know what, this is inappropriate.' Do I think it's their fault? Partially. Only partially because Idol is a reality show and therefore the producers must create situations. That means they must put bad singers in front of the judges to make the auditions interesting. After seeing thousands of people who are either playing it up for the cameras to get on TV or just plain delusional about their talent it has to get frustrating for the judges.
Having said that... you, America, are the ones who have allowed this type of behavior to go on. 37 million of you were watching on Tuesday night while the insults were flying... up 2 million from last year. If people were truly offended, well then they should have tuned out last night. Not the case though. Another 37 million watched the Seattle auditions. In fact, the audition shows always get a higher audience then the performance shows. This morning I talked to Katharine McPhee, who did not watch the audition shows this week but heard about the controversy on "The View." On the subject, she told me, "There crosses a point I think where you start actually being mean about people's appearances and I think that kind of really is just wrong. I've never liked that part of the show. So, that's why I don't really tune in for the early part of it."
Last night's outrage I'd say was mainly over the way 21-year-old contestant, Jonathan Jayne, and 23-year-old Kenneth Briggs were portrayed. Obviously, a little different than others, Simon's calling Kenneth a "bush baby" just went to far. We talked to Jonathan this morning who truly was just happy for the chance to be on TV. His only complaint wasn't about how he was portrayed on TV but that Randy was chuckling during his audition, " I just think that he was trying to make television at that time. He didn't really mean it." He did however get very upset about the way Kenneth was treated, "They treated him horribly. I just didn't like what they said about him. That really made me kind of ticked off that they were treating him like that."
jonathan didn't seem mentally challenged to me, given the string of four-letter words he let off.
The other did see a bit slow, but I felt they were rather gentle with him.
I don't think there was anything wrong with him. I think it was all a put-on. And a very good one.
It gets staggering ratings, especially the 'gonna-be' shows. Someone out there is watching, mostly the Democrat base I think.
Sorry I got it backward, I think. The heavy set kid was treated nicely.
Simon just goes overboard sometimes.
The writer is overprotective and a bit of a drama queen, but Wednesday night's show did indeed go too far. I have no problem with how they handle the truly deluded, attention whores, and "over-self-esteemed" brats, but two of the contestants that night appear to clearly have real mental health problems. Not the borderline/excuses like ADD, but more serious and limiting problems. There is no humor in ridiculing the retarded or insane to their faces, they can't help how they were born and often honestly can't recognize how they come across or non-verbal feedback. The heavyset guy of the duo (Jonathan, I think) likely has mental health problems (though I admit to snickering at Simon's initial "Did you borrow a pair of Randy's trousers?"), which is why the judges were much more careful and nice with him as his condition seemed to become more obvious while they were talking to him. Note how Simon kindly whispered to him, "Use the right door" as he was leaving, to prevent him for falling for the show's running sight gag of bumping into the other locked door. I blame the producers for that one, they should have not included him. Did you see the suitcase Jonathan was dragging around in some of the shots? He had brought it to the audition thinking that they would send the winning contestants to Hollywood that day.
The computer kid from Utah, the one with the wide-eyed stare who sang 'Unchained Melody', likely has a form of autism. Google 'Asperger's Syndrome', he displayed some of the signs that would explain his behavior. I sure hope that his coworkers who 'encouraged' him to go on AI did so out of a sympathetic attempt to be nice, rather than cruelly setting him up. A shame that the judges didn't recognize his condition, but a lot of people are not aware of some of these conditions and sometimes it isn't readily discerned in just a minute or two of interaction. But there is no way that this wasn't pointed out to the producers, who ran with it anyway. Heaven forbid that they actually show us all of the contestants who won that day, rather than mocking the retarded.
I'll probably skip AI until they start the Hollywood rounds.
OMG, that guy does look scary. You caught that "look". WOW!
I know. That's what really scares me; that so many people are watching. Can you say "Bread and Circuses"?
I also told them I would string them up if I EVER saw their faces on T.V.!
I have always thought the nerd contestants were kind of picked because they also know they are bad. If you watch some of them, they couldn't pass a talent contest anywhere. I figured they contestant knew this, and chose the limelight with all the baloney that goes with it. After all, they are on TV. They surely know what is coming.
Really , the first time I ever watched this was at the end of last season, but you see some of the earlier (talent?) hear and there.
The early part looks like a Jerry Springer type thing.
Just wanted you to know that I appreciate your comments.
Sounds like there are some pretty convicning practical joker co-workers out there!.....
The Seattle try-out/episode was absolutely representative of the folk in that town. I am sooo glad I do not live there any more. Can you say freaks, I knew you could.
So the TV show is kind of misleading, Simon knows he is there to throw insults. (once he figures out that the contestant has no chance of making it)
The ratings Wednesday were about 36 million, which is pretty close to the number of Democrat voters in the last election!
Yeah, but do most of the bad contenders know they stink and will get insulted?
But, I'm not a guy, so what do I know? :-)
Anyone who tries to make it in the entertainment business is going to have to deal with harsh critics. I actually appreciate Simon because he doesn't sugarcoat his comments.The contestants know exactly how they stand from the beginning. Thus, people without talent don't get the idea that maybe they can make it.
I find Paula's comments rather pointless. She's so afraid of hurting somebody's feelings that she spews pablum.
"...and that's all I have to say about that."
My sister and law both said "It's Forrest Gump!" at the same time.
Any Country fans here? I tuned into a program - actually I taped it and watched it later - on the USA network called Nashville Star. They do it differently. They do not do the audition crap. They get people - men and women - who are already on the bar/club circuit. They also send in videos about thier lives. The contestants can sing, songwrite, and play instruments. Pretty good program and good music - if you like country.
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