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.
Just wanted you to know that I appreciate your comments.
I did not see Jonathan, who sounds very touching with the suitcase, but I caught the Unchained Melody person. At first I thought he was just acting clueless but then I wasn't so sure. For some reason I am uncomfortable with the try outs this season. Funny you should say the same thing - I have also decided to wait until they get to Hollywood to begin watching again.