Simon Cowell ref'd Plan 9!

[Blurryeye]

Simon Cowell riffed on a singer's performance on American Idol by saying it was the musical equivalent of Plan 9 From Outer Space!

www.idolonfox.com/recaps/index.htm
(it's about halfway through the page, on John Stevens)

Whether you like him or not, he comes up with some pretty creative riffs.
"You're like musical cheesecake. You only want one helping, and when you're finished you feel a little sick."

The guy who writes the recaps is pretty funny. He lives up to his name of "Jaded Journalist". Not as good as the Brains, of course, but still pretty clever for a young guy.

I'm aware that I'll be ripped on for watching AI.

[Blurryeye]

Forrest said:

American Idol is the enemy of all that is good and decent.

Oh, don't be so dramatic! You're like Thom Christopher, or the bad guy from Cave Dwellers.

"American.....Idol.....is the enemy......of all that is.......good......and decent!"

[yousonuva]

Sorry to do it to ya, Blurry, but I am going with Forrest on this one. The sheer fact that William Hung is some kind of quasi-celebrity only proves the proir statement. It's actually a bit sick the way this guy thinks he is a comodity rather than a huge joke. Frankly I think he has a bit of down syndrome, not that I'm bashing retards, it's just making fun of someone who is retarded is all for the worse. The sheer boredom of entertainment has caused a LOT of horrible programming and American Idol, which I'll admit has a small touch of entertainment...very small to me, to be the biggest thing is evidence of this.

The Simon guy is the only justified character on the show, though. I like watching those idiots get bashed to the point of messing themselves, 'cause even though he's not makin the world a utopia, he's at least helping weed out the crap in the world. But then again he's making things like ....I don't know their names, the winners justin an dkelly and rupert thats them, entertainment and I just wanna buy a gun every time they get mentioned. "Alllllll by myseelllll-*BLAM!!*

But then, I hate ALL of television (save VERY few shows).

[nightfalcawk]

I love American Idol and I don't are. It's a show. Blurryeye will agree. And I'm so happy Camile Velasco is gone. GONE FOREVER! And not Jasmine Trias

[marytrobot]

why is it the evil of a ll that is good and decent forrest?

[Buddhist Kitten]

Why do people care about American Idol so much?
NELLIE MCKAY ROCKS!!

[marytrobot]

really I've only watched like 2 episodes but i've never thought of it as an evil. they actaully find the talent, unlike the show here, the first year they were all good singers, the second they were all beuatiful people, but horrid singers, and last year they were all fat and horrid singers.

[Blurryeye]

Well first off, William Hung was rejected after his audition, so it's not like he's a finalist on the show or anything. He is a civil engineering student at Berkeley, but it does seem like there's something a little off about him mentally. I think he's become quasi-famous because of his bizarre performance coupled with his disarmingly sincere attitude. Not everyone is laughing at him, they like to watch him because he is so earnest, seriously. But a lot of people are indeed making fun of him. Several members of this board have done it. They are the ones you should be pissed at. People demanded to see more of William Hung, American Idol didn't force it on anyone.

I don't see what this has to do with American Idol being evil. It's a talent competition where the viewer actually has some say in who wins. Most of the people in the finals are incredibly talented singers, who do not have the typical kind of personality or "look" that would make a Hollywood record exec sign them. Kelly Clarkson is too "full-bodied", and Ruben is definitely too big for a typical record company to look upon as "star" material, even though they have star-quality voices and performances.

The show has turned into a powerful beast, that's for sure, and no one is really sure how to handle it and keep all of the best things about the show intact. Some hellish spawn has broken off from the behemoth, but I don't think the real content of the show is wrong or hurtful to society. Sure, the producers dip real low sometimes catering to bring viewers in, there are definitely flaws with the horrible auditions being shown at the beginning of the season, and the finalists making commercials that are shown in between performances.

It's a way of making a star singer who will bring in millions of dollars for the show with their first CD, that some people don't like. I personally don't know what the problem is with asking the TV-viewing public who they like the most. Few of the singers are songwriters who will perform their own music on their CD, and some people don't like that. They are entertainers.

But there is plenty of room for songwriters and "true" artists in the music world. I mean, it's amazing, I can buy Ruben Studdard's CD *AND* a Bob Dylan CD, they are not mutually exclusive events! Only American Idol makes stars the way it does, no other record company can do it, so the majority is still having to go the traditional route, which is almost always through a record exec anyway. In those cases, it's only a handful of Hollywood WASPS deciding whether or not to sell and distribute an artist's CD. How is that better?

People buy what they like to hear, if you disagree with their tastes there's not much you can do about it, nor should you be able to do anything about it, other than making your own art.

And finally, it's just pop music, simple entertainment. Maybe I like the show because in the end, I just love music. I tell you, I didn't expect to like this show, hell, I didn't want to like it. But one day I caught someone's performance as I was flipping through the channels, and my ears told me this is a good thing.

Ugh, another topic that has gotten me all worked up. I'm gonna hit burnout pretty soon with all this serious discussion.

[Blurryeye]

Ugh, I hate the song "All By Myself". Horrible! And they do sing crappy songs like that a lot, but for the ones that pick a good song, it makes it worthwhile.

I guess no one else thinks it's interesting that Simon knows about Plan 9 From Outer Space.

[vanhagar3000]

Let me put it this way:

American Idol sucks ass

[Blurryeye]

Oh, good argument. You really went to a lot of effort there.

[yousonuva]

Did you follow my tip?

Man, this is too much for me, I mean I hate the show and all, but I don't wanna type all this much....*sigh* I'll see what I can do.

It's not evil, I think Forrest was using hyperbole there, as in Coke makes me bounce off the walls (it really doesn't though. hyperbole). But it's nothing good either. It's pretty dumb and arbitrary entertainment to me plain and simple. No real thought goes into it, except a few cut-ups from the femme-brit guy. So it's nothing to be praised in my eyes. But then I hate it and that's the way I see it. If I liked it I would probably think it a little smarter (like when you like someone they seem like gods, but then the feeling passes and they just become regular chunk-heads).

The hook is of course viewer interaction and the idea that even YOU could be up there all frilly-dilly singin other people's music, without any creativity yourself. I happen to write some music and find it's the only way to be able to claim artistry yourself. I mean sure they can sing, but that's just like using an instrument to play other people's creations (ie. Kenny G or Micheal Bolton....ugh).

Oh and I DON'T like Hung. Retard or not, he needs to be flung out of the spotlight if only to teach a lesson to any other twerp who thinks they have something. The guy just freaks me out, like an alien, just messin with us er something.

There. I didn't write too mu-....thanks a lot Blurry.

[Blurryeye]

Most jazz musicians and classical musicians only play other people's music. Ah, but that's all "art" music, isn't it? There are plenty of ways of being musically creative, not just writing music or being part of a band that writes its own music. Some of the finalists play other instruments and do write songs, but their real talents lay in singing, conveying emotion through their voice, connecting with an audience. A few of the finalists every year have that ability to move a lot of people. Obviously not everyone, but of course, no one can do that.

And as for the idea that anyone could be on stage singing, or that YOU the viewer could be doing the same thing, that's what millions of people already think. There are tons of people with no talent who are trying to be "discovered" in Hollywood today.

American Idol offers another outlet for people with stars in their eyes that is easier to access and much more public, so even more delusional people think they actually have a chance to get on the show. If they had any notion of reality, they would hear that their voices are not even close to those of the finalists every year, much less the winners. One reason the auditions bring in a lot of viewers is to mock the delusional, spoiled, misguided kids who think they're going to be big stars. The worst of them sometimes gain a sort of fame like William Hung, and it's weird. But American Idol doesn't make people delusional, it just attracts the ones who already are delusional and lazy to boot.

I don't feel sorry for any of them. Mediocrity should be punished, not coddled or encouraged. I think in the end, AI does punish mediocre singers, and rewards talented entertainers.

Oh, and I did follow your tip, thanks.

[yousonuva]

Yes, they may have 'talent' in singing (which doesn't do anything for me really), but not necessarily 'creative talent' as they just use other's 'creative talents' for themselves....the selfish bastards. And Jazz and Classical can be argued in the same way, but they do more for me than just singers.

If you can tell I'm not a big Celine Dion fan (or many other singers), but if you are, I won't hold it against ya.....much.hehe

Oh, and I did follow your tip, thanks.

only too well. You modified your post after I had read it, making me look like I missed a lot of your points and subsequently making me an ass.......thanks a lot, Blurry. hehe.

Well all I gotta add is that it may not make people delusional, but it certainly strengthens their delusions (even though it's not really they're fault....well a little ...lemme explain out of this bubble) as that is what the show thrives on in the end. It's more a hit for the crashing and burning than thewinning and huggin.
Like this. Sceptics watch it for the ridicule, whil admirers watch it for the chance in a million dream. So it does in a way exploit the delusional. AND THAT"S ALL!...till I reply to your next post.

[Blurryeye]

Well, I do think there's a huge difference between jazz/classical musicians and pop singers, I was just trying to argue your point. There is way more aesthetic art, and of course improvisation in jazz. I am a musician myself, playing jazz and classical saxophone (as a hobby, nowadays). Okay, so you don't like singers all that much. It's no big deal.

I really don't care about American Idol as much as I seem to in this thread, it's just that I don't think it's evil and is entertaining and fun, while at the same time giving talented people who would be overlooked otherwise a huge opportunity to be rewarded. Should they be rewarded as much as they are, with fame and fortune? I don't really know or care, if people want to give them millions of dollars it doesn't really bother me. Who's to say who deserves how much money?

Only one more hour 'til I get to go home and watch Escape 2000! Hmm, maybe I'll leave work earlier today.