AMERICAN IDOL (spoilers)

[lost-in-nj]

Whew
Melinda's safe!!! But I would have voted Earth, Wind and Fire off the show.....
Il Divo was just ok, and what the hell was Terri Hatcher wearing???? and who did her make up!!!!!



lost

[Zuiderelle]

1. Gawd this show sucks. Especially with them pretending to be so wonderful.

And Divo SUCKED! :puke:

[bigwillq]

6. Why are you watching then?

:shrug:

[Zuiderelle]

8. Because there was nothing else on, I have since switched to another channel.

:D

[xmas74]

17. It doesn't matter who gets the message out,

just as long as someone is doing it.

I don't watch the show normally but have been tonight because of the theme. There are children dying, there are people living in some nasty conditions and there are schools so underfunded that they can't afford books. (I know this lesson quite well-I went to one of those rural schools that couldn't afford books back in the 80's. We had to sit together, three and four in a group, to look over each other's shoulders.)

Thank goodness someone is bringing this subject up! We have too many people, both here and overseas, who are going without. And we have too many people who think that everything is ok, that they don't need to donate, that those who do without are lazy and irresponsible and trying to milk the government. Shows like this puts a face on those people. Hopefully, it will make them realize that there are so many people out there needing help and that the viewers can help.

This is a subject so close to my heart. There was a time in the 80's that my family needed assistance. If it wasn't for government commodities and local food pantries we would have starved. It wasn't until I was an adult that I understood how close we really were to starving.

If a show like this brings attention to such an important subject, more power to it. I'll support it.

[Mike Daniels]

34. I turned it off after 25 minutes.....

Too much celebrity shuckstering for my taste. Every time I turned it back on it just reminded me why I turned it off the first time.

I'm glad they raised the money they did but the way they went about it was a total bait and switch.

I guess being honest up-front and announcing at the beginning of the show that no-one was going to eliminated wasn't an option because it would have resulted in a ton of people turning off the show and watching something else for the evening.

[lost-in-nj]

2. OK I'm crying now

Carrie Underwood was awesome....


lost

[johnnie]

3. I think it's really cool that they are doing this

It is so heartbreaking seeing these children in Africa and right here in America who have little to eat.

[lost-in-nj]

4. I donated....

I had to, I just had to.......
I have it to give..... and I love to help.....



:cry: :pals:

[sandnsea]

5. This one is just killing me

I hope it gets lots of response. I'm sending a check. A school in this country with no books. Save the Children - in THIS country. WTF. And the Africa segments. We better wake up or we're going to have poverty like that in very short order. This is just ripping my guts out.

[lost-in-nj]

7. sandnsea

:hug:

Wake up... that should have been the title of this show.......

good call....

lost
Josh Groban and the kids were awesome
oh my god the baby just died......
not sure if I am going to make it to 10




:cry:

[Zuiderelle]

9. I think it's great that they are doing this

But it's so obviously pandering for ratings that it makes me sick.

[sandnsea]

11. Shut Up

This was announced at the beginning of the year. They have absolutely no need to pander for ratings. Just shut the fuck up. You make me puke.

[Zuiderelle]

12. LOL

Nice. :rofl:

[sandnsea]

16. ignore

You're a pathetic being, not human being, just being. It's time we let people like you know that your cynicism is NOT cute or funny or witty or sophisticated.

It's just putrid.

Bye.

[MonkeyFunk]

19. LOL

very funny satire.

Oh wait, you were serious? That is, bar none, the greatest overreaction to a post in DU history.

[sandnsea]

20. SICK of the cynicism

I do not know why people have to come into threads and shit all over them just to prove how smooth and urbane they are. Well they're not - they're just fucking rude and it appears nobody has ever bothered to tell them, or at least not told them in cold hard language they'll understand.

Oh, and did I go fuck with his idiocy up in the first post??? NO. I left him alone with his shitty little attitude. I didn't say a damn word until he decided he was going to fuck with me.

[MonkeyFunk]

22. wow...

you broke your previous record! :thumbsup:

[sandnsea]

52. And you broke his

So how proud does that make you feel?

[Zuiderelle]

21. Pathetic and putrid because I think this show panders?

Why do you think I was trying to be cute or cynical? I think they are pandering. That's all.

[Chico Man]

30. So you'd rather them not raise the millions for the poor?

What would you rather watch?

[Zuiderelle]

33. I'd rather they do it with less self-promotion.

They had people watching the show who never would, like me, last night because of what they were doing. Then I had an opinion about what I saw/heard, which was dreadful, so I posted about it here. And the rest is history.

It's telling that because this show was for a charitable cause, it was suddenly off-limits to criticize the show itself. It's great that someone will benefit from last night's show. But the "music" I heard last night sucked, and I got suckered into watching part of it.

[Chico Man]

36. I'd rather it be drum and bass mixed with flatpicking country guitar

Some disco tech house, and the grand finally could be some shred death metal..

The great thing about this show is that it is a singing competition, open to anyone, and the talent just gets better and better every year.

There are only so many ways to sing, and you have to admit these are some talented folks up there, being subject to quite the grind.. I would never be able to handle the pressure that these folks are managing right now.. normal everyday folks like you and I, with a chance at making the big time, in front of millions of people week after week..

It's the only show on television that you are going to find and feel that kind of raw emotion, and the brilliant use of such a rarely mastered instrument these days - the human voice.

I'm all for independent, non commercial, non-mainstream artistry, but this show serves a purpose.. it is not going to fit the tastes of everyone out there, particularly those hell bent against anything commercial.. but here we have people showcasing the power of the human voice and the human spirit - this is why American Idol is so successful, and this is why it will only continue to become more and more popular.

One you experience that one performance that hits you, you'll be hooked for life. These are real people, who just a few months ago were flipping burgers or hanging on on the street corner.

[Zuiderelle]

38. It serves a purpose for some.

From my perspective, it cheapens singing. It cheapens music. Catering to the mainstream, like Walmart, cheapens everything and suffocates true art. Then, that's just my opinion.

[Chico Man]

39. If I were a true artist with my voice

I would die for the opportunity to sing in front of millions. What would be the value of singing songs in my basement in front of no-one? Many singers know they wouldn't succeed on American Idol because they know deep down inside they cannot sing!

If you watch the early shows each season, you see plenty of non-main-stream contestants - trust me. And when put to the ultimate test.. - impress me with your voice in 60 seconds - often times they fail miserably.

The challenge brought on by American Idol is what separates the true talent from the wanna-bes. As far as I'm concerned, the "Wal-Mart" class singers are those that have no chance to impress with their voice alone- either the audience has to be drunk or drugged, they need a band or special effects to mask the true voice, or they are not really singing to "sing".

It really comes down to that - put someone in a pressure cooker and see if they can still pull off a song in 60 seconds. If they can do it beautifully, and with conviction - then they are a true artist.

[Zuiderelle]

40. A true artist would want to make or interpret true art.

I do not think a true artist would allow him/herself to be manipulated the way these kids are manipulated. I do not think a true artist has fame as his/her overriding goal. I do not think that American Idol is the path for a true artist, and I think it's become very clear, based on their winners. I'm sure there have been true artists audition for and appear on the show, thinking that it could be an avenue to success. But, somehow, those kids don't make it to the winners-circle. The ones who do are watered down copycatters.

I also don't agree with you that there is some sort of pressure cooker litmus test for a true artist. That test is only testing the person's fortitude, not their talent.

[Chico Man]

41. I think we need to agree to disagree on this

But I have a feeling you really havn't given this show a chance or you are just going to fight the urge to appreciate it for what it is.

Personally, I think it is the most incredible thing I've ever seen television achieve.

You keep forgetting that this is a singing competition, and people are going to get votes in the end for their ability to use that instrument in a compelling way. They choose the song, they choose the arrangement, they sing the song.

The choreographed side shows are kind of ridiculous, I'd have to admit.

Do you think the Grammy's and Oscar's also reward watered down copycatters? Where is this true talent hiding anyways?

I'd be interested in learning more about the singers you find to be so under appreciated. I'm made my way around the music world and there still are quite a few Milli Vanilli's out there if you get what I mean.

[Zuiderelle]

42. I've already said that it serves a purpose for some, and I haven't tried

to convince you to not like the show. We disagree on the "accomplishments" of the show, and I agree with you that we need to just agree to disagree at this point.

I'm glad you think it's the most incredible thing you've seen television achieve. But the grandiosity of that statement when applied to American Idol makes me chuckle. Or guffaw actually.

[Chico Man]

43. Well before American Idol it was a toss-up between Southpark and Survivor

Beavis and Butthead was pretty influential too. And did a heckavalot for the poor.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

28. Sanjaya - is that you?

:hi:

[bettyellen]

10. highschools in NYC have no textbooks, true....

[sandnsea]

14. This was an elementary school

The whole school, except 5 kids, were on free or reduced lunches. And they didn't have enough books for the kids to read.

Our high school doesn't use text books for all their classes, it's hands on. I never could figure out if it was a real choice or making the best with what they had.

It's just so heartbreaking.

[charlie and algernon]

13. elvis is alive!

[Maddy McCall]

15. Puke. Elvis and Celine Dion.

:eyes:

[njdemocrat106]

18. I enjoyed Elvis and Celine

Granted, I'm no Celine fan, but I thought the performance and production was well done, and just for a few minutes I thought Elvis was really there in the flesh (cheezy as it sounds).

[MissMillie]

23. She sang w/ Elvis because she's such a stage hog

that no one living will sing w/ her anymore.

[Chico Man]

31. Personally I thought that was pretty incredible

But I guess you need an open mind to enjoy American Idol :think:

[MissMillie]

24. could someone please pm me and tell me who got voted off?

the phone rang and I missed it.

[MonkeyFunk]

25. Nobody did

that was the "shocking" surprise. Everybody gets to come back next week, where they'll combine the votes from this week and next week and eliminate the bottom two.

[MissMillie]

26. all in the name of "charity" I guess

:shrug:

[MonkeyFunk]

27. yeah

they said it was in keeping with the spirit of the night.

[undeterred]

47. Well, I think it would have been the ultimate humiliation

to have to sing your swan song in front of the largest audience they'd ever had. When it looked like it was going to be Jordin I was feeling kind of bad for her. I think what they did was a good idea.

[MonkeyFunk]

48. yeah

I sorta hope they told the kids what was gonna happen. Otherwise, it was pretty cruel to Jordin.

[undeterred]

49. If they had told the audience earlier

people might not have watched the show. I don't know if they mind torturing the contestants a little.

[Chico Man]

50. I think the contestants knew

I think Jordin is a hell-of-an actress.. and I think she's the best singer.. I really hope she wins.

[Mike Daniels]

53. You're probably right on the contestants knowing

It's one thing to subject someone to waiting about 55 minutes to find out if they're going home. It's another thing to make them sit through 2 hours of hell and then not eliminate any of them w/out prior knowledge.

Still pretty cruel to make the audience sit through what was about 80% crap though. The message needed to be heard but it could have been done within the standard one hour show.

[Chico Man]

29. If you are still an American Idol nay-sayer after the past two nights

You need to get you head out of your you-know what.

That was an incredible production, and I highly respect Simon Cowel for the awareness he is bringing with the popularity of this show. I think this may turn out the be the biggest fund raiser for the underprivileged of this world in the history of man kind.

Kudos to American Idol, Simon Cowell, and the rest of the crew, as well as the remaining six contestants. That was an incredible production, and I'm sure the millions raised will make a difference.

[undeterred]

32. There are lots of American Idol bashing threads

here at Democratic Underground= not just bashing the show, but bashing the people who watch it, like us. I'm sure they won't know what went on last night.

Its funny how people can be so "high minded" about things like racism, sexism, and homophobia, but then turn into total bigots against anyone who watches a certain television show, eats at a certain restaurant, or shops at a certain store.

[Little Wing]

35. American Idol finally pulled a redeeming value out of its ass

Well good for them, it's about time they stopped peddling total garbage and did something useful.

[Chico Man]

37. I'm not sure how these contestants are peddling total garbage

It's not like American Idol hired them.. they have gone through the music industry machine of all machines.. the only thing that bas brought them to this point is their voice, and courage, and for that I commend them, respect them, and enjoy their performance week after week.

I think discovering raw talent, giving it the ability to blossom, and giving the chance for these contestants to speak to the world.. resulting is grammys, oscars, #1 albums, and the like.. has been pretty darn useful, and has made the lives of countless (and often times poor) people much, much better.

[undeterred]

44. And what redeeming value have you pulled out of your ass lately?

[Little Wing]

45. I haven't tried to pass off talentless asswipes as actually talented people

for one :hi:

[undeterred]

46. That doesn't count as actually doing something.

And there are actually talented people on that show.

[Chico Man]

51. The talent speaks for itself..

Those people can really sing.. if you don't think they can sing, you need your ears checked.

Anyone can audition, anyone can win.

[xmas74]

54. Thank you!

I could care less what someone watches, where they eat or where they shop.

We watch Survivor and Amazing Race (and when my daughter is in bed I've been tuning in to watch Charm School-what a wreck!), we sometimes eat at chain restaurants(that's what you tend to find in a college town-lots of chains and not very many locally-owned) and we do shop at Walmart-often. (Small town and the choice is either get it at the only local store that stocks it-Walmart-or waste my gas and drive nearly 40 minutes to the next "chain" store-KMart or Target. Sucks to shop at Walmart but I save gas and that's where my prescription plan is.)

I've been insulted for every bit of it. Sorry I'm not progressive enough to turn down shows like Idol, considering it's about the only family-oriented program on at that time. Sorry I'm not cultured enough to eat at an ethnic restaurant-we do but not that often, especially if my daughter brings a friend. And sorry that I refuse to waste a ton of gas and stick to a business in my town.