“Fox Defends American Idol Judges: Not Mean Or Cruel”
It’s the six-year-old, waxing obnoxious battle: Is Simon (or are any other of the judges) too cruel to the hopefuls auditioning for a ticket to Hollywood? On Saturday, when asked if he thought the judges were big meanies, Fox television’s network chief Peter Liguori said, “I think it’s part of what makes American Idol American Idol.”
Rosie O’Donnell, no stranger to controversy these days, said Friday on The View, “If you keep serving people crap and telling them it’s a meal, they’re eventually going to think it is a meal.” I’m all for honest opinions and I’m all for good entertainment, but what do you think? Last week, Simon told someone his audition was almost “not human.” When does it go too far? When does the constructive (and entertaining) criticism stop being about someone’s audition and travel into the unsafe territory of attacking a person, and not a “singer?”
Here we are, gearing up for another round of promisingly painful auditions. Certainly, everyone is welcome to his or her opinion when it comes to Simon, Paula, or Randy. (Personally, I find Randy obnoxious, Paula intoxicated, and Simon devastatingly handsome.) Can they be cruel, at times? Yes. “Unusually” cruel? Maybe, but only taking into consideration that these people ask for it. I guess it’s up to Fox to decide how far asking for it will get the judges. What do you think?
January 22nd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
There’s no getting around the fact that Simon is mean. I hate to say, I disagree with Fox to the fullest extent.
January 22nd, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Okay, on one hand, this world is getting waaaay too PC for its own good. These people need to be taken down a notch, to be told the truth. How do so many of these people get through life actually thinking they are GOOD at singing? Because we are afraid nowadays to tell people when they suck at something. “Everyone needs to be free to go after their dreams.” Whatever. That’s a bunch of bull. If you’re no good, you’re no good. Face up to it, and find a new dream.
And Paula is just as guilty as Simon; she likes to play the nice one but once the horrendously shitty singers are out the door, she’s usually just as truthful about them, though not to their faces. You can always tell when she agrees with Simon and is just too chicken shit to say something. Plus, that’s not really her role.
If you are auditioning for something as big as American Idol, you are putting yourself out there for criticism. There’s no way around it. But I will admit, Simon probably overstepped a bit by ripping on the looks of that one kid, telling him he looked like a creature of the jungle or whatever. It is going a bit far when they rip on the PERSON. Especially being that so many people in this world are so unstable … I really feel it’s only a matter of time before one of the rejected contestants goes off the deep end and does something crazy. I hope they have metal detectors at all of the tryout venues …
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:11 am
i think Jen is right.
guys, what do you expect, its television.
would you be watching?…would the show be the highest rating spectacle in tv that it is now if Simon doesnt let out a lot of good honest crap?!
you be the judge.
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:18 am
hi rich,
if you “disagree with fox to the fullest extent”, then STOP WATCHING!!!
jen =)
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 am
You know what the first part of American Idol is the most entertaining to watch. I do believe though they should comment on their singing and not on their outer appearance . Like calling that kid a bush baby and any other of the cruel things that are said to people. It is said in front of millions , imagine high school multiplied by 100 or more. Being known everywhere as the bush baby. I really felt bad for him and that is just one example.
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:57 am
Babylinda, that is exactly the point I was trying to make. I don’t care that people step up and claim that they’re the next American Idol and are lambasted by Simon for their singing, but when he (or others) humiliate people for how they look or who they are, then we’re traveling into some dangerous moral territory. Just wondering where the line is, or if there is one.
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Remember that singers are supposed to be entertainers too, and when you audition for American Idol you are claiming to be not just a singer but someone that the whole of America is supposed to fall in love with. Therefore, Simon telling someone they don’t have the looks to make it is fair and just. This is not the first season, so these people must know what they are letting themselves in for and if they can’t take it they shouldn’t expose themselves to it. We are a superficial nation, who place a lot of importance on looks and style (just look at the fashion industry) so American Idols have to be icons as well as singers. People that the general public aspire to be or who at least respect and will pay good money to go and listen to. And don’t tell me that these hopefuls don’t have mirrors or ears.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:33 am
In general, I don’t think American Idol is “too mean.” While I do think that a few comments are uncalled for (i.e. Simon/monkey comment,) contestants get bent out of shape over the judges simply telling them the truth. If you can’t sing, you can’t sing. If you’re so hyper-sensitive that if people don’t constantly pat you on the head and tell you how wonderful you are you’ll fall apart, then don’t put yourself in vulnerable positions. In other words, if you can’t take the heat, don’t even bother going to the kitchen. American Idol is an audition; auditions are supposed to be tough. It’s a tough world; all of these insecure contestants just need to get over themselves and move on with life.