American Idol...alas

[Dale]

Bo's an Undisputed Homeboy. Helena is about 20 minutes down the road from C&F HQ.

Dale

[Jack]

I have never watched that show. I think it is bad on so many levels.

[FJohnSharp]

Natch, John, like Elvis and his guitar that he rarely played. But dontcha think it looks silly?

Well, yeah. It was cool once. But week after week it got old.

[emmline]

I have never watched that show. I think it is bad on so many levels.

Unquestionably. But it is also good on the other levels.

[Jack]

I have never watched that show. I think it is bad on so many levels.

Unquestionably. But it is also good on the other levels.

How is it good (I'm serious, I don't actually see how it is good for anybody)?

[The Weekenders]

I have never watched that show. I think it is bad on so many levels.

Well, Cran, I felt the same way until I actually watched it. But like I said, having a TiVo style of viewing helped to avoid the fluff. I ended up likin' it. Maybe if you can get a tape or something you could try it that way.

And as for your second post, I think I explained how it is good. It develops and attracts really good singers and gives them the chance to realize their abilities with a very good backup band. It certainly answers the question that many musicians ask themselves: how good am I really and what if I had a shot at the big-time?

You talk about religious belief a lot these days. A core belief among many is that God wants you to use the talents He gave you because you end up expressing his creative genius in the world by enriching it. I feel that its a matter of duty to use my talents and I am fascinated to watch these young people do the same and actually get somewhere with it. I think it would be great to get Bo out of the guitar store and onto a stage. His voice is too good to leave unused.

My strongest objection, prior to becoming a viewer, was the critical judging. But the point really is that in any kind of career, there will always be detractors, envious spoilers, as well as helpful constructive critics. The panel does a little of all of it. So what? If you can't take that heat, you will never succeed in the arts, because it's so damn hard.

I think its easy to think that the show is ONLY about fame. That's true to a point. But it's also about singing talent and developing it..

[Jack]

But I'm talented at so many things. How ever could God expect me to do it all?

I understand what you're saying. I also don't like most reality TV (although I used to watch Real World), so I think it may be more the genre than the actual show. Curiously, I don't mind watching younger kids sing and perform, but I guess it's the competitiveness (did I spell that right?) or something I don't really take to.

[Cees]

Chris, are you serious??? You really had dinner with Clay Aiken??? How did this come about???

I'm very interested to hear this whole story. Details, please!

I got hooked on AI after the first season. My sister went on about it so much that I decided to see what all the fuss was about, and have watched it ever since. I loved Season 2 when it was the big Clay/Reuben battle. I voted for Reuben, which I now think was a mistake, since I don't at all care for his R & B type-CD that he put out. I used to love his voice but now I think Clay should've won. Clay was a teacher that loved working with kids who when he showed up to audition, REALLY looked like a nerd--the hair, clothes, etc. The judges loved his voice so much that they put him through and he ended up growing and improving so much that it was a VERY close competition and he almost won...I think less than 1% separated him and Reuben at the final vote. But I actually think that Clay is now a lot more successful than Reuben--he's sold lots more albums. I love his CD and think he's got a great voice, and he seems like a really nice guy who hasn't let all this fame and fortune go to his head.

I agree with all you've said, Weeks--I liked Carrie from the beginning but at the end voted for Bo because, as you've said, his is a more unique voice that stays with you. I am kind of glad he didn't win, though, because I've heard that instead of the more standard 10% cut of album sales that most record companies get, AI producers take 50% of their winner's profits. That is a LOT. So hopefully Bo will get a better deal.

In spite of the show's flaws, I think it is a really good thing because ordinary people get the chance to really show their talents and it's amazing what can happen. I love Anthony, Anwar, Constantine, and Vonzell and hope they all get their chance at success from this.

[BillChin]

American Idol is one of the few TV shows that I watch. It is positive on so many levels:
* It breaks the old-boy-network that has ruled the music industry ad nauseum.
* Many families watch the show together. What is the last time grandparents and kids, pre-AI, listened to the same music CD or same radio station?
* It brings many classic songs to the attention of kids. I was not raised with music at home and many of the old songs were introduced to me by the show.
* The contestants are mostly wide-eyed innocents that would have zero chance in the dog-eat-dog world of recording studios.
* It is LIVE music, one chance, one take, all or nothing. So much of radio, and commercial CD releases consist of overcooked, overedited, spliced together heartless music that it is refreshing to hear a song done in one take.

+ The concept is the American ideal, that with hard work, talent, luck, and being able to perform under pressure, a young person can go from no chance to being a star.

[BrassBlower]

Bo's an Undisputed Homeboy. Helena is about 20 minutes down the road from C&F HQ.

Dale

Likewise Carrie's a not-so-Undisputed Homegirl. Checotah is about 70 miles down the road from the Beeb Crib!

[cowtime]

I agree with much of what Weeks has previously posted.

I was pulling for Bo since the beginning and am amazed that he almost won the thing. He is not the typical AI contestant, has some originality and did not sing the usual fluff or R&B. His acapella singing last week was as impressive as any I've heard anywhere.
He and Anwar were among the very few that rarely sang an off note.

Carrie, I assumed would win. She fits the mold. Not the best voice or showmanship, but she fits. I usually would end up plugging my ears about half way through anything she sang because she was usually way off key on enough notes to make it painful. Her rendition of Sean Hannity's theme song ? really She should have just came out and waved an American flag with we support our troops plastered all over.

I enjoy the show by taping it too. That way I can listen to the singers and bypass the rest. It is good to see that folks who have a gift can get the chance to see just what they can do. Some will continue to grow and develop, others seem to just stay the same. I guess that's what seperates the great ones from the ones who are good singers.

I think Bo has the potential and originality to perhaps do it. I think Carrie will be forgotten quickly.

[The Weekenders]

I am kind of glad he didn't win, though, because I've heard that instead of the more standard 10% cut of album sales that most record companies get, AI producers take 50% of their winner's profits.

Wow, I didn't know that. Is it just for the one album or a continuing contract? Man. I feel that Bo got enough exposure that someone will record him for sure. If nothing else, you now know the newest member of Lynrd Skynrd 2005!

Oh yeah, and maybe I didn't express enough admiration for Anwar. I really felt that he is a complete musician. His voice was a bit too much like Stevie Wonder in a way, which dampened the sense of uniqueness. I rooted for him a lot, but as I said earlier, felt that he kind of peaked too early. I hope his life improves too.

There are times that I feel that I would sell my soul to Ol Scratch to have a great singing voice. But not really....

[Jack]

I have a question about this thread.

Why did my "Clay Aiken is a homosexual" reply get deleted? I didn't say anything obscene, you know.

Sure, it was conjecture but we do that to other celebrities, politicians (especially politicians), and public figures all the time on this forum. It's part of being in the public eye--you get talked about.

I said I believed from various things that Clay Aiken was a homosexual.

That is no different than if I said that I believed Hillary Clinton was going to run for President.

Is Clay Aiken holy or some how different?

I would like to know. Thanks so much!

[emmline]

I understand your point Cran, and I didn't see the post, but I assume it might have gone over better if you had "wondered" whether Clay was homosexual rather than stating it. Unless Clay himself makes a public statement about which direction his current flows, then for you to make an unequivocal statement could be construed (because you and I both know that many people foolishly attach stigma to sexual orientation,) as unfair labeling.

[BillChin]

I am kind of glad he didn't win, though, because I've heard that instead of the more standard 10% cut of album sales that most record companies get, AI producers take 50% of their winner's profits.

Wow, I didn't know that. Is it just for the one album or a continuing contract? Man. I feel that Bo got enough exposure that someone will record him for sure. If nothing else, you now know the newest member of Lynrd Skynrd 2005!

Oh yeah, and maybe I didn't express enough admiration for Anwar. I really felt that he is a complete musician. His voice was a bit too much like Stevie Wonder in a way, which dampened the sense of uniqueness. I rooted for him a lot, but as I said earlier, felt that he kind of peaked too early. I hope his life improves too.

There are times that I feel that I would sell my soul to Ol Scratch to have a great singing voice. But not really....

I came with up this long article about the contract:
http://salon.com/ent/feature/2002/09/18 ... index.html

Bottom line that there are several extremely restrictive clauses, but the main objections are about merchandising rights, life story usage, and certain mandatory appearanace, not percentages. There is also a $5 million penalty for talking about terms of the contract.

The conjecture posted above about percentage profits from albums may be true for a seasoned artist. An established name can negotiate a much higher percentage of revenues or proftis but most firsttimers probably get the same or less percentage so it is an apples and oranges comparison.

I believe their career down the line, depends on their own songwriting talent. After a year or three or five all the plum songs go to someone else, and the contestants will be left to their own devices. It will also be interesting to see how many Idol winners self-destruct or unravel as they become historical footnotes. I would wager that it will be a lower percentage than non-Idol wunderkind stars.