TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . RESIZER . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
                  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through March 21, 2010

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: American Idol ARCHIVES: American Idol IX: American Idol IX - General Discussions: ARCHIVES: Archive through March 21, 2010 users admin

Author Message
Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 9:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
I thought this was funny...

The Tao of American Idol
(CNN) -- While it's the voters ultimately deciding who will win the title of "American Idol" each season, the judges' input can't be ignored.

Whether it's their early anointing of a favorite, like when Simon Cowell predicted that Carrie Underwood would not only snag the Season Four title but also become one of the most successful winners (she did and she has), or when viewers rallying behind an underdog such as last season's winner Kris Allen, America clearly pays attention to the judges' critiques.

But what are the judges really saying when they toss out some of their favorite phrases? Could it possibly be that new judge Ellen DeGeneres really does think every contestant is "amazing" and really does love each one? Is Simon Cowell attempting to play mind-games when he refers to a performance as "indulgent?"

We try and translate some of DeGeneres', Cowell's, Randy Jackson's and Kara DioGuardi's favorite assessments of the performers.

When Simon says ...

"You didn't do anything different with the song." What he really means is "I am incredibly bored right now. Thank goodness they pay me so much money to sit here and listen to this."

"You are a Broadway singer." What he really means is "At this point, I have absolutely no idea how in the world we would market you if you were to win."

"I didn't love the song, but you sang it very well." What he really means is "That wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated."

When Kara says ...

"You have a great radio voice." What she really means is "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if you won this competition."

"That was authentic. I felt it" What she really means is "You were able to cover that song without sounding like a bad karaoke rip-off."

"Part of the problem is that you haven't figured out who you want to be as an artist yet" What she really means "You haven't been able to take the extremely confusing critiques we have been giving you and synthesize that into giving us exactly what we want."

When Randy says ...

"I don't know. That just didn't work for me." What he really means is "That was awful, and I know you can do better than that."

"Dawg listen, the song was a little bit too big for you." What he really means is "You don't have that great of a voice to even go there."

"Yo, that was dope!" What he really means is "Yo, that was dope!"

When Ellen says ...

"You are adorable" What she really means is "You might want to start thinking about a career in acting instead of music."

"You have such a great personality!' What she really means is "You are cute, but not as adorable as some of the others so let's focus on some of your better attributes, shall we?"

"You know I am a fan of yours ..." What she really means is "I am about to deliver a comment that should be harsh, but because I am so nice I will completely sugar-coat it."

And while Ryan Seacrest isn't a judge, he's got a bit of code speak in him also.

When Ryan says ...

"Do you agree with what the judges just said?" What he really means is "Give us a juicy, biting quote about the judges, Simon in particular, so I can blow it completely out of proportion

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 12:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
LOL!!! The really funny thing? Most of those "translations" seem pretty spot on!! At least they are all how *I've* interpreted what the judges have said!!!

Trini
Member

07-06-2004

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - 10:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Trini a private message Print Post    
Did I miss something?
MY PVR was blank..just said "to be announced" and nothing was taped. Did this happen to Canadian viewers in Vic/Van BC...ch9

Donnagg
Member

08-11-2007

Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 2:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Donnagg a private message Print Post    
I just don't have any interest in anyone this year. I was expecting a kick butt season, it being Simon's last. But I was more interested Tue. in what was happening on Biggest Loser. I think for me it is song choice. They all seem to be picking slower songs, no one is rocking it. I want to shout and get up and dance!LOL

Texasdeb
Member

05-23-2003

Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 5:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texasdeb a private message Print Post    
Any idea what next wks theme is?

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 5:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
I'll put it in spoiler tags since they didn't say it on the show itself.

Spoiler
Click below to view spoiler
Top 11 theme is supposedly "Teen Idols".


Ketchuplover
Member

08-30-2000

Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 9:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ketchuplover a private message Print Post    
Lee will not win. He doesn't have an a in his name.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 11:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I was expecting a kick butt season based on the comments the judges kept saying during Hollywood week: this is the best group of singers ever. Yeah, really? I don't THINK so!

Nyheat
Member

08-09-2006

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 11:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Nyheat a private message Print Post    
I like Ellen on the show, she provides some much-needed comic relief from the Gestapo-like proceedings. I particulary liked the comment she made to Katie the other night--"You should sing Mariachi!" Too funny.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 2:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
If you have HBO, you have to watch the documentary "Afghan Star". It's in on-demand and playing over and over on the HBO channels. It came out last March but I just saw it today.

Now that Afghanistan is no longer controlled by the Taliban and they can watch TV again, they have their own American Idol type of show called "Afghan Star". This documentary follows a few of the finalists. This one poor girl who dared to do a few dance moves during her song actually has death threats and has to live under protection, and now dancing is no longer allowed to be shown on tv over there.

Anyway, it's pretty interesting and I didn't know where else to post about it.

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 7:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
Wow, that is interesting, Naja. Does anybody else remember the year Kelly Clarkson won they had a World Idol competition? It was filmed over Christmas and had Idol contestants from all over the world. Had people phone in from all over the world. Some guy from Iceland (I think) won. I don't think the AI people were too happy about the way it turned out so they never did it again.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 8:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
That World Idol competition was the funniest thing. Kelly was contractually required to be there (over Christmas and New Years) and she wasn't happy about it. I love Kelly but her grumpy expression when they announced vote after vote from various countries and she kept finishing second to that little unknown guy was hilarious.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 8:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
The singer that won deserved it. I've always thought Kelly clarkson went into that comp thinking it was going to be handed to her.

some of the World competitors were Really good. most people i know were watching, we all were surprised there was never another one. I doubt if the fact Kelly never won had a bearing on the decision, because AI franchise is worldwide.

Now if the USA exclusively set it all up and paid for everything, I can see them being upset and not wanting to do it again. I dont know. Never researched the issue.

Kitt
Member

09-06-2000

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 10:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kitt a private message Print Post    
The UK hosted it, and they only did two Pop Idols, both filmed before World Idol, before they morphed the show into the X Factor, and several of the other European Idols only did a few seasons. I don't know why another country didn't host a second season, guess they thought the time had passed. Also Simon was meant to have hated it, so that's probably why the US didn't have one.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Friday, March 19, 2010 - 11:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Apparently the theme I posted above has turned out to be wrong. This is what everyone at the spoiler board is saying the real theme for next week is.

Spoiler
Click below to view spoiler
Billboard #1's


Nyheat
Member

08-09-2006

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 6:58 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Nyheat a private message Print Post    
I think the World Idol winner sang "Beautiful Day" by U2, it was good. The World Idol thing was entertaining, don't know what there is to hate there, it was only a couple of shows.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 7:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
I recall that Simon disliked it because he thought that the singing styles from different countries are so different that it makes it very difficult to compare them in a competition format. He wasn't very happy with the quality of the judging. Plus I think he also thought that some of the competitors were not at the same level and that it was a very uneven competition.

As I said above, I found the show quite amusing. It was fun to see the idol winners from different countries and what made them popular. And I agree that the guy who won was a deserving winner.

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 9:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
I agree Jimmer, the guy who won was really great. I did notice that Kelly didn't seem too happy about it all, though. She gave up her holiday vacation with her family to come in 2nd? Can't blame her for being unhappy.

I think another thing that made the World Idol competition a little uncomfortable was that it pointed out how unpopular America is in some parts of the world. And you're right about the different singing styles. Some of those winners were great, but some of them were kind of "huh?" It is interesting that what is considered great talent in another country is not what we're used to here. Not better or worse, just different. It was interesting and fun to watch.

Kitt
Member

09-06-2000

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 1:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kitt a private message Print Post    
I think Kelly was told by everyone that she was going to win, that's why she seemed so shocked. I remember it feeling a bit awkward. The winner was so clearly deserving I don't think any anti-American voting made much difference, and Kelly did come second after all.

Remember the winners in each country weren't the greatest talent in their country, they were the greatest talent of the people who applied to their Idol. The Idol shows were relatively new in most countries in 2003 and maybe hadn't reached the point where really talented youngsters were applying. And you never know if a sentimental and lesser talented person won because people voted for different reasons - look how far that "Chicken Little" guy got in one of our early idols for example.

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 5:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Babyjaxmom a private message Print Post    
Kitt, I have to respectfully disagree with you on two points:

1) It did seem apparent in some of the voting countries that there was anti-American feeling cause they voted overwhelmingly against Kelly.

2) I do think there's a difference in singing styles between what we're used to and what is common in some other countries. It's the same as the way singing styles here have changed over the years. Look at the singing styles that were popular during the 30's & 40's compared to now. Not better or worse necessarily, just different.

JMHO, of course.

Kitt
Member

09-06-2000

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 6:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kitt a private message Print Post    
Oh I totally agree with you on both points. But even without the anti-Kelly (anti-America) bias I still think Kelly would have come second not first, because the Norway guy's song was just perfectly delivered and perfect for the occasion. And I agree about the styles being different between countries, I'm just saying that we shouldn't assume that any country's Idol is their country's greatest talent, because the Idol vote is based on many things, not just singing.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 6:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
That guy that won was Kurt Nilson. I enjoyed him so much I went and downloaded a few of his group's songs that night he won. At the time he was with a group called Fenrik Lane. My favorite one from his group was "One Day in June". It was on my poolside playlist all that following summer, full volume.

I uploaded a copy of that song to mediafire if anybody wants hear it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?jgxntyj5tzm

Nyheat
Member

08-09-2006

Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 10:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Nyheat a private message Print Post    
I can't remember what Kelly sang, but I do know from travelling abroad that dance/electronica music is WAY more popular in most parts of the world than it is here (a lot like soccer, lol.) Not sure if she sang something bluesy, but that's really more of an American thing. U2 isn't exactly techno, but it's more in that direction than something folksy.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Sunday, March 21, 2010 - 3:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
She sang (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. She was very good but the other guy was good too and I think a lot of people wanted to see the underdog win.

Ketchuplover
Member

08-30-2000

Sunday, March 21, 2010 - 7:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ketchuplover a private message Print Post    
Don't be shocked if Katie wins or makes the finals.