idol notes...
I know most of this is old news, but I've been otherwise occupied, and until these audition episodes bite the dust, if you've read me for awhile, you know I just can't muster up a whole lot of enthusiasm until we get to Hollywood.
Nonetheless, there is Idol news in the, well, news.
Kelly Clarkson has apparently decided it's not worth the effort in light of the verbal reprimand she received from Simon Cowell over not clearing her music to be performed by the Kelly wannabes.
Producers had criticized the fact that Kelly, the first and most successful of the show's winners, had refused to allow her songs to be butchered, uhh, performed by this season's contestants, but did question if Kelly even knew about the permission refusal. Then, of course, Simon issued a verbal wrist slap, suggesting that Clarkson was "forgetting who put her" where she is today.
While, of course, Kelly can't ignore the fact that American Idol opened large gates of opportunity for her, why does the show, in the body of Simon Cowell, expect her to forever bow in gratitude toward it? She has proven herself a formidable entertainer without benefit of American Idol over the past several years. She has earned, on her own, the respect of the industry. If she doesn't want her songs destroyed, it's her right. This idea that Kelly (and by extension, the others) must spend the entirety of what careers they may generate as a result of their Idol appearances, bowing to the wishes of Fuller & Company is absurd.
Besides, what contestant in her right mind, would actually want to attempt Breakaway? Regardless of the quality of the performance, it will immediately bring comparisons to the first Idol, and it's likely very few of them would measure up.
And the show itself is being taken to task by GLAAD, angered over perceived homophobic remarks during first two audition episodes. You may recall that at one point Simon suggested a young man shave his beard and wear a dress. And, of course, there was the case of Zachary, about whom Randy bluntly questioned his gender.
In past seasons, Simon has been criticized about his snarkiness regarding women and weight. Can we expect this to be the season of gay jabs, as opposed to fat ones?
American Idol in syndication? Looks like. And apparently it's going to be called American Idol Rewind, beginning next fall.
And it seems that Corey Clark simply will not fade back into the woodwork. Journalists are questioning why Paula Abdul suddenly (conveniently?) was stricken with an eye infection between her appearance on the Tonight Show and a scheduled press conference with all three judges.
Please. Will somebody please just put Corey Clark out of my misery?
Tuesday night: Greensboro Auditions.
Nonetheless, there is Idol news in the, well, news.
Kelly Clarkson has apparently decided it's not worth the effort in light of the verbal reprimand she received from Simon Cowell over not clearing her music to be performed by the Kelly wannabes.
Producers had criticized the fact that Kelly, the first and most successful of the show's winners, had refused to allow her songs to be butchered, uhh, performed by this season's contestants, but did question if Kelly even knew about the permission refusal. Then, of course, Simon issued a verbal wrist slap, suggesting that Clarkson was "forgetting who put her" where she is today.
While, of course, Kelly can't ignore the fact that American Idol opened large gates of opportunity for her, why does the show, in the body of Simon Cowell, expect her to forever bow in gratitude toward it? She has proven herself a formidable entertainer without benefit of American Idol over the past several years. She has earned, on her own, the respect of the industry. If she doesn't want her songs destroyed, it's her right. This idea that Kelly (and by extension, the others) must spend the entirety of what careers they may generate as a result of their Idol appearances, bowing to the wishes of Fuller & Company is absurd.
Besides, what contestant in her right mind, would actually want to attempt Breakaway? Regardless of the quality of the performance, it will immediately bring comparisons to the first Idol, and it's likely very few of them would measure up.
And the show itself is being taken to task by GLAAD, angered over perceived homophobic remarks during first two audition episodes. You may recall that at one point Simon suggested a young man shave his beard and wear a dress. And, of course, there was the case of Zachary, about whom Randy bluntly questioned his gender.
In past seasons, Simon has been criticized about his snarkiness regarding women and weight. Can we expect this to be the season of gay jabs, as opposed to fat ones?
American Idol in syndication? Looks like. And apparently it's going to be called American Idol Rewind, beginning next fall.
And it seems that Corey Clark simply will not fade back into the woodwork. Journalists are questioning why Paula Abdul suddenly (conveniently?) was stricken with an eye infection between her appearance on the Tonight Show and a scheduled press conference with all three judges.
Please. Will somebody please just put Corey Clark out of my misery?
Tuesday night: Greensboro Auditions.
posted by jennifer at 7:53:00 AM
4 Comments:
I think the GLAAD people need to get a life.
Look at the whole process from Simon's point of view. He's a record executive. His sole concern is selling a product. He doesn't care who he is selling or even what the product is. All he wants to do is move records and get people to download .mp3s.
What Simon also knows is that mainstream folks are going to be the ones buying records and downloading those .mp3s and that most people are a little freaked out by gender-ambiguious boys who look like girls. Let's face it, if you're Zachary and you've gone through life enduring people questioning your sexuality, why would you expect otherwise from American Idol and Fox?
It might be different if Zachary had any talent to begin with, but he was clearly bad, and if other people have to put up with ridicule, why not him, too? It seems to me that American Idol has become an equal-opportunity exploiter, rather than singling out the gender-benders.
Personally, if anybody tries to make a mountain out of the Zachary molehill, I'll throw a fit. The kid walked in there in women's clothing, with a very feminine hairstyle and voice, and Randy asked a simple question. I was surprised when he said his name was Zachary too, so it's the same question I was asking myself.
So I saw no overt homophobia in that instance.
I think most of the hoopla is about Simon's remark to the skinny kid about making a living as a drag queen. And as somebody who's getting sick of the double-standard when it comes to weight issues and gender, I'm going to hold my own opinion until and unless I see a pattern of behavior like I've seen in past seasons.
But most importantly, it's a damn television show. And sometimes people need to just remember that.
I think it would be bad for a contestant to attempt a Kelly clarkson song.. I love her songs but they are killers to sing. Yet, I still found it shocking that she didn't give permission (is it was indeed her call)
Anyway, glad you're idoling along this year!
Luv ya,
Promise
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