Tonight, I was putting Jack to bed. When I got back in the den, Jon had turned on American Idol.
Truth be told, I like American Idol OK once they get to Hollywood but even still don't watch it too much. But I have never felt comfortable with the audition portion of the "competition". I thought it was just kind of mean. That said, people are adults and if they want to look ridiculous on tv, well, that's their choice.
So, back to tonight. When I walked into the room, they had someone called "Douglas" singing (my happy karaoke tune) "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. They first interviewed him where he said that his father "hates him". This poor person very CLEARLY was mentally unstable. He was walking around in circles and singing off key while Paula, Randy and Simon just sat there and told him he was a bad singer.
I nearly cried. This poor person had Asbergers or some other disorder and it was like the cool kids in school making fun of the poor mentally challenged kid by making him do stupid "tricks" for their amusement.
Now, I know that some producer chooses the best and the worst for the three of them to see. But, that segment should have NEVER been allowed to air.
For a show that claims to be a "family" show, what lessons are we teaching our children? It's OK to laugh at people who are different?
Shame on you, American Idol. Someone there should have had more compassion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
A parent and I were talking about this today. I think there are too many kids watching this show for them to be exploiting so many people.The kids want to see singing and maybe 'some' craziness, but I think we need to send them (Idol) a message about their choices. Who wants to see all that cr*p except the people that watch Jerry Springer?
I did last night. You can write them at askfox@fox.com
I disagree, actually.
Sure, there are much better things to be watching (and I usually do...or I find myself in front of a video game or on a computer), but it's good to see some shows don't give into the whole "everyone is special and unique and we should praise them for everything" genre. That's a setup for failure (and probally how he got into this situation to begin with).
Maybe he should wake up to reality and realise that, yea, he can't sing. It sucks that you may or may not have a mental disorder, (and I'm not talking out of my butt because I have one too and I went thru depression too for that matter), but I'm smart enough to know that if I go on American Idol, singing the way I sing, I'm not going to be accepted within the elite. I have heard enough of Simon to know that he won't take pity on me...which he shouldn't. It's his record company, after all. He's the one who's gotta pay for his decisions on who becomes the "next American Idol".
I can accept that God/Allah/Mysterious Single-Celled Organism/Some Elephant/Great Cthulhu gave me the talents he/she/it did. Maybe he should try to do the same and learn to do well with the things he does well right now. Like, you know, spout teenage angst.
It was his ultimate choice that he go into the convention center or hotel that they hold the things in and sing his heart out. He should have known the consequnces of his action should they not like his singing.
At least he tried to do this. That shows some commendability. So, instead of taking what had happened to him that day and doing what he probally does and go on Livejournal or his myspace and whine and cry about his loss, he should try to do something one should normally do when they are put down : prove the naysayers wrong. After living my life with that goal, I find that my life has much more meaning.
As for the kids, it's a simple as switching off a TV to help get rid of that fear of them picking fun of someone who's different. Watch what your children are watching.
Post a Comment