Let me re-establish that I do not like reality shows. First of all they are not real. If you want reality, go look at a security camera video for twelve hours. Pretty boring huh? Now if you actually look through that twelve hours of security footage consider yourself lucky if there is more than one minute of anything that would fall under the category of interesting. Reality shows are cheap to produce (although more and more money is now going into other aspects of the production). They also put a lot of actors and writers out of work. If I had to define what a reality show is I’d do it this way.
re·al·i·ty show (oxymoron): A television show featuring people who are supposedly not actors who are manipulated in situations onstage (or in postproduction) supposedly without scripted dialogue.
For the record I do not watch American Idol. Even if I did not have these feelings toward reality shows, this type of talent competition is still not my cup of tea. I was very disturbed when I saw Idol's unholy trio Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson mocking two would-be contestants who by all outward appearances may not have had full use of their mental capacities.
I do not have a problem with an industry professional giving constructive criticism to an aspiring singer. I also do not have a problem with an industry professional giving a reality (no pun intended) check to a reasonable person with a false sense of their own talent. Where I do have a problem is when industry professionals are making fun of two disadvantaged individuals, especially when Simon Cowell told Kenneth Briggs that he looked like a "bush baby", and asked Jonathan Jayne if he borrowed Randy Jackson's trousers.
One would think that with all the millions that FOX is paying Simon he could do better than to open with a fat joke. The New York Times later reported that Jonathan Jayne had said he had appeared in the Special Olympics, an event for the mentally challenged. Simon Cowell told television writers at a news conference, "If you don't want to hear that, don't show up." I'm sorry Mr. Cowell but your statement would only hold water if you were dealing with reasonable people. This is when you and the other American Idol judges lowered yourselves to the level of Howard Stern.
Article comments
1 - Kaonashi
I mentioned this in the last article that talked about this incident: anyone who is trying out for the show should know by now what to expect. If you try out, you are asking for it. Period. The show has been on for 6 years, and the actions of the judges (especially Simon Cowell) are nothing new. If you have watched previous seasons, you'd know this to be true. Simon makes fun of people's clothing, physical appearance, singing, dancing, etc. He made fun of Jennifer Hudson's fashion sense. I'm sure that she's gotten over it. He constantly made fun of Clay Aiken's face. I think he'll live.
Jaynes and Briggs may be mentally handicapped, but they apparently possess enough mental capacity to be able to decide to audition for the show. And if they didn't, then where were their families and friends who could have warned them not to do it? It's not as if these two men woke up one morning and, on a lark, decided to try out without telling anyone.
Furthermore, the producers did not use the footage of these two men to specifically make fun of the mentally disabled. As I mentioned in the other article, the producers view possibly hundreds of hours of footage from the auditions. They look for the odd people: the ones in costume, those who just look different- the ones who stand out somehow. The producers aren't experienced in spotting the mentally handicapped- their goal is to simply find footage that will bring in the highest ratings. Several other people during that same episode were also different looking and promptly made fun of, but they weren't mentally handicapped.
By the way, Simon's joke about Jonathan Jayne borrowing Randy's pants is more of a dig at Randy than at Jonathan.
2 - Jesse
I can think of a lot more offensive garbage on TV and in the media. If you want to work yourself into a state of moral outrage over something, how about blogging about the tabloidy gossip reporters that are increasingly passing off lies and speculation as celebrity news. What the hell is wrong with our media these days? No research or verification is necessary to smear anyone they choose to. Now that really stinks!
Let the singers have their talent show.
3 - Amrita
I guess the Special Olympics committee has a different view.
4 - Katfish
Good column. Imagine how artists like Faith Hill, who work their tails off to be as good as they are, have their efforts made superfluous by this show.
5 - alessandro Nicolo
Arghhhh! If I have to hear one more time about how I have to feel bad for people who earn millions are fatigued I'm going to swallow a can of melatonins. I hear this on on sports shows a lot too now. "Oh they are fatigued that's why they suck..." Wait. I thought these athletes are in far better shape than ever. Eveything they get is first class and they are more pampered than the freaks over at that place where the British "royalty" lives. Blah,blah,blah.
You want fatigued? Go follow a middle class parent who gets up at six, DRIVES THEMSELVES TO WORK to earn 50gs or so, get yelled at, come home and immediately take their kids to whatever activities they are involved in. Not only that, they don't get to sleep in after partying with Hollyowood skanks. They have to get up at 6am to take little Timmy to hockey practice in sub-zero weather. Thankless? You bethca since Timmy has no shot at the big leagues.
I agree with Kaonashi: where are the parents? Some of these people are clearly not all there. Still, the producers and Simon are no better. They are predators in this light.
Yeah well, O'Donnell's political views are just about as nutrional as the rot that's in my garbage. Only stray cats and wild racoon's see value in them.