Comments on: Idolatry http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:43:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jersey Exile http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-341648 Jersey Exile Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:00:13 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-341648 Mumblix, That's only the first portion of the show, where the point is to showcase as many deluded wannabes as possible. Personally I can only take so much of it, as after a while it becomes painful and a little depressing to watch, but the American appetite for Schadenfreude is bottomless it seems. The real meat of the show however is when the pack is winnowed to 24 genuine potentials, and I must admit that American Idol is proving to be better than anyone had imagined at finding and developing real talent. In an era where we must not allow our children to compete for fear of criticism and failure, American Idol says it's okay for someone to tell you that you do in fact suck, and I think that's no small part of its attraction. There has also been a huge musical benefit insofar as the show has re-introduced the American songbook to a generation of people who wouldn't otherwise have known Frank and Ella from Justin and Britney. To the producers' credit, they force the competitors to dig pretty deep into the catalog of American vocal performance as the weeks go on, and we're all a little richer culturally as a result. Mumblix,

That’s only the first portion of the show, where the point is to showcase as many deluded wannabes as possible. Personally I can only take so much of it, as after a while it becomes painful and a little depressing to watch, but the American appetite for Schadenfreude is bottomless it seems.

The real meat of the show however is when the pack is winnowed to 24 genuine potentials, and I must admit that American Idol is proving to be better than anyone had imagined at finding and developing real talent. In an era where we must not allow our children to compete for fear of criticism and failure, American Idol says it’s okay for someone to tell you that you do in fact suck, and I think that’s no small part of its attraction.

There has also been a huge musical benefit insofar as the show has re-introduced the American songbook to a generation of people who wouldn’t otherwise have known Frank and Ella from Justin and Britney. To the producers’ credit, they force the competitors to dig pretty deep into the catalog of American vocal performance as the weeks go on, and we’re all a little richer culturally as a result.

]]> By: Jimmy http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-340558 Jimmy Wed, 21 Feb 2007 14:20:58 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-340558 You know this show is like must-see TV, if that phrase can be used, for nearly everyone in my workplace -- and this office contain more than 200 employees. My co-workers are literally shocked that I've seen maybe halff dozen episodes of this show in all the years it's been on television. What I find so annoying is how the other networks nearly refuse to complete against Idol. They either air repeats of other shows or put something no one was watching to begin with on opposite Idol. What's wrong with network execs these days; have they never heard of counter-programming? Nielsen estimates there are 100+ million television households, Idol gets one-third of that audience. Why aren't the networks trying to woo the other 67% percent? You know this show is like must-see TV, if that phrase can be used, for nearly everyone in my workplace — and this office contain more than 200 employees. My co-workers are literally shocked that I’ve seen maybe halff dozen episodes of this show in all the years it’s been on television. What I find so annoying is how the other networks nearly refuse to complete against Idol. They either air repeats of other shows or put something no one was watching to begin with on opposite Idol. What’s wrong with network execs these days; have they never heard of counter-programming? Nielsen estimates there are 100+ million television households, Idol gets one-third of that audience. Why aren’t the networks trying to woo the other 67% percent?

]]> By: Mike G http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339914 Mike G Wed, 21 Feb 2007 04:59:26 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339914 I loved it when it was called The Gong Show. I loved it when it was called The Gong Show.

]]> By: Rob F http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339865 Rob F Wed, 21 Feb 2007 04:40:05 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339865 what don't you get? its format is simple....not overdone its about real people it is interactive it is about music it is funny it is great family/office entertainment it will live forever US$100 bucks says it is still here in 2010....just maybe not on TV... what don’t you get?
its format is simple….not overdone
its about real people
it is interactive
it is about music
it is funny
it is great family/office entertainment
it will live forever
US$100 bucks says it is still here in 2010….just maybe not on TV…

]]> By: Mike G http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339770 Mike G Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:14:32 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339770 And I think it's this year's "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire," which means, they're busy overdoing it and in a year or two it'll be gone. And I think it’s this year’s “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire,” which means, they’re busy overdoing it and in a year or two it’ll be gone.

]]> By: Mumblix Grumph http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339747 Mumblix Grumph Wed, 21 Feb 2007 02:45:02 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339747 Would somebody PLEASE explain to me the appeal of this show? Act 1: Bad singer. Act 2. REALLY bad singer. Act 3. Passable singer. Act 4. Paula Abdul mumbles something incoherent. Act 5. Simon Whatsisname gets snarky. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. I was the emergency room at the hospital last week and a family was being told that their mother needed to see a neurosurgeon, and one of the guys couldn't pull his eyes of the damn TV in the waiting room. Slouching towards Gomorrah. Would somebody PLEASE explain to me the appeal of this show?
Act 1: Bad singer.
Act 2. REALLY bad singer.
Act 3. Passable singer.
Act 4. Paula Abdul mumbles something incoherent.
Act 5. Simon Whatsisname gets snarky.
Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

I was the emergency room at the hospital last week and a family was being told that their mother needed to see a neurosurgeon, and one of the guys couldn’t pull his eyes of the damn TV in the waiting room.

Slouching towards Gomorrah.

]]> By: Tom W. http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339724 Tom W. Wed, 21 Feb 2007 02:20:30 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2007/02/20/idolatry/#comment-339724 Zucker's an idiot - TV's not even TV anymore. What's he smoking? Jeff - you might enjoy www.newcritics.com - picks up on your idea about why we may not need regular/official critics anymore... Zucker’s an idiot – TV’s not even TV anymore. What’s he smoking?

Jeff – you might enjoy http://www.newcritics.com – picks up on your idea about why we may not need regular/official critics anymore…

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