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Other Topics => Television => Topic started by: Scott on March 09, 2007, 12:07:00 AM



Title: American Idol
Post by: Scott on March 09, 2007, 12:07:00 AM
Been hearing that the group this year weren't as good as previous years, but after I watched it tonight with my wife I have to dissagree. They were very good. Possibly better than previous years in my opinion. They also have changed the format which makes the whole thing more interesting with showcasing the group of competitiors at the beginning for comparisons. Also you have the elimination and advancement process were America voted and the contestants are brought to center stage for what feels like a public execution. Then they have the ones that have to leave the show sing one last time. The whole show captured my interest for the finale of this season, so I guess I'll be watching the rest till the next American Idol is chosen.

 :thumbup: :thumbup: Giving tonights show two thumbs up.

(http://www.tvinfo.se/img/shows/american-idol-2005_1903.jpg)


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Ash on March 09, 2007, 02:24:17 AM
I never got into American Idol until Season 3.
Once I watched it though, I was hooked.

It is a pretty good show, especially the first few weeks when they hold the auditions.
Now that's some good television!   :thumbup:

I've been a die hard watcher of the show until this season.
I watched all of the auditions this season but haven't kept up after that.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Yaddo 42 on March 09, 2007, 07:31:53 AM
Not a fan of the show, I tried early on, but the style of singers and the music selection is not up my alley. Let them have a Screamin' Jay Hawkins night and I'm there.

But this show is huge in Alabama, especially when people from the state are in the running. Ruben Studdard, Bo Bice, and Taylor Hicks are like instant folk heroes around here. The annoying popular Rick & Bubba radio show based in AL that airs across the South spends a lot of time picking the show apart they are such huge fans (that pun's too easy, so not intended).

Bo Bice apparently attended my college for a semester or two, they have degrees relating working in the music industry, performing and behind the scenes. He also used to perform here, especially during our annual WC Handy Music Festival. I remember seeing his name on bills and marquees back then. If I ever saw him perform I don't remember it.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Ash on March 09, 2007, 09:39:23 AM
The one thing that always bugged me about Taylor Hicks was his age and his appearance.
When he won American Idol, he looked like he was 49 years old...not 29.

I'm 3 years older than him and I can pass for 22-25 years of age if I'm clean shaven.

He seriously needs to get one of those "Just for Men" hair color kits.

By the way, what causes a man in his 20's to go totally grey like Hicks?
Usually, it's kids that bring out the grey hairs...but to my knowledge, he doesn't have any kids.





Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: ulthar on March 09, 2007, 09:50:06 AM

By the way, what causes a man in his 20's to go totally grey like Hicks?
Usually, it's kids that bring out the grey hairs...but to my knowledge, he doesn't have any kids.



Uh?   Kids has NOTHING to do with it.  The Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gray-hair/AN00310) may help clear this up.

Another site (http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/getting_older/gray_hair.html) has this to say:

Quote
People can get gray hair at any age. Some people go gray at a young age - as early as when they are in high school or college - whereas others may be in their 30s or 40s before they see that first gray hair. How early we get gray hair is determined by our genes. This means that most of us will start having gray hairs around the same age that our parents or grandparents first did.


The pigment levels are "programmed in" and Taylor (and many others, I cannot believe you don't know someone, male or female, that has greyed in their 20's) just lost his pigment early.

Who really cares?  I always thought this was one of those vanity things that does not make a lot of sense to me personally.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: ulthar on March 09, 2007, 10:01:35 AM
My wife likes Americn Idol. Sometimes I watch it with her.  Truthfully, I'd rather watch that that one of the myriad copycat sitcoms or CSI clones on tv.  It reminds me of the old "variety show" days like when Carol Burnette was on.  You know, back when TV was ENTERTAINING.

That said, one thing I REALLY hate about the show is the whole "America Picks" format.  The results are NOT based on talent (as we saw last night at the end with that one dude that got voted off); I first became aware of this when Jennifer Hudson got voted off a few seasons back (that was the first season I watched it).  As Simon Cowell is always saying, "it's a singing competition" yet the people that vote are NOT singing experts or even really care all that much about the quality of the singing.  It reminds me of a high school popularity contest.

I think a better format would be for "America" to choose the bottom two or three, then of those, the judges pick who leaves.  I *THINK* this is the way the second season of "So You Thing You Can Dance" (same producers) worked.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: trekgeezer on March 09, 2007, 10:25:31 AM
The only way I would watch this crap is if you tied me to a chair and taped my eyelids back. I hate these kind of shows (so called reality) and their manufactured drama.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Zapranoth on March 09, 2007, 10:29:34 AM
Ditto that, Trekgeezer.

It puts the lotion on its skin... or else it watches Idol again!


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: CheezeFlixz on March 09, 2007, 10:41:48 AM
Ditto that, Trekgeezer.

It puts the lotion on its skin... or else it watches Idol again!

LOL Joe Dirt ... love that movie.

HATES American Idol or any reality type shows ... I live reality, don't need to watch it on TV.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: ulthar on March 09, 2007, 11:04:55 AM

I hate these kind of shows (so called reality) and their manufactured drama.


I agree with that sentiment.  100%.  The 'drama' is stupid, like the LOOOONG pauses before announcing who loses or hte LOOOOONG speeches when telling someone how much they suck.

But.

There's singing.  And some of it is not half bad.  I'm not defending American Idol at all.  I could not care less if it just went away.  I'm just saying that not everyone watches it for its pretense of "reality."


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Katie on March 09, 2007, 11:41:46 AM
I do watch the show and often subject Andrew to it.  The show is best if you have a DVR.  I can watch the show in 1/3 its normal run time.  There are too many commercials and I could care less what Ryan Seacrest thinks.  He is annoying, but I love to hear Simon.  I agree with most of his comments.  He can come across as a jerk, but that is how it is at an audition.  If you can't handle the truth, you'll never make it.  I do think this season should have been broken into guys and gals.  The guys have a totally different sound than the gals.  There are six of them that I would buy CDs from.  Only two of which are guys.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Andrew on March 09, 2007, 11:51:35 AM
I do watch the show and often subject Andrew to it. 

Katie makes typing mistakes from time to time.  Let me fix that for you, my dear.

Quote from: Katie
I do watch the show and often subject inflict it upon Andrew to it

There, all better.  Aren't you supposed to be getting a shower?


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: JPickettIII on March 09, 2007, 12:17:46 PM
I think that the show is Utterly Boring.

(http://image.com.com/tv/images/processed/photo_viewer/b8/d1/81369.jpg)

                                                 /\
                                                  |
                                          What a dork!!!!

                                         :twirl: :lookingup:


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Yaddo 42 on March 10, 2007, 06:51:11 AM

By the way, what causes a man in his 20's to go totally grey like Hicks?
Usually, it's kids that bring out the grey hairs...but to my knowledge, he doesn't have any kids.



Uh?   Kids has NOTHING to do with it.  The Mayo Clinic ([url]http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gray-hair/AN00310[/url]) may help clear this up.

Another site ([url]http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/getting_older/gray_hair.html[/url]) has this to say:

Quote
People can get gray hair at any age. Some people go gray at a young age - as early as when they are in high school or college - whereas others may be in their 30s or 40s before they see that first gray hair. How early we get gray hair is determined by our genes. This means that most of us will start having gray hairs around the same age that our parents or grandparents first did.


The pigment levels are "programmed in" and Taylor (and many others, I cannot believe you don't know someone, male or female, that has greyed in their 20's) just lost his pigment early.

Who really cares?  I always thought this was one of those vanity things that does not make a lot of sense to me personally.


Or how about people with "skunk spots" when small patches turn grey while the rest of the hair retains it's natural color.

My first grey hair was found and plucked out by my cousin on my sixth birthday. I have enough that I notice them, especially when I'm due for a haircut. The loss of pigment in hair is preprogrammed just like hair loss is. I have male cousins who will be practically bald before they see 40. Their dad was like that by the time he was 30.

Ash and I are roughly the same age, yet I also can pass for mid-20s most of the time. I figure my hair turning will give me away before anything else as long as I take care of myself and from looking at older relatives.

Back to topic sorta, the hair seems to have given Hicks a trait for people to latch onto, a sympathic or humanizing element. I know I've heard him on the radio, yet he made no impression on me, can't remember anything about his voice. Even saw him in some car commercials on TV, don't remember any of the audio and I have a pretty decent memory for tunes and songs.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Jim H on March 12, 2007, 05:15:43 PM
Why do almost all the singers on American Idol constantly flux their voices on long notes?  Are they really not capable of holding a steady note?  I find it very irritating.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Yaddo 42 on March 13, 2007, 01:11:55 AM
I was trying to find the musical term for this, but I had the wrong word and can't the right one. I know it has a name though.

Do you mean when they waver the tone of the voice while holding a particular note? I blame the popularity of Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. They seemed to have set the standard for who to imitate in vocal gymnastics among pop singers. Even folks like Jessica Simpson who can't get away with it without studio tricks were doing it for awhile.

Personally I wish these multi-octave show-offs would copy say Tim Buckley or Captain Beefheart instead, use your voice like a musical instrument rather than a sonic sledgehammer. But they wouldn't make the show that way.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Dennis on March 14, 2007, 01:06:13 AM
I watched the whole first season with my wife, and one or two shows from each season after that, was not impressed by the talent at the beginning of each season. Here's why, I believe that you could go to any high school in this country and find at least two people who could make it through to the Hollywood stage of the show, at this point they start getting coaching and help from professional musicians, they get help with their hair, clothes, song selection etc. At the end of the show what you have is some one of slightly above average talent who has been formed by the competion into the popular image of a performer. While I will say they all have more talent then I do, I find that their music,  (includes all the contestants and winners) is on a par of what I hear in an elevator, none of them have impressed me enough that I would actually listen to them on purpose.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Zapranoth on March 14, 2007, 01:14:51 AM
I was trying to find the musical term for this, but I had the wrong word and can't the right one. I know it has a name though.

Do you mean when they waver the tone of the voice while holding a particular note? I blame the popularity of Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. They seemed to have set the standard for who to imitate in vocal gymnastics among pop singers. Even folks like Jessica Simpson who can't get away with it without studio tricks were doing it for awhile.

Personally I wish these multi-octave show-offs would copy say Tim Buckley or Captain Beefheart instead, use your voice like a musical instrument rather than a sonic sledgehammer. But they wouldn't make the show that way.


"Vibrato."

As has been said previously, you'd have to tie me down and staple my eyes open.    Give me quality TV, like Galactica (though it's really lost momentum recently) and Heroes!

Gaah, did I just say quality TV? 



Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Ash on March 14, 2007, 01:45:37 AM
Most of the singing is pretty good.
But I don't like it when some of the females sing in that tone that reminds me of Pee-Wee Herman.
Know what I'm talking about?


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Yaddo 42 on March 14, 2007, 04:32:01 AM
Thanks, Zap, I guess that's what I meant, but I was sure there was another name for it. Like I thought vibrato and what I was thinking of were variations on the same thing. Guess not.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Poogie on March 14, 2007, 11:09:49 AM
Thanks, Zap, I guess that's what I meant, but I was sure there was another name for it. Like I thought vibrato and what I was thinking of were variations on the same thing. Guess not.
It reminds me of the Tarzan yell......is that the term you're looking for?  :teddyr:  :bouncegiggle:


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Mr. DS on March 14, 2007, 11:57:04 AM
Major guilty pleasure of mine although if Simon wasn't on it, I'd probably cease to watch it.  I think they have some talent this season but theres some people that you know are going to hang around like a bad habit.  That kid Sanjiah needs to leave soon.   


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: ulthar on March 14, 2007, 12:01:05 PM
Thanks, Zap, I guess that's what I meant, but I was sure there was another name for it. Like I thought vibrato and what I was thinking of were variations on the same thing. Guess not.

Could you be thinking of tremolo?

I know another term that often gets confused with this is reverb.  I'll leave it to the sound engineers among us to clarify, but it is my understanding that reverb is the SAME sound being repeated.

Vibrato is an oscillating change in pitch.  (frequency modulation)
Tremolo is an oscillating change in volume. (amplitude modulation)

So, I think what these singers WANT to be doing is more technically tremolo.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Poogie on March 14, 2007, 02:14:55 PM
Did you know there was or maybe still is a term called 'CASTRATO' this is when a male singer was castrated to preserve his alto and soprano vocal range?  :buggedout: There are some drastic measures for some singers.  :smile:


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: T-Rex Television on March 14, 2007, 04:47:09 PM
Ditto that, Trekgeezer.

It puts the lotion on its skin... or else it watches Idol again!



HATES American Idol or any reality type shows ... I live reality, don't need to watch it on TV.

M..i totally agree. It's really pathetic, what happened to real TV?
And another thing, this goes with most other reality shows but especially american idol, but it is so sad that americans cant make good quality music any more with real soul and magic? (Even thought real & good music died after the 80's). it has come down to staged acts of random people singing horribly and ruining good songs with their crooning, and every word said by the judges is scripted and every thing that happens is so fake, and a bunch of american audience and a couple of sleezy judges get to decided what music is good and not? (not that any of it on that show is good). Ugh, reality shows make me sick. especially that one. but what makes me even more sick is that people actually watch it.  [/rant]



Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Yaddo 42 on March 14, 2007, 09:22:10 PM
Zap, Poogie, ulthar:

I thought the word I was looking for began with the letter "m". I was thinking it was close in spelling to "miasma". But that word deals with toxic or noxious clouds and fumes. A little dictionary and online digging turned up nothing.

I remember reading the word in the context of singers like Carey and Aguilira as a serious musical term, may have been a foreign language term co-opted, or a musical term carried over from another language like forte or pianissimo. Besides I was a drummer in my band geek days, we didn't deal with pitch much, volume was or deal. just scanned the sheet music looking forward to anything in triple forte. Or maybe I'm on a mental snark hunt, and am pure dee wrong. It's that kind of week already.

I read a review years ago of a biography of the last known Castrato, believe he died in the early to mid 20th century (1920s maybe). There were supposed to be recordings of his vocal work still in existence. Too much sacrifice for your craft if you ask me, even back then. Just think of all the ways you can push, cheat, and alter a voice these days in the recording studio.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Poogie on March 14, 2007, 11:32:23 PM
Zap, Poogie, ulthar:

I thought the word I was looking for began with the letter "m". I was thinking it was close in spelling to "miasma". But that word deals with toxic or noxious clouds and fumes. A little dictionary and online digging turned up nothing.

I remember reading the word in the context of singers like Carey and Aguilira as a serious musical term, may have been a foreign language term co-opted, or a musical term carried over from another language like forte or pianissimo. Besides I was a drummer in my band geek days, we didn't deal with pitch much, volume was or deal. just scanned the sheet music looking forward to anything in triple forte. Or maybe I'm on a mental snark hunt, and am pure dee wrong. It's that kind of week already.

I read a review years ago of a biography of the last known Castrato, believe he died in the early to mid 20th century (1920s maybe). There were supposed to be recordings of his vocal work still in existence. Too much sacrifice for your craft if you ask me, even back then. Just think of all the ways you can push, cheat, and alter a voice these days in the recording studio.
I think I found the word you're looking for..."Melisma"....Turning a single syllable into a vocal run-sometimes with dramatic or bluesy effect, sometimes with disastrous overkill. Is this it?  :question:  :smile:


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: RCMerchant on March 15, 2007, 06:11:52 AM
AMERICAN IDOL is the McDonalds of the music industry. Boring garbage spoon fed pablum for the masses. Remember STAR SEARCH?
Any thing that panel of bland narrow minded jerks would call"entertainment" is someting I would consiously avoid with a passion. MTV is the same crap...mass marketed,braindead tits and ass,with a boom box; "alternative"music that is only an altrnative to someting innovative,instead of ripping off old Pearl Jam songs. "punk" rock is NOT in the top 10,and NEVER was;Heavy Metal? LimpBiscuit...yeh. Where's Motorhead when you need them? Rap music hasn't been important since NWA,Metal is underground,Punk is dead,and nothing,music wise on TV is worth a rats ass. I wish someone would just get a camera crew and drive around the country,and hunt for bands in small clubs,...and find some REAL talent!


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Yaddo 42 on March 15, 2007, 06:04:13 PM
That's it Poogie, should have checked for "M-e-" in addition to "M-i-", thanks.


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: Poogie on March 15, 2007, 08:25:08 PM
You're welcome....It was driving me nuts after reading your post, so I went on the search and waaaalaaaaa! There it was. Made my night.  :smile:


Title: Re: American Idol
Post by: moravec on March 22, 2007, 04:33:44 PM
Melisma. Huh- sound like a disease I caught once from watching 10 minutes of A. Idol. It turned my skin blue, and made me over-dramatize every aspect of my life; sometimes with disastrous effects.