PK...
08-08-2006, 10:31 AM
Lotta merit in this critique... Disagree about last seasons SYTYCD, though...
;0))
PK
Reality Check
Rating the TV talent shows
By TARA MERRIN, SUN MEDIA
AMERICA’S GOT TALENT
Apparently North America is overflowing with talent. Why else would all the major TV networks devote so much time into shoving our land's so-called most gifted singers, models, comedians, dancers, inventors and acrobats, down our collective throat, night after night?
Take, for example, the rapping granny from America's Got Talent, the Jacob Hoggard wannabe on Canadian Idol and that guy who juggled three lit torches while attempting to break a personal record on an arcade game on Master of Champions.
Entertaining? Maybe. But are these really the most talented people we have to offer? Or have these Gong Show-type reality series become more concerned with providing comic relief, than finding the next big star?
Whatever's going on, it makes one want to jump in Christopher Lloyd's DeLorean and travel back to a time when Star Search was featuring the talents of Ray Romano, Dennis Miller, Rosie O'Donnell, Christina Aguilera, Usher and Destiny's Child.
Or even back to 2002, when American Idol made a star out of winner Kelly Clarkson, who went on to become one of the top-grossing female artists in the world.
Back then, the Idol judges continuously said they were looking for the best singer in America and, it appeared, they took the job of finding that person very seriously.
It was not uncommon to see a contestant become visibly shaken after a much-deserved tongue lashing from judge Simon Cowell.
But, fast-forward only four years and something has changed. The judges on these talent shows, especially on Canadian Idol, seem far less interested in helping the contestants improve, opting instead to praise every performance whether it's worthy or not.
As a result, these industry insiders have completely handed over their "job" to the public, which often votes based on a performer's backstory or looks.
And it doesn't help when the panel follows suit, picking terrible finalists who don't stand a chance of making it in the highly competitive world of show business.
But, to be fair, there are a few shows on the tube right now which have gone above and beyond to search out truly talented folk.
Here's a look at which ones we think are making the grade and which are failing miserably:
ROCK STAR: SUPERNOVA
The fact that only a couple of Canadians made the cut just goes to show how talented you have to be to make it on this show. These singers are professional, gifted and highly entertaining.
RATINGS: Averages between six and seven million viewers each episode.
GRADE: A
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT
America's got no clue. The fact this show's been picked up for a second season only proves Regis Philbin is a TV God and David Hasselhoff's extreme hate of jugglers is amusing. The talent, however, borders on the pathetic.
RATINGS: Over 10 million people tune in to this.
GRADE: C-
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE
Last season, we gave this show a C because No. 1: They could dance, No. 2: Judge "Nasty Nigel" was no Simon Cowell and No. 3: The prize sucked. This year, the dancers are even more talented, Nigel's passion is awesome and the prize -- dancing in Celine Dion's SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAM show -- is worth fighting for.
RATINGS: This show has close to 10 million fans.
GRADE: A+
CANADIAN IDOL
This season has become the country's search for the best imitator. So far we've seen these kids butcher everything from Bon Jovi to Nickelback and that's really hard to do. On second thought, maybe they do have some talent.
RATINGS: Averages around two million (which in Canada is pretty good).
GRADE: D
LAST COMIC STANDING
The great thing about Last Comic Standing is all the contestants actually are aspiring comedians. They've struggled to make ends meet, been booed off the stage and truly know how life-changing being crowned the winner could be.
RATINGS: Nearly eight million watched last week.
GRADE: B-
MASTER OF CHAMPIONS
This show is beyond stupid. The only surprise is that it's lasted on air as long as it has.
RATINGS: Averages under two million.
GRADE: F
THE ONE: MAKING OF A MUSIC STAR
We'd like to comment on this show, but no one at the Sun saw it. But, we can voice our concern over CBC's terrible decision to air a Canadian version of an American show that was cancelled after only two weeks.
RATINGS: Less than one-million people watched this.
GRADE: I (For incomplete)
SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMwinnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Television/2006/08/08/1723965-sun.html
;0))
PK
Reality Check
Rating the TV talent shows
By TARA MERRIN, SUN MEDIA
AMERICA’S GOT TALENT
Apparently North America is overflowing with talent. Why else would all the major TV networks devote so much time into shoving our land's so-called most gifted singers, models, comedians, dancers, inventors and acrobats, down our collective throat, night after night?
Take, for example, the rapping granny from America's Got Talent, the Jacob Hoggard wannabe on Canadian Idol and that guy who juggled three lit torches while attempting to break a personal record on an arcade game on Master of Champions.
Entertaining? Maybe. But are these really the most talented people we have to offer? Or have these Gong Show-type reality series become more concerned with providing comic relief, than finding the next big star?
Whatever's going on, it makes one want to jump in Christopher Lloyd's DeLorean and travel back to a time when Star Search was featuring the talents of Ray Romano, Dennis Miller, Rosie O'Donnell, Christina Aguilera, Usher and Destiny's Child.
Or even back to 2002, when American Idol made a star out of winner Kelly Clarkson, who went on to become one of the top-grossing female artists in the world.
Back then, the Idol judges continuously said they were looking for the best singer in America and, it appeared, they took the job of finding that person very seriously.
It was not uncommon to see a contestant become visibly shaken after a much-deserved tongue lashing from judge Simon Cowell.
But, fast-forward only four years and something has changed. The judges on these talent shows, especially on Canadian Idol, seem far less interested in helping the contestants improve, opting instead to praise every performance whether it's worthy or not.
As a result, these industry insiders have completely handed over their "job" to the public, which often votes based on a performer's backstory or looks.
And it doesn't help when the panel follows suit, picking terrible finalists who don't stand a chance of making it in the highly competitive world of show business.
But, to be fair, there are a few shows on the tube right now which have gone above and beyond to search out truly talented folk.
Here's a look at which ones we think are making the grade and which are failing miserably:
ROCK STAR: SUPERNOVA
The fact that only a couple of Canadians made the cut just goes to show how talented you have to be to make it on this show. These singers are professional, gifted and highly entertaining.
RATINGS: Averages between six and seven million viewers each episode.
GRADE: A
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT
America's got no clue. The fact this show's been picked up for a second season only proves Regis Philbin is a TV God and David Hasselhoff's extreme hate of jugglers is amusing. The talent, however, borders on the pathetic.
RATINGS: Over 10 million people tune in to this.
GRADE: C-
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE
Last season, we gave this show a C because No. 1: They could dance, No. 2: Judge "Nasty Nigel" was no Simon Cowell and No. 3: The prize sucked. This year, the dancers are even more talented, Nigel's passion is awesome and the prize -- dancing in Celine Dion's SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAM show -- is worth fighting for.
RATINGS: This show has close to 10 million fans.
GRADE: A+
CANADIAN IDOL
This season has become the country's search for the best imitator. So far we've seen these kids butcher everything from Bon Jovi to Nickelback and that's really hard to do. On second thought, maybe they do have some talent.
RATINGS: Averages around two million (which in Canada is pretty good).
GRADE: D
LAST COMIC STANDING
The great thing about Last Comic Standing is all the contestants actually are aspiring comedians. They've struggled to make ends meet, been booed off the stage and truly know how life-changing being crowned the winner could be.
RATINGS: Nearly eight million watched last week.
GRADE: B-
MASTER OF CHAMPIONS
This show is beyond stupid. The only surprise is that it's lasted on air as long as it has.
RATINGS: Averages under two million.
GRADE: F
THE ONE: MAKING OF A MUSIC STAR
We'd like to comment on this show, but no one at the Sun saw it. But, we can voice our concern over CBC's terrible decision to air a Canadian version of an American show that was cancelled after only two weeks.
RATINGS: Less than one-million people watched this.
GRADE: I (For incomplete)
SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMwinnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Television/2006/08/08/1723965-sun.html