The live shows got off to a pretty poor start all round. The performances were poor, particularly on girl's night. I think maybe Ellen had expectations that weren't lived up to and that's why she seemed to be fumbling. Maybe by next week she will improve. Hopefully the performances will too and Si will cheer up a bit!
Add me to the list of people who think Randy is doing a good bit better this year. I don't know if he's up to taking Simon's seat but he and Kara are beginning to look like a decentish core of a panel for next year. I'm hoping Ellen settles in to being the comic relief element more than anything else for the time being.
Idol is going to tank now because Simon has decided to leave, that's why he looks so bored. Idol doesn't rely on him completely but it's so identified with him once he's gone, it will fade away fast. It's seriously tired format now and since he's doing X Factor, Idol will suffer by comparison.
The only reason he was ever on the US version - he was unheard of in the States - was because in their ultra-positive everyone's a star culture they struggled to find an articulate no nonense music judge that would dish the bitter truth with a quippy off the cuff style - and was also prepared to do it, as it was thought this person would be hated. I thought Kara might be a female Simon but she isn't and Ellen certainly isn't. I don't actually think she'll come back for another series.
Ellen has already fallen into the trap of wanting to be liked. This is partly the US celeb thing, but it's also because she's a performer herself and doesn't like brickbats. I think she genuinely appreciates all the performers whereas Simon repeatedly points out we're looking for one star to go round the world - you're ok but you're not it.
i don't think idol will suffer for quite a while and as long as you find a competent judge for simon's replacement who knows his or her stuff idol competing against x factor will be very interesting
there is always the chance that x factor could tank over here
p.s i would love to see what you guys would do with pop idol now
Well Ellen week two has been much better. Obviously you expected her to be iffy on her first live show, and not to disagree to much with the others. but you could tell last night on the girls night she was giving her own opinions, and I think she has taken on board some criticism, that she wasnt funny enough the first week. BEcause thats what we like about her: She is funny. ANd this week, she was.
Her comments usually past me by.. still reckon she's not up to par with the rest and just there to provide comic relief to the audience n contestants..
But while Cowell is not interested in the emotional needs of the contestants, that is what DeGeneres is there for: to give voice to the viewers at home, take the sting out of some of the criticism and bring levity to what can be a repetitive and frustrating process. That is what Abdul did, but with DeGeneres, we expected a humor that was smart and intentional rather than ditzy and incoherent.
Or failing that, DeGeneres could try to bring some order to the dysfunctional family she has just joined. Someone needs to help DioGuardi out of her possibly legally actionable cougar corner. And someone needs to deflate the tension between Cowell and Seacrest, who have become so hostile that it's almost unbearable to watch.
But so far, DeGeneres is doing none of this. Where Abdul was warm, she is cool; where Abdul was fearless (crazy but fearless), DeGeneres seems hamstrung. On Tuesday night, she offered a few pieces of straight-up advice: Play to your strengths, loosen up, try to feel the song more. But her attempts at humor have been vague and tentative, her compliments so ubiquitous that they quickly lost sincerity -- and, seriously, the woman needs to blink once in a while.
I had been liking Kara a bit more but on the girls show she had me squirming again. Her critiques of Haeley:
Haeley, you have kind of the Alex Lambert factor. You have people rooting for you at home. I think that there are a lot of people out there who really like you, and I think some contestants can learn something from you. When you're on that stage you're open, we get a sense of who you are. You're real, you're smiling, and you're a really good performer. Unfortunately honey, you need about a year of really strengthening your instrument. Because you do have talent, but it's very inconsistent. It's like a muscle and it needs to be worked, and there are pitch issues and things that you really need to work out, and that's what I can say to you. But I do think people are going to root for you because you are such a great spirit on that stage.
Lilly Scott:
You just had your first 'moment' in this competition. 'Moment' meaning where I was just riveted, I just couldn't wait to see what you were going to do next. And you are a mismatch for this competition, and thank god you tried out, that's all I can say. Because you are going to change the game. People that really want to do their own thing in their own way are going to start to go 'Yeah, I like that American Idol thing, I might just tryout, man.' And you know what, come and get us. So good job girl, unbelievable."
Katelyn Epperly:
"I understand what Randy and Ellen are saying. I definitely, I do. But I kind of love you. I kinda do. I kind of love her and I'm going to tell her a few reasons why I love her and a few things I want her to work on. You have an incredible instrument and you can do a lot of things with it and that's your biggest problem. 'Cause from week to week you're switching around. One minute you're doing a rock song and then you're doing 'Oh, darling' -- you're all over the place. But you're really good. You're seriously good. And when you get to that sweet spot it's like 'Wow, that is hot.' Figure out who you are though real quick. But I really like you."
I don't even know what it is, it doesn't look as bad in type as it does when she says it on the show. She can be patronising on a whole new level at times and other times I wonder if she has inherited Paula Abdul's rambling syndrome because she talks for ages and says so much at such a speed that at the end I don't have a clue what just went on. With the Lilly Scott one, it was just cringetastic.
However, Randy might win the "Abdul Award" for this one:
"Truth is reality. You are the truth." (to Crystal)
Cowell will be delighted with Ellen - she's making Paula look good, which bodes well for The X Factor.
Ellen possibly the worst judge on such a show ever - clearly out of her depth and resorting to rather unfunny and unoriginal one-liners which don't sit comfortably in the show. She'd probably be alright over on America's Got Talent, but on Idol - a show which takes itself far too seriously - she's useless.
They should have just stuck with Randy (who ain't much better), Kara (who is superb) and Cowell for this series, then perhaps bought in two new judges replacing Cowell next year - one with the industry credentials and one with the star pulling power.
She has struggled on the live shows. Maybe they could bring it back to 3 judges.
Randy has improved this season. I would bring in Shania Twain - That is if she will do the show next year.
She has struggled on the live shows. Maybe they could bring it back to 3 judges. Randy has improved this season. I would bring in Shania Twain - That is if she will do the show next year.
Sorry, I think he is as useless as ever. Praising awful performances and slating performances which were actually quite good. I always breathe a sigh of relief when it gets to Simon as he gives a critique of what we actually heard. The thing is, you then see Randy shaking his head in agreement in the background even though he said the opposite! Useless.
If you judge on Elen on what she's there for, she's doing a decent job. She's the public's voice as such. She's not got the musical experience, but then she's not really judging them in that sense. I've agreed with most of what she's said so far.
If you judge on Elen on what she's there for, she's doing a decent job. She's the public's voice as such. She's not got the musical experience, but then she's not really judging them in that sense. I've agreed with most of what she's said so far.
The public's voice though comes through the voting, not through the judges. The judges are there to judge them on the music - and you can have a good idea about what the public want and still have the music credentials to back them up.
What annoys me about Ellen is that whenever Ryan asks her a question about anything she feels she has to make some quip first, half the time they're not even that funny and I think it makes her look a bit like she thinks she's there for comedy value / light relief
If you judge on Elen on what she's there for, she's doing a decent job. She's the public's voice as such. She's not got the musical experience, but then she's not really judging them in that sense. I've agreed with most of what she's said so far.
I agree; I don't think any of the judges are especially good in terms of offering serious advice on music, anyway. That's not what the show's about. If you really wanted to improve your singing/performance skills, is Idol/X factor really where you'd go?
I think the reason I like Ellen is that these shows are so manufactured, and we're so aware of that these days - the significance of performance order, song choice, judges' comments and so on - that it's very difficult to take what the judges say seriously, Simon in particular. I like Ellen because she's so sharp and straightforward it's difficult to imagine her toeing the producers' line. She's there to provide that connection with the viewer, and to at least give the appearance of cutting through the manipulative crap. I like her a lot so far.
i don't think idol will suffer for quite a while and as long as you find a competent judge for simon's replacement who knows his or her stuff idol competing against x factor will be very interesting
there is always the chance that x factor could tank over here
p.s i would love to see what you guys would do with pop idol now
Pop Idol was junked here because, basically, Simon required that to give X Factor a free run. It's one reason why if he gets the US version of X Factor right, AI will likely tank. I understand it's on the same channel. To lose both Paula and Simon and to be on in Season 10, it just sounds very predictable and boring. I find this year's shows nothing like as compelling as previous years, there's rarely anything we haven't seen or heard or even heard from the judges before.
We would never go back to Pop Idol here in the UK because X Factor is a superior more varied format - it allows people of all ages to perform and to come on as individuals or in groups or to be placed together in groups by the judges. This means it is much more varied year to year, week to week and commercial part to commercial part.
It's also more internally competitive with the judges acting as mentors and competing with each other. In XF they have to work the last 12 weeks, not sit on their backsides warmly congratulating the finalists. They are up against each other and the audience is judging them as well. The categories of contestants and the wider variety of music and styles that allows mixes the whole thing up hugely.
I think the USA will take to XF if it's well done and AI will tank or fade away.
I never saw Pop Idol but definitely think American Idol is superior to X Factor. The latter seems to take a bunch of reasonably talented people and try to fit them into the same mould. That's mentoring for you. And the endless repetition, week after week, of exactly the same procedure with no attempt to mix things up a bit drives me crazy. Not to mention the ott artistic direction and unnecessary dancers and other props.
But to get back to Ellen. She's very funny, and has now become my favourite judge. Kara is irritating me more and more all the time though. She takes herself much too seriously, and why does she keep leaning on Simon - literally.
But to get back to Ellen. She's very funny, and has now become my favourite judge. Kara is irritating me more and more all the time though. She takes herself much too seriously, and why does she keep leaning on Simon - literally.
It must be the chair - or something being slipped into the Coca Cola glass. She does seem to be slightly possessed by the spirit of Paula this year.
Comments
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/americanidol/news/a205742/degeneres-making-diva-demands-on-idol.html
i don't think idol will suffer for quite a while and as long as you find a competent judge for simon's replacement who knows his or her stuff idol competing against x factor will be very interesting
there is always the chance that x factor could tank over here
p.s i would love to see what you guys would do with pop idol now
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-idol-ellen4-2010mar04,0,2369771.story
I had been liking Kara a bit more but on the girls show she had me squirming again. Her critiques of Haeley:
Lilly Scott:
Katelyn Epperly:
I don't even know what it is, it doesn't look as bad in type as it does when she says it on the show. She can be patronising on a whole new level at times and other times I wonder if she has inherited Paula Abdul's rambling syndrome because she talks for ages and says so much at such a speed that at the end I don't have a clue what just went on. With the Lilly Scott one, it was just cringetastic.
However, Randy might win the "Abdul Award" for this one:
"Truth is reality. You are the truth." (to Crystal)
Ellen possibly the worst judge on such a show ever - clearly out of her depth and resorting to rather unfunny and unoriginal one-liners which don't sit comfortably in the show. She'd probably be alright over on America's Got Talent, but on Idol - a show which takes itself far too seriously - she's useless.
They should have just stuck with Randy (who ain't much better), Kara (who is superb) and Cowell for this series, then perhaps bought in two new judges replacing Cowell next year - one with the industry credentials and one with the star pulling power.
There was a lot last night. Ryan commented on Simons botox use! It was classic!
Randy has improved this season. I would bring in Shania Twain - That is if she will do the show next year.
Sorry, I think he is as useless as ever. Praising awful performances and slating performances which were actually quite good. I always breathe a sigh of relief when it gets to Simon as he gives a critique of what we actually heard. The thing is, you then see Randy shaking his head in agreement in the background even though he said the opposite! Useless.
Kara has been so much better this season, last season she was the worst judge but this year she's an awful lot better. Well done.
Paula I never cared for, she was pretty useless and the whole 'playing games' with Simon just annoyed me.
The public's voice though comes through the voting, not through the judges. The judges are there to judge them on the music - and you can have a good idea about what the public want and still have the music credentials to back them up.
I think the reason I like Ellen is that these shows are so manufactured, and we're so aware of that these days - the significance of performance order, song choice, judges' comments and so on - that it's very difficult to take what the judges say seriously, Simon in particular. I like Ellen because she's so sharp and straightforward it's difficult to imagine her toeing the producers' line. She's there to provide that connection with the viewer, and to at least give the appearance of cutting through the manipulative crap. I like her a lot so far.
Pop Idol was junked here because, basically, Simon required that to give X Factor a free run. It's one reason why if he gets the US version of X Factor right, AI will likely tank. I understand it's on the same channel. To lose both Paula and Simon and to be on in Season 10, it just sounds very predictable and boring. I find this year's shows nothing like as compelling as previous years, there's rarely anything we haven't seen or heard or even heard from the judges before.
We would never go back to Pop Idol here in the UK because X Factor is a superior more varied format - it allows people of all ages to perform and to come on as individuals or in groups or to be placed together in groups by the judges. This means it is much more varied year to year, week to week and commercial part to commercial part.
It's also more internally competitive with the judges acting as mentors and competing with each other. In XF they have to work the last 12 weeks, not sit on their backsides warmly congratulating the finalists. They are up against each other and the audience is judging them as well. The categories of contestants and the wider variety of music and styles that allows mixes the whole thing up hugely.
I think the USA will take to XF if it's well done and AI will tank or fade away.
But to get back to Ellen. She's very funny, and has now become my favourite judge. Kara is irritating me more and more all the time though. She takes herself much too seriously, and why does she keep leaning on Simon - literally.
Yeah, see, there's tension. And there's tension.
I've always thought it was a red herring. Seacrest has been to Simon's annual Xmas jamboree in Barbados.