You voted off Kevin Covais, Ariel’s favorite on “American Idol.” My fourteen year old daughter was right in the wheelhouse of his Long Island boy’s target audience, and she was really pìššëd øff this morning. Kevin, if you’re reading this–my daughter still adores you.
PAD
• 
Dr. PAD! 50cc of sense of humor, stat! MikeT’s levels are dropping rapidly!
And Den? You sure seem to know an afwul lat about this season…and this contestant. For a show you hate, and want to se voted off your TV, you sure know a lot about it. Must be hard having Fox executives show up every Tuesday and Wednesday night, forcing you to watch at gunpoint 😉
Since the only thing that I’ve said about the show here is: 1) I hate it and 2) I don’t hold anything else personally against this kid, for you to say that I “seem to know a lot about the show” must mean that you’re as delusional as Luigi.
I know nothing about this kid except for a few snippets that the local DJs in Harrisburg have said about him being some kind of fan-favorite despite the English prìçk hating him.
I’ve never watched the show and never will. I can barely stand seeing commercials for it when I watch Bones on Fox.
Of course, now I’ll probably be accused of lying about that, too.
“Does it really matter if someone is voted off a show when in the grand ways of the world, there are about a ton of other “more important” things going on that you could be commenting about in these on-line essays of yours. Bush’s abuse of power, the endless war in Iraq that we are hopelessly trapped in, the growing numbers of Americans being killed all because Bush wants to finish the job his daddy failed to do in his watch, how CNN or the Fox network fail to really cover all aspects of the war on terrorism,,,and the list goes on.”
Jeeze, I’d been skipping this thread because I just figured it was people talking about a show I never watch…but that has to be one of the worst posts of the year.
Seriously dude, you shouldn’t go through life like that. Even after mean old Mr Bush is gone there will still be, as there has ever been, a world of pain and suffering and events that will prevent you from ever having a moment of joy in your life if you let it be so. Lighten up or you ain’t gonna make it with anyone anyhow. It’s gonna be all right.
“I’ve never watched the show and never will.”
How can you hate a show you’ve never seen? I was kind of the same way (hating it on basic principle) until I actually sat down and watched it and realized that it’s one of the most entertaining shows on television. This despite the fact that I don’t even like the kind of pop music it engenders, and that I’m quite certain I will never buy an album by any of the contestants.
I must not be the target audience of American Idol, because I have zero interest in it. The only time I’ve ever watched any of it is the last couple of minutes it’s on just before ’24’.(which I am interested in)
Here’s a fun game to play: try to figure out what drugs Paula Abdul is on this season. She’s been so wierdly sedated this year, and it seems to get worse with each episode.
*shrug* Probably a time released opioid as well as a short acting one to take for break-thru pain. There’s probably an anti-seizure medication, since they also work to soothe nerve pain (neurontin would be my guess), probably wellbutrin or an SSRI to counteract some of the opioid side effects, and one of the newer sleep aids to help get a consistent night’s sleep.
She’s not the best spokesperson for Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, but she’s there, and it’s a real problem – not really something to laugh about.
Cowell has noted that the show, in its audition phase, gets edited to make him much meanier than he is (often splicing and shifting his comments around, taking them out of context). This has been verified by producers aside from Cowell, as well as Abdul, Jackson and the editors. This season was much worse, because they left the cameras running when contestants left, to catch off the cuff and snide comments. (This is what happened with Mandisa – the full part of the audition tape shows him immediately commenting on how inappropriate his comment was, which was conveniently edited out of the broadcast.) And really, given that he’s the one who has to sign, produce and promote the winner, it’s not unexpected that he’d be the most critical of the bunch – he’s looking at bottom line business issues.
How can you hate a show you’ve never seen? I was kind of the same way (hating it on basic principle) until I actually sat down and watched it and realized that it’s one of the most entertaining shows on television.
I was the same way – now I study it semi-professionally. I could talk for a while about how it constructs desire, how reality TV feeds itself, Lacan and anamorphosis and so on… in fact, I have, at several conferences. I still can’t believe people pay me for this… but, anyhow. I’ll spare folks, heh, save to say there are some very basic psychological and philosophical things going on that explain their popularity, and it doesn’t have much to do with sheep.
How can you hate a show you’ve never seen?
It’s reality TV. I really don’t need any other reason, but I also have zero interest in the kind of pop music that the show promotes or in the public humiliation as a form of entertainment.
“Since the only thing that I’ve said about the show here is: 1) I hate it and 2) I don’t hold anything else personally against this kid, for you to say that I “seem to know a lot about the show” must mean that you’re as delusional as Luigi.”
Not delusional, just wrong. Me, that is.
Although I don’t really understand expressing your opinion on a show you say you’ve never seen before. How can you have an opinion on it, sight unseen? I suppose you can, but it’ll be viewed as an uninformed opinion, which means it adds…nothing…to a conversation about it. I hate the golf channel. I’ve never watched it, so I’d not join in on a discussion about whether the content of the programming is good, bad, poor, whatever. I hate it because it replaced the Sci Fi channel on my cable carrier’s channel system, meanging I can only get Sci Fi on the cable box that carrier the higher digital only channels. That’s about all I’d say about it, though, knowing that my opinion on the actual programming is worthless, because I don’t watch it.
Den, my comment was meant tounge-in-cheek, hence the “;)”, which you may have missed.
Although I don’t really understand expressing your opinion on a show you say you’ve never seen before. How can you have an opinion on it, sight unseen?
See my reply above to Robert Fuller.
I suppose you can, but it’ll be viewed as an uninformed opinion, which means it adds…nothing…to a conversation about it. I hate the golf channel. I’ve never watched it, so I’d not join in on a discussion about whether the content of the programming is good, bad, poor, whatever.
So, if I’ve never stuck my hand in an open flame, I shouldn’t discuss whether or not fire is hot then?
I’ve suffered through enough commercials for the show to form an opinion that the show isn’t anything I’d want to watch. Plus, I’m old enough to remember when large numbers of people suffered from the misconception that Paula Abdul could sing, so again, I have no desire to listen to her critique anyone else’s singing. Finally, one of the local radio stations here played the clip of that idiot singing “she bangs” about 10,000 times last year, which is enough reason to make me want to kick in my TV at the thought of watching morons like that for an hour.
Is that enough of an “informed opinion” for you? If not, TS.
I hate it because it replaced the Sci Fi channel on my cable carrier’s channel system, meanging I can only get Sci Fi on the cable box that carrier the higher digital only channels.
Sucks to be you.
Den, my comment was meant tounge-in-cheek, hence the “;)”, which you may have missed.
Let’s just say that after going through something similar with Luigi recently, I’m a little sensitive about people calling me a liar here and leave it at that.
“Let’s just say that after going through something similar with Luigi recently, I’m a little sensitive about people calling me a liar here and leave it at that.”
No. I didn’t call you a liar. It did seem odd to me that you had such strong opinions on a show you said you hadn’t seen. You’ve explained that now. Fine. But don’t go nuclear on me just because Luigi calls you a liar.
And no, I don’t consider your opinion informed. It’s like all those christian groups coming out against The Last Temptation of Christ and Dogma weeks before the movie gets released, sight unseen. They see some previews, hear some other people that “have connections” or whatever, and form a so-called opinion that the films attack Christianity. I’m not a huge advocate of unscripted TV…it’s not reality, because most stuff in real life would make pretty boring TV…but not all of it is the vapid waste of time that some feel it is. Most of it is, and I avoid most of it for exactly that reason. But occasionaly, it’s on our TV, because my wife enjoys some of them, and I find that I grudgingly have to admit that it’s ok. Not great, not much I go out of my to watch, but interesting and compelling enough to hold part of my attention while it’s on.
But don’t go nuclear on me just because Luigi calls you a liar.
Like I said, it’s a sore spot with me right now.
And no, I don’t consider your opinion informed. It’s like all those christian groups coming out against The Last Temptation of Christ and Dogma weeks before the movie gets released, sight unseen.
I saw both those movies and was probably more encouraged to do so by those same protesters. I don’t think it’s the same thing at all. The Christian groups didn’t want anyone to watch those movies. They protested theaters and tried to get the movie banned. I haven’t done any such thing. All I’ve done is said that I don’t want to watch it.
I personally don’t care whether you or anyone else likes to watch the show. I don’t want to censor anyone else’s right to watch the show. I will, however, stick to my right to say that it’s stupid and that I will not watch it, ever.
I’m not a huge advocate of unscripted TV…it’s not reality, because most stuff in real life would make pretty boring TV…but not all of it is the vapid waste of time that some feel it is.
That’s your opinion. Mine is that it IS all a vapid waste of time. But then, 90% of scripted TV is also a vapid waste of time.
I think I’ll just go read a book until the new season of Battlestar Galactic begins.
She’s not the best spokesperson for Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, but she’s there, and it’s a real problem – not really something to laugh about.
no offense intended to those who suffer from Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, but I’m betting the odds of Paula Abdul actually having that condition are about as good as the odds of Ashlee Simpson actually suffering from acid reflux disease. 🙂
Well, crud, Den, you’ve taken all the fun out of being wrong. Fine, you’re right, I read way too much into your one statement. I don’t even remember why I thought it would be funny in the first place. My apologies. I didn’t mean to rub a sore spot with ya.
“But then, 90% of scripted TV is also a vapid waste of time.”
And on THAT issue, we’re in total agreement.
Well, crud, Den, you’ve taken all the fun out of being wrong.
It’s what I live for.
Matt, it’s possible some doc’s decided to take a payment and create a false medical record going back decades, and then get her to wave HIPAA regulations to release it to the world at large…but that seems like an awful big effort to hide anything else. Especially in the day and age where it’s considered acceptable to enter rehab for various problems.
Invisible illnesses/disabilities are “fun” that way – if people don’t feel like believing it, they can conjure up a whole lot of other reasons to justify whatever it is they do want to believe. I certainly used to do it, before getting slapped with an invisible illness myself. It’s tonnes of fun to have people, including family, assume I’m really just a drug addict who has found some medical reason and three gullible doctors to justify my opioid supply.
Since I’d really rather have people extend me the benefit of the doubt, that my docs are serious and know what they’re doing, and that I’m not going through injections and surgeries for the hëll of it, I tend to extend it to others, as well.
I thought Kevin did a very credible job with his ballad. Mandisa, imo, had the most talent there. With her departure I’ll drop the show. When they vote FOR a talentless monotone like Bucky and vote Mandisa off it’s time to say byebye