When someone mentions Barry White, I’m willing to bet that you don’t immediately think “overweight man.” You probably think first about his sonorous, sexy voice. (And, maybe that he’s dead, but that’s not what this post is about.)
When someone mentions Ruben Studdard, you might remember that he won American Idol a few seasons back and has a terrific voice. I’m willing to bet that you don’t immediately think “overweight man” (even though he went on that Subway diet).
But I’m willing to bet that Lakisha Jones, who is probably the best singer in this season’s crop of Idol hopefuls, (with Melinda Doolittle a close second) won’t make it to the final vote.
Because, like Mandisa from last season (who didn’t make it), she’s an overweight woman.
The rules aren’t the same for women.
That’s how I know she’s not going to become the next American Idol - because this is the way the world works. The world of entertainment is visual, and this is leaking into so many areas of public and private life (with women of a certain age shooting themselves with Botox to compete with younger players on the job, the little girls starving themselves to look like Tara or Ashley or whoever is thin and popular at the moment).
It doesn’t mean I have to like it.
But often it feels like I’m the sole dissenting voice in the universe. And speaking of voice, this is supposed to be a singing competition, isn’t it (as Simon constantly reminds us)?
So I’m casting my vote to eliminate the “America Votes” part of American Idol. Because apparently the American public doesn’t know good from gravlax. (I mean, come on. Taylor Hicks?) Yes, let the cell phone owners of America call and cast a vote for who they WANT to win. But I want the judges – who actually know singing talent and probably would have wanted Mandisa (and Jennifer Holliday, for that matter) to win – to make the final call.
5 comments:
So under the theory sex sells, Antonella Barba is a shoo-in. Unless one factors in that more girls own cell phones. Then sex doesn't sell. Hmmmmm.
Anontella HAS to leave next week. She just HAS to!! Or, you know, this week instead of the topless photos of her that spewed all over the interweb, there will be full nudies. Which should buy her at least 2-3 more weeks. Right?
I agree with your talent line up. Lakisha and Melinda are the top two by leaps and bounds. I also like Jordin and Sabrina and Gina, but they just aren't in the same class talent-wise. As for the guys, it's slim pickens. Phil and Chris being my two favorites.
pote: Definitely more girls own cell phones, if Sanjay was allowed to stay. I can just see the army of 13 year old girls thinking he's the cutest thing since David Cassidy.
SF: I was just floored that AJ was voted out...which proves my point that America's voting privileges should be revoked.
Allowing people to call in and vote is a very carefully calculated aspect of IDOL's appeal to its viewing audience. It makes the show seem more interactive, which I have no doubt is a huge part of its popularity.
Given that IDOL is one of FOX's top draws, I have to imagine that the network's attitude towards it is going to be "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
I also share your doubt that Lakisha will win, and it may well be because, as you note, the rules are different for women, and that's a little sad, but I console myself with the thought that whether she wins or not, someone out there will offer her a recording contract, and we will certainly have the opportunity to purchase CDs by her, probably sometime in 2008 or 2009.
I'll point out that, by your own admission, a cute male participant can last longer into the competition than his talent warrants on the basis of his looks, so it's not just women that the appearance thing works against. I grant you, it most likely works MORE against women than men -- but Reuben Stoddard overcame ALL of that on the strength of his voice. Maybe Lakisha can do the same.
In the end, though, it won't matter -- Lakisha may get cut, but as with Jennifer Hudson, her career will only be beginning. You certainly can't say that about Antonella, or any of the others who have been cut to date. They may all be good looking, but it's not going to keep them from going back to karioke night at the bowling alleys for the rest of their lives.
H: Spot-on rejoinder. Guess you do have to have "the package" in order to make it into the top few.
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