Yes, I admit it: I watch “America’s Got Talent.” And no one is more surprised about it than me. :eek:
For those who don’t know, AGT! is one of those “talent contest”-type reality shows, ala “American Idol.” Unlike most of those, AGT! allows people with any kind of ‘talents’ to compete, instead of just singers or dancers. Which is fundamentally unfair- how can you compare things like dancing and ventriloquism, for example? They’re completely different disciplines!
And God, are some of the acts just- AWFUL. Some are just untalented; others are COMPLETELY ridiculous, like singing with the mouth closed or stretching out the tongue. Why are they even allowed on-camera? This hasgot to be done for the benefit of those people who enjoy watching others make fools of themselves (that has always been one of American Idol’s main attractions, sadly.) I’m convinced at least some of these people are paid to go onstage and embarrass themselves.
Add to this the three “judges”: David Hasselhoff (of Knight Rider/Baywatch fame); Sharon Osbourne (who is known only for being Ozzy Osbourne’s wife) and that British guy Piers Morgan, who is known for- nothing, I guess. Should THESE people be judging any talent show? Much less one that involves so many factors? I’m sure they are in there just for effect. While I won’t go as far as to claim the show is scripted, it’s at least “coached.” The judges often argue, but it sounds fake. And their biases when judging contestants are obvious. About the only thing that’s fair about the show is that the winning acts are voted on by the public (assuming that part is true.)
If the show is so bad, why do I watch it??
Well, for one thing, just as some acts are mind-numbingly stupid, others are actually talented- and some are REALLY talented. And never knowing what will come next makes it more interesting to watch than more specific-theme talent shows.
Even the judges, even if I don’t respect their opinions, are fun to watch: usually it’s Hasselhoff bursting out, Piers complaining, and Sharon getting caught in the middle. Certainly more entertaining than actual, serious judges would be.
And some of the contestants have had moving personal experiences- which of course the show focuses on to the max, even playing music while interviewing them, but it’s still effective. For example, last year there was “Crazy Legs”, an acrobatic dancer with malformed legs and a bright attitude; this year we have a singing 4-year-old girl. It’s actually touching, sometimes.
And of course, there’s the Million Dollars prize. It’s always fun to me to watch people win big money (if I feel they deserved it.)
Last year, I got hooked on Terry Fator, a ventriloquist who could also imitate any singer, and who combined his talents very effectively. He won me from the start, when he gave the judges (who were by then tired of watching bad ventriloquist acts) a huge shock by singing a perfect Etta James song through a doll. God, the look on their faces was priceless! From that moment on, despite my lack of trust on the show’s selection process, I followed it, hoping he would win, for being talented AND a nice guy. And he DID! :victoly:
This year, the show is just as good (and bad) as ever. Worst act so far: some guy whose talent was stretching his tongue. >_< Best: an obese… OK, FAT- African American guy who sings opera just like the late Pavarotti. I think he can win- but we still have quite a few acts to see through first!
So yeah, I’m going to follow it again. I STILL wish they would fix most of the stuff I pointed out above, but I know they likely never will.
And there’s almost nothing else to watch on TV these days anyway. 