Have you got any problem rooting for a non amateur?

1. In light of the issue surrounding Idols that 5 (Carly, Robbie, Michael, Kristy, David A) out of the top 24 have gone semi-pros/pros in the past, how comfortable are you voting for them on AI 7?

2. Because no contestant ever broke any AI rule, do you think it's fair to put these 5 among the real amateurs?

3. If the winner turns out to be any of the 5 mentioned, as voted by the general public, do you personally have something to say under your breath or say something so loudly about?

AI is a first rate show, as far as TV is concerned.

As far as talent search is concerned, I could only guess that AI wants to go to that level where eventually freakish auditions would finally be minimized and more than just amateurish auditions would become the rule, instead of the exception, if only to help raise ratings and records sales. Therefore, the likes of Carly Smithson and company would be more encouraged. Actually, that is the path they seem to pave.

Yesterday, on TV, the model/actress Tia Carere, said that AI is "just a glorified karaoke". One AI defender disputed that right away saying "Carrie Underwood is certainly not karaoke". And another one said, "It's all good for TV." So, maybe, after all, because AI auditions are good for TV, AI would most likely stay the way it is, save for some "tweaks" here and there.?

I can truly understand why some of the Katfans are ambivalent about this year's show. It's not that easy. Well, not for me either, but I'm just trying to get out of this limbo and hope to land some place entertaining so that I could start all over again. I do it as a therapy.

I really don't have a problem rooting for a non-amateur at all. They will all be judged/voted for by the public anyway. Everyone will have his/her bad day and good day. It would be extra challenging for those semi-pros to rise up to the occasion because of a high expectation, and it would be so much pressure for the real amateurs to really get into the heads and hearts of the people early on for a surety of votes. It would be very interesting indeed.

A real competition !!

Season 5 was the first year I ever watched.....guess I was living under a rock somewhere! I really liked the idea that they were all "amateurs"! But, now that some of the contestants can't be considered in that category, I will have to try and judge them on their ability to be a "viable recording artist".  Hmmmm.......did I just quote someone? Oh, yes, that's another subject for another thread!

Those contestants that have been discovered to have semi-pro or pro pasts, have come to AI for their own reasons. I would think that might be to gather more fans and then perhaps to receive better support and instruction from the recording industry, this time around.

Anyway we might choose to look at the situation, the fact remains that they are on the show. So, we may as well enjoy what they have to offer! They will surely encourage the others to really perform at their best each time they go on stage.  And so, in the long run, we might actually see stronger performances and that will be exciting to watch and hear!

What did David A do?  I know he won Star Search...I hardly think that makes him a professional.  Katharine was on Next Big Star, I don't think anybody thinks that made her a professional.

The only one I'm little skittish about is Carly because of the fact that she had a real album made, for big-time money and was actually released to the public.  Michael's album was never released so in a sense I can look past that since he didn't really get a "shot".

Well I guess I have to say the same thing about Kristy Lee as I did Carly then, eh?  It doesn't look like she's long for this from this week so...I don't know about Robbie's experience.  What that he toured with Britney Spears?  Should Melinda have been knocked out last year for singing backup with Bebe Winans?

I don't think the contest is necessarily about people who have never done anything in music before.  I would think that most people with good enough voices to get to this stage of the competition would have done something in music.  The question is:  How much is too much?  But maybe Idol is like the Olympics now...it used to be just for amateurs, now they let the pros play.

Since I brought Melinda up...yeah, I did think it was a little unfair last year for 17-year-old Jordin to be competing against someone who was the "resident pro" as the judges kept calling her in Melinda.  So I don't know.  It's still a fun show to watch and critique and all of that so...whatever.

I wouldn't have a personal beef with "AI" picking semi-pro singers (and songwriters for the songwriting contest) if they only did one thing: Admit to it!

It's obvious that "AI" feels as if they set a standard for what they're supposed to be--and now that they've deviated from that, they have to sweep it under the rug with these overly obvious cover-ups. I find that the most annoying aspect to this development when they could probably change their mission statement and still get untold gazillions of auditioners next August. The show is too big of a behemoth not to have everybody and their off-key cousin go and audition...no matter what's required of them. Besides, even if they admitted to having a preference to more professional singers--it wouldn't stop amateurs from trying. Look at the age limit they impose. You still get people trying to get in who are well over 30--despite getting caught in the end. So far, we haven't seen a singing fetus.

Of course, you all remember my beef last year with the songwriting contest. Because I'm loaded with writing work right now, I won't be submitting to that anyway. Nonetheless, I'm still miffed that they picked a songwriter (a Christian songwriter no less) who had a previous #1 Christian hit several years ago. I personally find that more egregious than any of the semi-pro level singers picked for the show. If you had a #1 hit already--it's more than just professional. So the songwriting contest is just a crock to me now.

As already mentioned about the singers--every singer is going to have some credits on the road somewhere--even as an opening act to a well-known band or singer. And, I somehow forgive "AI" for wanting to obtain some singers with some semblance of professionalism. If they didn't, we'd be hearing a lot of flat singers who would need years to grow into better talent. These singers are just inexperienced enough where you realize they can still grow as an artist--yet already have some musical smarts and the pipes to entertain us.

 JUST TRYING TO THINK IT THROUGH:

6 seasons of American Idol

At first, the best singer, a girl, won by almost universal acclamation and people were satisfied. A superstar is born.

Second time, it was almost a tie between 2 guys and R&B velvet teddy bear won over broadway. Pure talent ruled.

Third time, a soulful girl singer with a good life story to tell won over a 16 year old girl that messed up a note in the finals. Soulful singing rules.

Fourth time,  it boiled down between long-haired southern rocker and blonde country girl, and the girl won. Another superstar is born.

Fifth time, a naturally gifted brunette entertained and wowed the world with her beauty and talent, but a soulful gray-haired guy won. It was time for a guy to win. The oldest winner.

Sixth time, it had to be a younger finals between a 16 year old girl prodigy and a beat-boxing funky boy. A prodigiously gifted star was born. The youngest winner.

Seventh time, a mix of different variables - young, blondes, brunettes, hip, soulful, theatrical, models, actors, pros, vocalists, instrumentalists, rockstars - all talented. 

Demographics and Psychology: What's it going to be this time? If all indications are to be followed, a guy winner is up for the taking. The last guy winner is the oldest. Will this new guy be necessarily the youngest? But the recent winner is already the youngest so far, and a girl. So, will it be an 18-24 years old guy? If we can't find him up to par, then we can give the title to an 18-24 year old girl. Why not? The girls are very talented and entertaining. They have a few total packages in their group! I believe it's not yet palpable if it's a guy or a girl at this time. But, I have a feeling AI needs to give Carrie Underwood a good-looking company who could sing pop and country -- for a complete takeover of the charts. Country-Pop & Rock rules, let's face it!! Kelly Clarkson knows!

Reality: AI has to thrive on its own merits -- pop/country/rock albums sell. AI would be looking for the next Clarkson, Underwood, Daughtry, and Aiken. They need to increase both TV ratings and records sales. AI needs singers that are true entertaining vocalists, full of soul, and with pleasing and attractive personalities to boost the flailing morale of the viewers.

It would be a very entertaining season for american idol. I'm in for the almost commercial value that it gives, although I'd like to see and hear real talents for my personal satisfaction - win or lose. It's a show. Amateurs and non-amateurs alike will have to come up BIG-BIG-BIG.

Kinda hot, colorful, grotesque -- that's american idol." (Ryan Seacrest)

I guess AI is not the exact talent show that most people had thought it out to be- as something for amateurs. The need to find ways to enhance records sales and ratings prompted AI to review  the fine prints of their policy. Somehow an astute lawyer could always circumvent the rules and regulations and broaden its application to include stipulations that have never seen or applied before (like these previously recording artists joining now) -- and, get away with it, legally and ethically, which is brilliant from all angles, really. We have to get used to it.

This is exactly the point why AI is only a show. It could showcase anyone -- from someone who has never sung on tv at all and make it to the finals - to someone who has cut a record with the intent to sell. If it's a purely amateur talent search, none of Carly's kind would be allowed, needless to say.

The show has always said it's about finding "undiscovered talent", not amateurs.  So even though Carly or Michael have had opportunities to make records in the past it's not like the world "discovered" them.  The public didn't know who they were until now so I don't really have a problem with it.

But I do have a harder time judging (let's use last year) Jordin vs Melinda when Melinda has had all that experience.  I think ultimately that hurt her because she was too polished.  People like to see contestants improve throughout the season.  They kind of like to "discover" them and follow along with the ride themselves.  But as the show has gone along, the contestants were bound to get more and more professional as people see what it can do for their careers.  I think in the first couple of seasons, you wouldn't have had a Chris Daughtry or David Cook come on the show because they would have felt it "beneath them" as "rockers".

But I think Mr. D has shown that it's a pretty good way to get discovered by America.