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I totally agree with the comments on the bad auditions. It's actually becoming downright cruel, especially with the guy with the bug eyes and the heavy-set guy with his pants pulled up too high - you know they're going to get critcized, and you just cringe for them. The pattern in these last two nites is they've shown 7 people who made it to Hollywood each nite, so we've seen 14 move on; however 17 made it in Minneapolis and 14 in Seattle, but out of that batch, we've only seen 50%. So far no standouts in the first week, but next week could be different - Kat's audition was in the second week of the season. I heard some good people came out of Memphis, so we shall see. There's also Birmingham, New York and Los Angeles coming up - one would think some decent talent should come out of those auditions.
Yes, the manipulative patterns have become more noticeable this season. And we can thank Kat for exposing them and exactly how 'AI' works as a finely-tuned machine to manipulate viewers. Based on comments I'm hearing everywhere...most people are onto it all. Nevertheless, when you realize the two premiere nights were the highest-rated 'AI' in its history so far--you also realize that people are just accepting the bad things and enjoying it for what it is. It's become one of the most necessary of evils I think.
More could be said along these lines. Two big issues: the editing process and the selection process. On editing: It's not that the singers were so much worse overall, it's that the producers totally played up the awful people (and the judges nasty comments). We got very little sight of the truly strong singers in the city auditions. I enjoy seeing the freaks as much as the next guy, but it was WAY out of balance--as if they decided that bad singers (with mean commentary) = good ratings. On selection: having just finished watching the selection of the final 24, something seemed quite arbitrary or contrived this year about their decisions from Hollywood week forward. As Greg suggests, it seems there are calculations at work that are only partially related to talent and charisma. Some very odd decisions were handed down. The group that remains, at least in my eyes, is not too inspiring.
Gary
Of course we noticed! There was at least one whole thread about it.
Too bad the plug didn't include who was singing for those fans who haven't bought the cd yet. And future fans.
Oh, sure I was watching it, and who's up for a pool? Let's see how accurate people are because I know people say they picked Kat out to be a contender at the beginning last year, but did they really? I know I did, I totally remember Kat and Paris and picked them to be in the Top 12. Also, ya'll gotta give the fresh crop a chance, they're will never be another Kat because there's only one Kat - so get over your bad selves.