"AMERICAN IDOL" COMES ROARING BACK TO LIFE
January 27th 2011 08:48
Link: www,thejukeboxhero.com
Listen, can you hear it, the distinctive thump, Thump, THUMP of new life beating resonantly through the speakers of your television? It's there alright, this magnificent noise, and it's not the sound of a gentle awakening, but a bold surge of resurrection power, strong and vibrant with a bold dash of panache and confidence, even an air of cocksuredness..........sort of like a rockstar might display. Unhook the respirator, toss aside the shovel, forget about those last rites, and return the headstone to the mortician because despite what the multitudes of naysayers and grim-faced prognosticators who were ready to pull the plug on the longrunning TV talent series initially thought, euthanasia of "American Idol" will not be necessary.
Season 10 of "American Idol" premiered last Wednesday night to much pomp and fanfare, and for good reason: two new judges, iconic rocker, Steven Tyler, and pop star/movie starlet, Jennifer Lopez, sat at the table ruled by the notoriously curmudgeonly Simon Cowell for so many years. And what a breath of fresh air in the nostrils of TV viewing splendor it was! Hallejulah, finally "Idol" ushered in a couple of real pros. The duo instantly brought new life to the show and in one appearance almost erased the memory of the vapid Kara DioGuardi and her equally lackluster judging cohort, the self-styled "Voice Of The People", Ellen Degeneres. Tyler in particular has been brilliant in his own wacky way, engaging the contestants with snappy banter, singing along with them while they performed their audition songs, swearing up a blue streak, flirting with the girls, cracking jokes, and generally being dazzlingly funny and entertaining, something the boringly dour Cowell could never match in a million years as an Idol judge. Besides that, Tyler has shown he certainly takes no back seat to Crusty Cowell when it comes to his ability to render precise pinpoint assessments of singing talent. From tweeting Twitter fiends to the entire blogosphere, the verdict is in and the scrappy-haired 62 year-old Aerosmith lead singer with the big bodacious voice is an instant hit, making us all nearly forget about the "Boresome Foursome" who sat at the judging panel last season when TV ratings at "Idol" plummeted to all-time lows.
While Tyler was the perky, animated, joke-snapping dude, Lopez was the gal who can't say no. No matter how awful the performer, J Lo found it hard to be a dream-crusher, causing us all, at first, to conjure up memories of a former slightly ditsy Idol judge who once occupied Lopez's seat. Will she be the new Paula Abdul, gushing over every sweet contestant with talk about "rainbows" and "seeing the color of the soul" and other syrupy homilies? As J Lo talked about the Idol job having the power to "change lives", and constantly dropped her eyes to avoid saying no to auditioners, it seemed a possibility, but, in actuality the glamorous Lopez is made of far sterner stuff than her maudlin predecessor and is nothing like a Paula clone, which was confirmed during this week's show when Lopez did not seem as reticent about handing out "thumbs down" to auditioners. J Lo may not have found her voice just yet, but she has been brief and on point with her assessments. She didn't expend 10,000 words to say nothing as uber-garrulous Kara would have, or resort to some choppy, indecisive comedy-laced spiel like Ellen. It should be remembered, too, that Jennifer is filling Paula's old role as the nurturing, maternal judge, but, in her case she can handle this chore without having us all think she is a member of some child protective service.
And, what of the third judge, the venerable Randy Jackson? Randy was, unfortunately, still Randy, but there is definitely less of him to look at this season. He didn't stray very far off the customary dawg path in style and delivery, but, there is an authority about him now that hadn't come out in year's past. He got to play the role of the bemused veteran, frequently chuckling and fraternally calling Tyler (and J Lo)"insane", a role that suited him well after years of being the panel's "also ran". But, to his credit, he seemed friendlier and livelier than in year's past with more good humor and appreciation for the nerve-wracked and knee-knocking auditioning contestants. If what we are seeing is a preview of the 2011 version of Jackson, it is indeed an encouraging sign because, for my money, a friendly, frisky Dawg is a big improvement over the gruff one who has been collared for years under the tether of Dark Lord Cowell's Domain.
It is undeniably clear that "American Idol's" tenth season has begun with twinkling promise for a return to the old familiar halcyon days of the past, something that has surely got Idol producers and fans of the show alike beaming with bright hopeful smiles.
Tyler, Lopez, and Jackson showed outstanding promise last Wednesday night and then again this week for a few reasons. First, "Idol" works much better with three judges. You can actually feel a genuine bond developing between Jackson, Tyler, and Lopez, which was virtually non-existent last season despite Kara's ostensibly tawdry efforts to portray herself as a sex-starved kitten, slobbering all over contestants and often desperately trying to kindle a made-for-TV romance with Simon as Paula had once done far more convincingly. Next, with four judges the interpersonal dynamic is too complicated with all the judges vying to get in their critiques which often were way too wordy, too time-consuming and in conflict with the opinions of other judges, baffling and bewildering contestants and home viewers alike and simply bogging down the show while steadily draining viewer interest. Third, as seasoned music-biz pros, both Tyler and Lopez came across as relatively confident in their judgments of auditioning talent. They didn't suffer from the frequent awkward insecurity Ellen brought to the panel nor the incessant overdramatization and wordiness Kara never seemed to tire of, both of which caused the show to suffer. And, finally, neither Tyler nor Lopez seem to feel above their job. Neither portray an air of superiority or project a sense they are better than the lowly young auditioners who stand before them like Kara and Cowell did.
As soon as Tyler and J Lo took their seats and the new panel was assembled, it was as if the proverbial elephant in the room had finally ambled out of view---for the first time in the history of the show the immature fumblings and flailings of the contestants will not be mirrored at the judge's table.
Not only are they undeniably great to look at, but Tyler and Lopez are longtime stars who have nothing to lose by being part of "American Idol". In Tyler's case, everything is a simple matter of upside. After a signifiicant period of rehab for painkiller addiction following his fall from the stage during a 2009 Aerosmith concert in Sturgis, South Dakota, and lots of subsequent nasty rumors flying around about him being booted from the band, Tyler has bounced back with gusto, and showcasing his wit and charm and capacious knowledge of music can only help ameliorate his somewhat tarnished image. Some think that is really the main reason Tyler decided to take the "Idol" gig in the first place ---just a self-serving way to regenerate himself in the public eye as a nice, fun-loving guy---and once he does that, he won't stay on the show very long. There may be a kernel of validity to that notion, but, even in the event his stay on Idol is a much shorter one than we'd all prefer, so what? At least for the brief time we have him sitting in the judge's seat he will help restore a semblance of judging credibility to the panel while being uproaringly funny doing it. Besides, with Steven Tyler around, even for a short stint, just think of all the great legendary music stars who might take the "Idol" stage with Tyler for some memorable, rollicking performances. I can't remember many rock n roll legends who clammored to come on "Idol" because of Cowell, and the fact is, many stayed away from the show BECAUSE of His Surliness.
On top of that, Steven Tyler knows a hundred times more about all distinctive varieties of music than does the younger, one-dimensional, pop music worshiping Cowell, and that in itself is a huge boon to the show. Whether one wants to admit it or not, Cowell was always heavily biased toward pop singers on "Idol", and the video evidence supports that fact. He admittedly loathed country music. He barely tolerated R&B contestants. He couldn't wait to get rid of the phenomenally-talented, but then overweight Mandisa, who often wanted to sing music of faith on the show (to Cowell's eternal teeth-grinding frustration)) and who is now a hugely-successful, internationally renown Contemporary Christian artist. It may sound like a bit of an overstatement, but Simon Cowell wouldn't be able to spot a rock star if the Electric Rooster himself, Mick Jagger, walked up to Simon and planted a wet, big-lipped kiss on one of his cheeks. Cowell, for all the gushy accolades he received before and during "Idol" for being able to discover young talent, was inexorably predisposed to giving preference to pop-oriented contestants during the competition, and this, as much as anything, gradually eroded the overall quality of the show and left it briefly in a lurch before the new judges were named. The contestant talent has always been there. It just wasn't the talent Cowell wanted to put in the spotlight of fame and fortune. When Simon left Idol, it was the best thing true fans of the show could have hoped for because his departure opened the door of promise for aspiring contestants in ALL genres of music, instead of those who performed chiefly pulpy pop.
And, who better to bring onto the panel than Tyler, a true afficionado and avid appreciator of all varieties of music, a person who has actually fought and struggled to make it to the top as a superstar musician and singer. Cowell's brusque, look down-the-nose system of selection pales in comparison to the kind of barebones experience in the music industry Tyler brings to the table. One thing is clear about this season of "Idol" already: With Season 10, ALL CONTESTANTS will receive a fair shake when it comes to song choices and assessments based thereon, regardless of what kind of song any given contestant elects to sings.
For me, "American Idol" has already become an improved show by virtue of an old time-tested mathmatical formula: Addition by subtraction. And I don't have to explain what I mean by that.
I mean, where is it written that a TV talent competition must have a crabby Brit sitting at the judging table for it to be credible? The ultimate fate and fortune of "American Idol" rests on breaking that mold, and, thank God, "American Idol" chose to do so by wisely adding Tyler and Lopez to the panel. The blogosphere reflects it. The TV ratings are beginning to substantiate it. Thump. Thump. THUMP!
And what about the contestants this season? What of the quality of their talent so far?
In short, not bad, not bad at all. The New Jersey auditions brought us some nice stories, a few good laughs, and some pretty talented singers. I particularly enjoyed Caleb Hawley, the guy who sang "Hallejulah" and Robbie Rosen, the perpetually smiling 15 year-old who sang the Beatles' "Yesterday" quite nicely. This week, in Milwaukee, the talent pool was deep and polished, and the list of good singers surprisingly long. I couldn't help but to be moved nearly to tears by the last auditioner of the night, Chris Medina, whose fiancee nearly died in a tragic car crash before they could marry. Medina, who seems like a fine man, can take heart because he is a fine singer in his own right and his potential for doing well in the "Idol" competition is bright. It was especially moving to witness all three judges voice words of hope and encouragement to Medina's badly-injured fiancee. See, you can be a judge and still have a heart.
The best case scenario for a complete Idol recovery this season is for the show to produce the kind of unique and talented performer along the likes of an Adam Lambert, Bo Bice or Carrie Underwood or a Jennifer Hudson, which, of course, is hoping for alot, given that Lambert, Bice, Underwood, and Hudson are prodigious talents which come along very rarely. But all the rockers out there can be encouraged because if there is an Ozzy or Mick or Hendrix out there, we finally have a judge or two with a keen ear, a sense of fairness, and the perspacacity to acknowldge that fact and bring that person to the forefront of public consciousness.
That's why I am so delighted and encouraged by the beat which signals a delicious new life for "American Idol".
Thump. Thump. THUMP!!
Season 10 of "American Idol" premiered last Wednesday night to much pomp and fanfare, and for good reason: two new judges, iconic rocker, Steven Tyler, and pop star/movie starlet, Jennifer Lopez, sat at the table ruled by the notoriously curmudgeonly Simon Cowell for so many years. And what a breath of fresh air in the nostrils of TV viewing splendor it was! Hallejulah, finally "Idol" ushered in a couple of real pros. The duo instantly brought new life to the show and in one appearance almost erased the memory of the vapid Kara DioGuardi and her equally lackluster judging cohort, the self-styled "Voice Of The People", Ellen Degeneres. Tyler in particular has been brilliant in his own wacky way, engaging the contestants with snappy banter, singing along with them while they performed their audition songs, swearing up a blue streak, flirting with the girls, cracking jokes, and generally being dazzlingly funny and entertaining, something the boringly dour Cowell could never match in a million years as an Idol judge. Besides that, Tyler has shown he certainly takes no back seat to Crusty Cowell when it comes to his ability to render precise pinpoint assessments of singing talent. From tweeting Twitter fiends to the entire blogosphere, the verdict is in and the scrappy-haired 62 year-old Aerosmith lead singer with the big bodacious voice is an instant hit, making us all nearly forget about the "Boresome Foursome" who sat at the judging panel last season when TV ratings at "Idol" plummeted to all-time lows.
While Tyler was the perky, animated, joke-snapping dude, Lopez was the gal who can't say no. No matter how awful the performer, J Lo found it hard to be a dream-crusher, causing us all, at first, to conjure up memories of a former slightly ditsy Idol judge who once occupied Lopez's seat. Will she be the new Paula Abdul, gushing over every sweet contestant with talk about "rainbows" and "seeing the color of the soul" and other syrupy homilies? As J Lo talked about the Idol job having the power to "change lives", and constantly dropped her eyes to avoid saying no to auditioners, it seemed a possibility, but, in actuality the glamorous Lopez is made of far sterner stuff than her maudlin predecessor and is nothing like a Paula clone, which was confirmed during this week's show when Lopez did not seem as reticent about handing out "thumbs down" to auditioners. J Lo may not have found her voice just yet, but she has been brief and on point with her assessments. She didn't expend 10,000 words to say nothing as uber-garrulous Kara would have, or resort to some choppy, indecisive comedy-laced spiel like Ellen. It should be remembered, too, that Jennifer is filling Paula's old role as the nurturing, maternal judge, but, in her case she can handle this chore without having us all think she is a member of some child protective service.
And, what of the third judge, the venerable Randy Jackson? Randy was, unfortunately, still Randy, but there is definitely less of him to look at this season. He didn't stray very far off the customary dawg path in style and delivery, but, there is an authority about him now that hadn't come out in year's past. He got to play the role of the bemused veteran, frequently chuckling and fraternally calling Tyler (and J Lo)"insane", a role that suited him well after years of being the panel's "also ran". But, to his credit, he seemed friendlier and livelier than in year's past with more good humor and appreciation for the nerve-wracked and knee-knocking auditioning contestants. If what we are seeing is a preview of the 2011 version of Jackson, it is indeed an encouraging sign because, for my money, a friendly, frisky Dawg is a big improvement over the gruff one who has been collared for years under the tether of Dark Lord Cowell's Domain.
It is undeniably clear that "American Idol's" tenth season has begun with twinkling promise for a return to the old familiar halcyon days of the past, something that has surely got Idol producers and fans of the show alike beaming with bright hopeful smiles.
Tyler, Lopez, and Jackson showed outstanding promise last Wednesday night and then again this week for a few reasons. First, "Idol" works much better with three judges. You can actually feel a genuine bond developing between Jackson, Tyler, and Lopez, which was virtually non-existent last season despite Kara's ostensibly tawdry efforts to portray herself as a sex-starved kitten, slobbering all over contestants and often desperately trying to kindle a made-for-TV romance with Simon as Paula had once done far more convincingly. Next, with four judges the interpersonal dynamic is too complicated with all the judges vying to get in their critiques which often were way too wordy, too time-consuming and in conflict with the opinions of other judges, baffling and bewildering contestants and home viewers alike and simply bogging down the show while steadily draining viewer interest. Third, as seasoned music-biz pros, both Tyler and Lopez came across as relatively confident in their judgments of auditioning talent. They didn't suffer from the frequent awkward insecurity Ellen brought to the panel nor the incessant overdramatization and wordiness Kara never seemed to tire of, both of which caused the show to suffer. And, finally, neither Tyler nor Lopez seem to feel above their job. Neither portray an air of superiority or project a sense they are better than the lowly young auditioners who stand before them like Kara and Cowell did.
As soon as Tyler and J Lo took their seats and the new panel was assembled, it was as if the proverbial elephant in the room had finally ambled out of view---for the first time in the history of the show the immature fumblings and flailings of the contestants will not be mirrored at the judge's table.
Not only are they undeniably great to look at, but Tyler and Lopez are longtime stars who have nothing to lose by being part of "American Idol". In Tyler's case, everything is a simple matter of upside. After a signifiicant period of rehab for painkiller addiction following his fall from the stage during a 2009 Aerosmith concert in Sturgis, South Dakota, and lots of subsequent nasty rumors flying around about him being booted from the band, Tyler has bounced back with gusto, and showcasing his wit and charm and capacious knowledge of music can only help ameliorate his somewhat tarnished image. Some think that is really the main reason Tyler decided to take the "Idol" gig in the first place ---just a self-serving way to regenerate himself in the public eye as a nice, fun-loving guy---and once he does that, he won't stay on the show very long. There may be a kernel of validity to that notion, but, even in the event his stay on Idol is a much shorter one than we'd all prefer, so what? At least for the brief time we have him sitting in the judge's seat he will help restore a semblance of judging credibility to the panel while being uproaringly funny doing it. Besides, with Steven Tyler around, even for a short stint, just think of all the great legendary music stars who might take the "Idol" stage with Tyler for some memorable, rollicking performances. I can't remember many rock n roll legends who clammored to come on "Idol" because of Cowell, and the fact is, many stayed away from the show BECAUSE of His Surliness.
On top of that, Steven Tyler knows a hundred times more about all distinctive varieties of music than does the younger, one-dimensional, pop music worshiping Cowell, and that in itself is a huge boon to the show. Whether one wants to admit it or not, Cowell was always heavily biased toward pop singers on "Idol", and the video evidence supports that fact. He admittedly loathed country music. He barely tolerated R&B contestants. He couldn't wait to get rid of the phenomenally-talented, but then overweight Mandisa, who often wanted to sing music of faith on the show (to Cowell's eternal teeth-grinding frustration)) and who is now a hugely-successful, internationally renown Contemporary Christian artist. It may sound like a bit of an overstatement, but Simon Cowell wouldn't be able to spot a rock star if the Electric Rooster himself, Mick Jagger, walked up to Simon and planted a wet, big-lipped kiss on one of his cheeks. Cowell, for all the gushy accolades he received before and during "Idol" for being able to discover young talent, was inexorably predisposed to giving preference to pop-oriented contestants during the competition, and this, as much as anything, gradually eroded the overall quality of the show and left it briefly in a lurch before the new judges were named. The contestant talent has always been there. It just wasn't the talent Cowell wanted to put in the spotlight of fame and fortune. When Simon left Idol, it was the best thing true fans of the show could have hoped for because his departure opened the door of promise for aspiring contestants in ALL genres of music, instead of those who performed chiefly pulpy pop.
Back In A New Saddle....Again
And, who better to bring onto the panel than Tyler, a true afficionado and avid appreciator of all varieties of music, a person who has actually fought and struggled to make it to the top as a superstar musician and singer. Cowell's brusque, look down-the-nose system of selection pales in comparison to the kind of barebones experience in the music industry Tyler brings to the table. One thing is clear about this season of "Idol" already: With Season 10, ALL CONTESTANTS will receive a fair shake when it comes to song choices and assessments based thereon, regardless of what kind of song any given contestant elects to sings.
For me, "American Idol" has already become an improved show by virtue of an old time-tested mathmatical formula: Addition by subtraction. And I don't have to explain what I mean by that.
This season Idol contestants can avoid being Simonized
I mean, where is it written that a TV talent competition must have a crabby Brit sitting at the judging table for it to be credible? The ultimate fate and fortune of "American Idol" rests on breaking that mold, and, thank God, "American Idol" chose to do so by wisely adding Tyler and Lopez to the panel. The blogosphere reflects it. The TV ratings are beginning to substantiate it. Thump. Thump. THUMP!
And what about the contestants this season? What of the quality of their talent so far?
In short, not bad, not bad at all. The New Jersey auditions brought us some nice stories, a few good laughs, and some pretty talented singers. I particularly enjoyed Caleb Hawley, the guy who sang "Hallejulah" and Robbie Rosen, the perpetually smiling 15 year-old who sang the Beatles' "Yesterday" quite nicely. This week, in Milwaukee, the talent pool was deep and polished, and the list of good singers surprisingly long. I couldn't help but to be moved nearly to tears by the last auditioner of the night, Chris Medina, whose fiancee nearly died in a tragic car crash before they could marry. Medina, who seems like a fine man, can take heart because he is a fine singer in his own right and his potential for doing well in the "Idol" competition is bright. It was especially moving to witness all three judges voice words of hope and encouragement to Medina's badly-injured fiancee. See, you can be a judge and still have a heart.
The best case scenario for a complete Idol recovery this season is for the show to produce the kind of unique and talented performer along the likes of an Adam Lambert, Bo Bice or Carrie Underwood or a Jennifer Hudson, which, of course, is hoping for alot, given that Lambert, Bice, Underwood, and Hudson are prodigious talents which come along very rarely. But all the rockers out there can be encouraged because if there is an Ozzy or Mick or Hendrix out there, we finally have a judge or two with a keen ear, a sense of fairness, and the perspacacity to acknowldge that fact and bring that person to the forefront of public consciousness.
That's why I am so delighted and encouraged by the beat which signals a delicious new life for "American Idol".
Thump. Thump. THUMP!!
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