Thursday, June 28, 2007
"Talent" Shows
This summer, like last summer, I've been watching the 21st century's latest answer to the Gong Show - America's Got Talent. If you don't know what it is, it's basically a show where people with and without a shred of talent perform in the hopes of eventually winning one million bucks.
Folks without a shred of self-awareness perform in front of an audience and three judges. The three judges can quickly X a no talent performer - when all three put up Xs, the person is done, they can also vote after allowing someone to perform and two yes votes pass them on. I've found there's others, like American Idle and The Next Great Imitator or some such. All of who allow really no-talent individuals to embarrass themselves and us by attempting to perform.
Why they do it is beyond me. I can't sing and have been told that by others (notably a nun who was my sixth grade teacher). I can't carry a tune with or without a bucket and have no hopes of ever doing so. Yet, my caterwauling is heads and shoulders above some of these so-called talents. And what is even more amazing is that they act hurt when one of the judges tells them they are no talent bums who shouldn't be wasting their or our time. Thank goodness there's at least one judge (oh by the way, each show has to have one 'evil' judge) who isn't afraid to hurt their feelings and tell them they are really bad and to go away and not come back - ever.
