America's Got Talent - But will it be used for Good or Evil? : )

America’s Got Talent...BUT will it be used for good or evil? : )
During my current show run here in Minnesota, I'm finding I actually have Tuesdays OFF and so like millions of Americans I plop myself down on the couch and channel surf to find some kind of televised eye-candy that I call swallow down like a nice, cold beer.

America's Got Talent is back for another season, and it is definitely a train-wreck of a show. There's a pile of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly all looking like they just got side-swiped by a Hollywood tour bus. It's definitely the shallow end of the talent pool. Not that some of the contestants aren't talented, but more because the show's producers have reduced talent to a single layer of pure schmaltz. Week after week, we wade through a string of really bad acts that for some unknown reason are NOT buzzed away in the first 5 seconds, but are instead encouraged to be bad for their full, alloted time. What the Hell?

Well, it's ratings folks, and the producers have ONLY designed this show to be tomorrow's water cooler talk. "Hey, did you see the woman with the gigantic boobs last night on AGT??? And what about that actual, living & breathing Giant exploding his stomach with firecrackers? Or the sword-swallower who plunged at least 8 or 9 jumbo steak-knives down his throat - ALL AT THE SAME TIME?!!!"

Then there's the (INSERT BLUE COLLAR WORKER HERE) who sings (INSERT FAMOUS OPERA PIECE HERE) while still remaining truly (INSERT "HUMBLE" OR SIMILAR PHRASE HERE). Nice try, AGT, but you did the EXACT SAME TRICK in Britain's version of the show LAST YEAR!!! (I figure they reckon that most of the dumbed-down population of the U.S. who watch the show won't have the time or money to fly over to merry ol' England to realize the show is simply ripping off their own formula of success again and again.

For those who haven't seen it. A lonely, large man sadly walks to center-stage and then STUNS the judges and crowd by singing a classic operatic ditty at full-throttle. He brings the house down, and as the judges tell him, "YOU are what THIS show is ALL ABOUT!", tears roll down his cheeks, and we're all happy that yet another unknown talent got his fair shake at the bass ring.

While I watched it, I was actually shocked and amazed that they would have the gall to pull the exact same scenario once again on American television that they did in Britain. Sure, different guy, but the concept was duplicated exactly, including the very same song. (Thankfully several talk shows & radio shows also noticed and snipped about it.)

Oh well, sometimes even I have to admit I enjoy watching train-wrecks.

Manipulation 101 once again tonight, as they brought on a cute 9 year old who was diagnosed Autistic. He was ADORABLE as he sang Michael Jackson's "Ben". I couldn't help but be touched, both as a viewer and as a father of an autistic son myself. The little boy was considered "high-functioning" just like my own child. And it really was a heart-warming moment.

Of course at some point down the road, they'll vote him off the show, because seriously, who would fly to Vegas to see a Nine-year old sing old Jackson hits for an hour. But for now, just for tonight, it was great.

So, the show is not without it's flaws, and I couldn't disagree more with the way they treat most performers - giving them ONLY a 90 second spot to "strut their stuff" and hope they don't get "X'd" by the judges before their time is up. I've also heard that the contract they lay out for the contestants is nothing short of a deal with the Devil, claiming full control over a person's act and their future earnings since the show feels they were the ones who made them a star.

Also, I'm told the million dollars a person wins is NOT actually a full million dollars....It's doled out over a life-time and very heavily taxed, so by the time the winner actually sees any money, he's got just enough left for a few nice dinners per month into his 80's -- Should he live so long.

Last but not least, the show tramples over true variety stars who have been "in the business" for decades, but then get tossed onto the coals because the judges don't (or sometimes won't) "get it". They're insulted right and left, and in seconds their solid careers are magically reduced back to amateur status. Oops! (One reason why I will NEVER go on the show. After performing for 20+ years, why in the world would I want to be judged by those three?!!?!?!! Only if someone hits me in the side of the head with a heavy rock would I ever consider it. Heheee!)

But then again, we should all lighten up. It's not a serious show, although they pretend to be. Come on! After all, Springer is HOSTING IT! Hasslehoff is a JUDGE!!! Need I go on? Unusual isn't it that not ONE true producer or agent is actually a judge on the show?

So, take it for what it's worth. An hour or two of pure couch-potato happiness. Yippie! Pass the french-fries and the jelly donuts! Yahoo!!

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