Music reality shows (American Idol, X-factor, The Voice, etc.)

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

For one I think these shows are PLAYED OUT. Idol has been around for over TEN years now in the U.S. if you can believe that.

It's the same stuff season after season after season.

I think though my biggest gripe with these shows is they aren't very good at creating stars.

I mean of course there are some highly successful acts that have come out of these shows but if you look at the winners and runners up of all of them how many have gone on to robust careers?

The fact is, these shows are packed with talented singers who get their 15 minutes of fame and then disappear. Rare is the one who actually makes something of him or herself after the competition is over.

[Bloodsoul]

That reminds me, I was searching through YouTube one day and came upon a clip from The Gong Show featuring The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTRd1a5MVMw

Why can't somebody bring back that show!?

[Nekojin]

These "reality" talent shows are just a case of America unwittingly adopting a Japanese tradition - Idol stars. In Japan, it's extremely common for someone (usually female) to rise to national fame, being adored by millions... only to sink to obscurity in a year or two, once they've become "played out." Meanwhile, other young starlets are also hopping on and off the fame train.

Some of them are oblivious to the fact that they're the Flavor Of The Month, and are stunned when they no longer have adoring fans lavishing attention on their every action. Some are wiser and plan for it, using the money they make as an idol to further themselves in other ways.

[Jetfire]

That reminds me, I was searching through YouTube one day and came upon a clip from The Gong Show featuring The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTRd1a5MVMw

Why can't somebody bring back that show!?

In a way, it has been brought back, in the form of America's Got Talent.

The problem is, AGT doesn't get fresh acts each time. They play them out through 5-6 rounds, by which time even the best ones can start getting tiring.

A proper Gong show-like talent show would probably do well; like AGT but without the Vegas stages and what not. Just the round the country tryouts.

[Nekojin]

The difference is that The Gong Show went for a deliberately corny appeal - they actively courted people who were atrociously bad for the laugh factor. I don't think that AGT does that - they're trying to play it seriously.

[crashhelmet]

The difference is that The Gong Show went for a deliberately corny appeal - they actively courted people who were atrociously bad for the laugh factor. I don't think that AGT does that - they're trying to play it seriously.

They are, but just like American Idol and the other shows, they're still looking for that William Hung or "General" Larry Platt that they can exploit for ratings.

[Mytical]

I initially liked 'The Voice' because it was somewhat different, the judges didn't get to see the singers before deciding if they were good or not..so some good singers who might not have 'the look' actually made it through. I liked that. Still rooting for two of the singers (Nicolous David (spelling) and Travin Martin (spelling)). Mostly because they are NOT what you normally see on talent shows...but yes I've even stopped watching dancing shows..and I loved watching America's Best Dance Crew, and So you think you can dance..but they got boring.

[AdminAssistant]

I tried to watch "So You Think You Can Dance" but that one female judge is just too damn annoying.

One thing I like about "The Voice" is that there's at least a bit of a range among the judges - from pop to country to r&b.

[TheHuckster]

I initially liked 'The Voice' because it was somewhat different, the judges didn't get to see the singers before deciding if they were good or not..so some good singers who might not have 'the look' actually made it through.

That brings me to a piece of irony about American Idol, at least in the last couple seasons... I can say with confidence that Steven Tyler, with his unorthodox voice and very unusual face would have never made it to Hollywood, yet there he is judging new contestants to be the next big pop singer.

[crashhelmet]

That brings me to a piece of irony about American Idol, at least in the last couple seasons... I can say with confidence that Steven Tyler, with his unorthodox voice and very unusual face would have never made it to Hollywood, yet there he is judging new contestants to be the next big pop singer.

If you were to take Steven Tyler at his current appearance, you could say that. Take away all the damage to his face from drugs, alcohol, plastic surgery, and age and look at what he looked like when he started and he'd pass.

[fireheart17]

I initially liked 'The Voice' because it was somewhat different, the judges didn't get to see the singers before deciding if they were good or not..so some good singers who might not have 'the look' actually made it through. I liked that.

They had the same concept down here as well. Although for GOD knows what reason, the only "Australian" judge in the lineup was Delta Goodrem. I liked the idea of the show and as it turns out, one of the finalists (Rachael Leahcar) is using her time on The Voice to promote the Royal Society for the Blind.

It appears though that unlike your version of Idol, Channel Ten (who produced/ran Australian Idol) recognised that hte show was getting stale after around six seasons and pulled the plug. Ditto for So You Think You Can dance (which lasted three series)

The problem is, AGT doesn't get fresh acts each time. They play them out through 5-6 rounds, by which time even the best ones can start getting tiring.

Ditto for Australia's Got Talent. While I do like the different acts they have on there, the winning acts overall always tend to be singers (with the exception of ONE act, which still involved music). I have liked the different acts though...the first year they had Col-E-Flower, who played musical vegetables , another year they had Marching Girls (that act has gone on to appear in the state's Christmas Pageant ) and last year's runner-up was a magician called Consentino.

Best act hands down though was the 70-something guy who did acrobatics hanging off of a flexible pole with what looked like a 4-spoked wheel on top. Without a harness. Outdoors.