Post by Inside Australian Idol on Dec 18, 2003 1:15:34 GMT 10
Abusive judges upstage Idols
Ben English in London
18dec03
THE World Idol program that viewers in Australia watch on Boxing Day is unlikely to resemble the ugly circus that was staged at Fountain TV Studios in Wembley.
The pre-recorded contest was reduced to a farcical slanging match between judges who ran their own competition for the nastiest diatribe.
About the only contestant to escape the torrent of spite was Australian Idol Guy Sebastian, who emerged from the fracas as a dark horse for the title.
Sebastian said while he was pleased with his own performance, he was crushed by the panel's attempt to hijack the show from the performers.
"I must admit I was disappointed," he said. "I thought this was going to be a beautiful thing, a celebration of music from around the world, of different cultures coming together.
"Instead we got a slagging match that upstaged all the idols."
Idol executives admitted after the recording there would be "heavy editing" to ensure the show did not offend viewers.
It seemed the show's producers had plucked the "nasty" judge from every territory and put them all on World Idol.
The insults flew from the very first performance, when German Idol Alexander, who sang the 1980s song Maniac, was panned as "a cross between an aerobics instructor and a porn star" by the Canadian judge.
The judges were equally brutal on Dutch performer Jemai, who sang the Elton John classic Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word.
"Jemai, I can sort of understand why you won Dutch Idol," said a caustic Simon Cowell.
"There probably are not that many good singers in Holland."
South Africa's entrant, Heinz, was savaged by the Polish critic, whose behaviour grew more bizarre as the show went on.
"The only thing that's keeping me here is gravitational force and the fact that my flight doesn't leave until tomorrow," he said.
Canadian Idol Ryan Campbell's performance was derided by Australia's representative panellist Ian Dickson as "full of neurosis".
"Somebody said you had a Buddy Holly look. I thought it was more like Where's Wally having a day off, actually," he said.
By contrast, the judges dripped with praise for American Idol Kelly Clarkson, who since her victory has already forged a chart-busting career. Cowell said Clarkson's performance of Carole King's You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman showed she was a thoroughbred and the rest of the contestants were donkeys.
"I don't know why you're here and I don't know why I'm here," he moaned.
However, the best moment of the show – and probably one that will end up on the cutting floor – was the confrontation between Belgian Idol Peter Evrard and judge Pete Waterman.
Evrard, with a rocker's long hair, goatie and an angry visage belted out Kurt Cobain's Lithium Stand Back – a track far removed from the usual bubblegum fare served up on the Pop Idol franchise.
Waterman accused Evrard of fakery but in a lengthy and heated exchange the Belgian said: "Who are you to judge me to be real?"
He may have had a point. Waterman was the man who invented a factory line of formularised pop stars in the late 1980s, including Kylie Minogue.
Meanwhile, Sebastian's version of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World was praised, with some judges suggesting he could go all the way.
The Dutch judge said while he didn't like the upbeat arrangement of the song, his "charisma and voice makes him a potential world idol".
The German panellist said: "Guy, I think it's incredible what you do. You have so much stage presence. I didn't like the arrangement, but "you have so much charisma I think you are going to go a long way."
Sebastian's biggest threats appear to be Clarkson and possibly Norwegian Idol Kurt Nilsen.
World Idol screens in Australia on Boxing Day. The winner will be decided by a worldwide viewers' vote and will be announced on January 2.
www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8195643%255E953,00.html
MORE IN NEWS SECTION OF THIS FORUM
Ben English in London
18dec03
THE World Idol program that viewers in Australia watch on Boxing Day is unlikely to resemble the ugly circus that was staged at Fountain TV Studios in Wembley.
The pre-recorded contest was reduced to a farcical slanging match between judges who ran their own competition for the nastiest diatribe.
About the only contestant to escape the torrent of spite was Australian Idol Guy Sebastian, who emerged from the fracas as a dark horse for the title.
Sebastian said while he was pleased with his own performance, he was crushed by the panel's attempt to hijack the show from the performers.
"I must admit I was disappointed," he said. "I thought this was going to be a beautiful thing, a celebration of music from around the world, of different cultures coming together.
"Instead we got a slagging match that upstaged all the idols."
Idol executives admitted after the recording there would be "heavy editing" to ensure the show did not offend viewers.
It seemed the show's producers had plucked the "nasty" judge from every territory and put them all on World Idol.
The insults flew from the very first performance, when German Idol Alexander, who sang the 1980s song Maniac, was panned as "a cross between an aerobics instructor and a porn star" by the Canadian judge.
The judges were equally brutal on Dutch performer Jemai, who sang the Elton John classic Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word.
"Jemai, I can sort of understand why you won Dutch Idol," said a caustic Simon Cowell.
"There probably are not that many good singers in Holland."
South Africa's entrant, Heinz, was savaged by the Polish critic, whose behaviour grew more bizarre as the show went on.
"The only thing that's keeping me here is gravitational force and the fact that my flight doesn't leave until tomorrow," he said.
Canadian Idol Ryan Campbell's performance was derided by Australia's representative panellist Ian Dickson as "full of neurosis".
"Somebody said you had a Buddy Holly look. I thought it was more like Where's Wally having a day off, actually," he said.
By contrast, the judges dripped with praise for American Idol Kelly Clarkson, who since her victory has already forged a chart-busting career. Cowell said Clarkson's performance of Carole King's You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman showed she was a thoroughbred and the rest of the contestants were donkeys.
"I don't know why you're here and I don't know why I'm here," he moaned.
However, the best moment of the show – and probably one that will end up on the cutting floor – was the confrontation between Belgian Idol Peter Evrard and judge Pete Waterman.
Evrard, with a rocker's long hair, goatie and an angry visage belted out Kurt Cobain's Lithium Stand Back – a track far removed from the usual bubblegum fare served up on the Pop Idol franchise.
Waterman accused Evrard of fakery but in a lengthy and heated exchange the Belgian said: "Who are you to judge me to be real?"
He may have had a point. Waterman was the man who invented a factory line of formularised pop stars in the late 1980s, including Kylie Minogue.
Meanwhile, Sebastian's version of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World was praised, with some judges suggesting he could go all the way.
The Dutch judge said while he didn't like the upbeat arrangement of the song, his "charisma and voice makes him a potential world idol".
The German panellist said: "Guy, I think it's incredible what you do. You have so much stage presence. I didn't like the arrangement, but "you have so much charisma I think you are going to go a long way."
Sebastian's biggest threats appear to be Clarkson and possibly Norwegian Idol Kurt Nilsen.
World Idol screens in Australia on Boxing Day. The winner will be decided by a worldwide viewers' vote and will be announced on January 2.
www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8195643%255E953,00.html
MORE IN NEWS SECTION OF THIS FORUM