'American Idol' faces another controversy
Remember last season, when people were so outraged about Carly Smithson and the fact that she had already released an album? People didn't think it was fair that someone who had already had an opportunity to make it big was getting a second chance.
Well, it's happening again, this time with 24-year-old Joanna Pacitti. She auditioned last week and made it through to Hollywood. She's got plenty of experience under her belt: She recorded an album with Geffen Records and starred in a True Life episode on MTV about her attempts to make it in the industry, among other things.
Fans are crying foul again, saying that having someone with professional experience in the competition undermines the idea that the show is discovering unknown talent. The producers were pretty open about it this time -- during her audition, the judges discussed that she had had a record deal, and new judge Kara DioGuardi actually remembered her.
I guess it depends on whether you look at Idol as just entertainment and recognize that there's a lot of artifice that goes along with that or if you see it as a talent show looking to give someone their big shot. If you see it as the former, then hey, at least the girl can sing, right? If you see it as the latter, then yeah, they need to explicitly state in the rules "no professional experience."
What do you think?
Comments
A lot of people have recorded albums that 99.9% of the world have not heard. I don't remember seeing Carly or this girl's album in the top 40. If you can sing and you want to get exposed, go on AI. More power to them. The sad part is most of these people have more talent than the singers who are actually selling albums. Do you really think Britney Spears would make it past the first round in Hollywood?
Posted by: RickMD | January 29, 2009 1:20 PM
I view American Idol as the successor to the long line of talent-search shows that began (on radio, I think in the 1930’s) with Major Bowes’ Original Amateur Hour. Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, was one of Major Bowes’ discoveries.
Thus, I think the show should be restricted to those who have never had a recording contract. Just my opinion.
Posted by: Bucky | January 29, 2009 1:34 PM
My understanding was that the judges were alerted about Pacitti before she auditioned and were instructed to make it known on camera that Pacitti has a professional past so that viewers would not feel American Idol was being secretive. I missed that episode but people described Kara's reaction as rather stilted, as if she were reading prepared lines.
Posted by: Drpr | January 29, 2009 4:06 PM
Remember the girl still needs to compete.
Posted by: Moe | January 29, 2009 6:19 PM
American Idol is sending the wrong signal to the American public as well as young amature but aspiring artists; that this is what the music business is all about.... and it is not. The business is about paying dues; sacrifice, struggle and working long hours and of course spending unbelieveable amounts of money in order to get exposed. The concept of American Idol should be reworked to educate these singers of what the business protocol is about before getting signed by a label.
Posted by: John Dudley | April 11, 2009 4:50 AM