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Home > Blogs > Reality Bytes > Archives > 2009 > January > 26 > Entry
Is “American Idol” really a talent search?
One of the best parts of “American Idol” is the idea that undiscovered talent is out there just waiting to be found. So as finalists emerge for this season’s show, it becomes known that at least one contestant already had a record deal. we viewers feel a little taken. Thus, a controversy is developing around Joanna Pacitti.
MSNBC and other media outlets are reporting that at age 11 Pacitti starred in the Broadway production of Anne. Pacitti’s parents apparently sued the producers for $50 million after being replaced due to a case of bronchitis. Pacitti’s career doesn’t end there.
As a teen, she released an album called “This Crazy Life” and later she performed a song on the Legally Blonde soundtrack. She also sang a song that appeared in appeared in the Bratz movie and that was recently included on the new Britney CD (this time sung by Britney).
During season eight of “American Idol,” it came to light that Carly Smithson, Kristy Lee Cook and David Archuleta each had some level of professional experience before they appeared on Idol stage, but Pacitti’s experience appears to be quite extensive. Her reality TV experience doesn’t stop with Idol. Pacitti was a featured guest on MTV’s “True Life,” as the show followed her developing singing career.
Isn’t it time the producer’s change the rules to exclude those who already had their shot at fame? What do you think?
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Comments
By IdolFan
January 27, 2009 10:04 AM | Link to this
No, Idol isn’t a talent search. First and foremost, it is a network reality TV show that lives and dies by ratings. The “audition” rounds, while are amusing, have more in common with “America’s Funniest Videos”. Strictly speaking Idol really isn’t a “singing competition” either. The voting participants and process make it more of a popularity contest. That said, I really enjoy the show from the Hollywood rounds on, and find it a fascinating slice of American pop culture.
By TVwatcher
January 27, 2009 7:15 AM | Link to this
YinYang - you bring up some good points. I think the idea of amateur stops when you have commercially produced CD with a contract. If you’ve been there - then move over and let someone else have a go at it. In terms of talent - I’m not sure we need to change our thinking… for me, it’s about the idea that the viewers are left to believe that the contestants are amateurs waiting to be discovered.
By YinYang
January 27, 2009 4:15 AM | Link to this
How do you define “professional experience”? Would part-time/full-time musician experience count? Also, experience and exposure are different. In that case, certain contestants of last season had more professional experiences than the ones you mentioned here though with less exposure. For example, David Cook and Brook White all played at bars/local concerts for many years as part-time musician and released independent CDS before Idols. They have more professional experience than David Archuleta who is still a student and teen. However, Archuleta may have more exposure than them due to National TV experience. Therefore, it’s hard to draw the line for experience and exposure. If we change our mentality for idol to find “not-famous talent” not just “undiscovered talent”, we may enjoy the show more as the talent level would be higher. At end of the day, the quality of the show is the attraction. I don’t think viewers would tolerate a show full of “unexperienced singers”. Without any experience, the singers (regardless of nature talents) wouldn’t sing great, that’s for sure.
By Katie
January 26, 2009 4:41 PM | Link to this
It gets a little dicey because where do you draw the line? Everyone who’s trying to make it in the industry has probably had some sort of professional experience. Backup on a TV jingle, local theater, an independent recording…should these things really exclude someone from national exposure? I do think however that a current major label recording contract should be an exclusionary factor since the prize for winning the show is… a major label recording contract. If you’ve already got one, let someone else have their shot.
By truthdetector
January 26, 2009 4:21 PM | Link to this
Well, given that our culture wants billions of reality shows, how about an “Idol’s 2nd chancers” type of show, where the requirement is that you have had some professional experience, but didn’t get very far. Then, change the rules on the main Idol show to reflect only those who have never had any professional experience. Then watch the audience for both shows vanish, and you’ve got another reality show… those who were on the last season of Idol after people stopped watching.