My Girlfriend is boycotting America's Got Talent

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 5 Sep 2013 3:19 pm

He had this sincerity that was just a bit over the top, like he was trying to hard or even faking it. After a while I just couldn't stand to listen to him, on shows or his records.

"Sincerity" is probably the single most highly-marketable quality available! And has been for a long, long time. Bruce Springsteen used to be an intellectual, until rock critic Jon Landau sniffed a billion or two doing the "everyman" schtick, quit his writing job and taught eager Bruce about blue jeans and ball caps. The Beatles spent two years in Hamburg playing in G.I. clubs and drinking and popping everything in sight, at one point even living in a whorehouse; then returned to England and started writing songs like "Love Me Do" and "I Wanna Hold Your What?!?" and slathering on the innocent boyish charm. Works, don't it?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 5 Sep 2013 3:22 pm

Sincerity is indeed highly prized. If you can fake that, you've got it made.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 5 Sep 2013 3:52 pm

Jim Cohen wrote:Sincerity is indeed highly prized. If you can fake that, you've got it made.

....If you're gonna lie,lie from the heart!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Sep 2013 4:22 pm

The show is pablum, fluff designed to make money (primarily) and also to entertain those who would rather not watch something educational or enlightening. When Simon left, I quit watching. (Alas, I must admit it was occasionally refreshing to see him dress down the early, no-talent entrants, who insisted they had something to offer.) I also feel sorry for people when someone, anyone, asks another poerson to vote for what they like. For any voting process to be meaningful and moral, it must be un-coerced and above board. Pleading for phoney votes is plumb pitiful and demeaning, IMHO.

Nothing personal, that's just my opinion.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 7 Sep 2013 12:05 am

Donny Hinson wrote:The show is pablum, fluff designed to make money (primarily) and also to entertain those who would rather not watch something educational or enlightening. When Simon left, I quit watching. (Alas, I must admit it was occasionally refreshing to see him dress down the early, no-talent entrants, who insisted they had something to offer.) I also feel sorry for people when someone, anyone, asks another poerson to vote for what they like. For any voting process to be meaningful and moral, it must be un-coerced and above board. Pleading for phoney votes is plumb pitiful and demeaning, IMHO.

Nothing personal, that's just my opinion.

I think this is a different show from the one your thinking of, but to be fair there are about 3 or 4 of them and they are all about the same.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 7 Sep 2013 5:03 am

You're probably right, Alvin. Whether it's American Idol, X_Factor, The Voice, these shows are pretty much cookie cutter copies of each other, and the only thing that differentiates them (to me) are the judges. To me, it should be mainly about the singing, which is why I can't understand why the orchestra and audience do their damndest to cover up the singing.