Karaoke Forums

Well, tonight's episode was the St. Louis auditions......

and guess what..... then entire first 15 minutes was Simon telling people that they were "fat".

The triplets sounded really cool together but why people don't seem to get that it isn't a group act is beyond me. Anyway - I felt bad for them because they weren't "fat" -- yes a little overweight but not FAT!

I liked to watch AI the last two seasons, didn't watch the first one. The one thing that I always like was that Paula was the "nice one". She'd stick up for people when Simon made comments about their weight and stuff. Didn't hear her sticking up for people tonight. Tonight I kept getting a little madder and madder - don't know if I'll actually watch this season.

I thought it was so disrespectful of all 3 of the judges to be laughing their arses off while a person was trying to sing. And most of the people seemed very sincere in their belief that they could sing and could be the next "AI" cuz you know "they had the full package", etc...

Why is America so enthralled with demeaning other people? It scores ratings big time, why? Why do we want to see other people fail and laugh at them?

Don't get me wrong -- usually I agree with some of what Simon says -- I just don't agree with HOW he says it. But then to hear about how some of these people get passed through multiple rounds to get through to the star judges is ridiculous. Talk about wasting everyone's time so that the American audience "Can be entertained" at the expense of others.

It's sad... so sad....

OK - I'm hoppin off of my soapbox now

Not exactly true there. He mentioned it twice, and being 5'3 and 160 pounds gives you a BMI of 28.3 which according the standard BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater


It's all about good cop/bad cop, and if you don't watch the AI this season, I'm sure the world will still keep on turning.


Exactly! people seemed very sincere in their belief that they could sing that's what happens in life. In order not to hurt someone's feelings you tell them how good they are! It's all about fluff. No matter how bad you are, your mother/father/grandmother/SingerShowcase friends will always tell you how wonderful you sound. Then you go to the AI with all that BS in your head, truly believing that you sing well, not knowing that you cannot carry a note in a bucket. Because people gave you all the fluff, now suddenly your feelings are hurt, because people tell you the truth. Please tell me you have never split a grin or laughed out loud listening to some of these so-called singers, disrespectful ?? come-on


First of all it is not just America. Many countries have now got the Idol show going. We don't want to see other people fail and laugh at them, but it's part of the package. Actually more people watch the AI the closer it gets to the end, when all the jokers have been kicked out of the competition. So your theory doesn't hold any water.


Oh please MT, it is all about the entertainment and ratings. The people who are wasting time are the contestants, all believing to be the next AI. For the love of God, I have heard dogs barking more in tune then some of the contestants singing. But once again, they live in a lie by listening to mother/father/grandmother/SingerShowcase friends who tell them how wonderful they are.
Remember that last girl on the Tuesday night show? White pants, red top and "voices in her head" (self proclaimed)??? Everybody and all her friends told her how wonderful she was. Well, she sucked! She is one of the people wasting time!

Geez Allstar,

So sorry to have ticked you off....

BTW - do you ever have a calm and rational conversation without attacking someone else's thoughts, ideas, and opinions?

I am sure that I will probably have set you off even further by asking that but I'm not really sure what I did to you to deserve comments like this:



Just curious.

I sincerely am SORRY to have bothered you

I haven't watched american idol as yet since its new launch i am actually quite suprised that simon would actually say that....he was ruben's biggest backing as i remember....and pop idol 2003 in the uk saw him back a very talented scottish singer michelle Mcmanus, who is a plump lassie and went on to win the show.

perhaps he gets fed up telling them they are crap and thought he would mention looks....because history proves with simon cowell if they are plump and have talent he will back them all the way admittingly he did even tell michelle many times that she looked a mess in some of the clothes they dressed her in...mind he was normally right and i would cringe at the clothes they put her in

weight has always been an issue in show buisness generally, i remember before i began singing with a tribute band a few years ago going to auditions for bands and them taking 1 look at me and wasnt the look they wanted, was nothing about my vocals just how i looked....it's a fickle business....and if you want something badly enough you will make sacrifices and losing weight to pursue a career in show business whilst i agree is sooooooooooooo wrong ...if it's something you want badly enough you will do it

i know as a plump lassie myself if someone waved a multi million pound recording contract in front of my eyes and told me i had to lose weight to do it i wouldn't eat for the next 6 months ololol but that will never happen so pass the cakes someone hehehe

I agree with you Foxe. Simon is known to be truculent however. People should expect that. Cowell can be nasty. The competitive aspects of the performing arts is horrible anyway. It's cut-throat, and brutally real.

OH -- and by the way -- since you appear to want to be nit-picky on this --- the triplet that was interviewed originally said that girl weighed 160 but then the other girl got mad and said she weighed 150 - NOT - 160..

SO the BMI would be this: 26.6

Again, my apologies for trying to hold an calm and rational discussion.

and please don't anyone try guessing my BMI lmaooooo

Yeah I know that it is part of show business -- last night just kind of irked me a little bit because we were talkin in the other thread about reasons why people did/didn't get through to next rounds. It had come up about weight and some people didn't think that was part of the reason but last night basically proved that it is, at least in Simon's mind.

The thing about the triplets though was that all 3 sounded great and the judges even commented that they had nice harmonies and could sing but that only one would be considered. Two of them walked away and said that the other singer was the best one. Then basically all 3 judges said she could sing well but was too fat and so she wasn't what they were looking for.

That's what got me... A girl named Frenchy got in a couple of years ago and she was heavy and so did Rueben -- didn't hear anyone tellin them they were FAT and they were both much heavier than any of the 3 triplets.

Paula used to get mad at Simon for making weight comments because of her struggle with bulimia, but apparently she's now joined him.

Plus - I felt really bad for those people that couldn't sing and had gotten into the star judges... Then all 3 star judges spent more time laughing at those people while they were singing. How embarrassing for the person that thought they could sing. They couldn't have been told that in the 1st round? No - had to get passed into the star judge round so that the rest of the world could laugh at them.

AND NO - ALLSTAR - I don't sit and laugh with them -- I feel awful for those people to have their dreams just shredded in front of the entire nation. It's sad --- Sorry -- BUT I HAVE A HEART. Do I think they can sing -- no -- but doesn't mean that they should be punished this way.

Cindy, I don't feel a judge in any venue should ever be abusive. They are in a position where they can really shatter someone. Yet I also don't like the way many are forced to be politically correct. I believe that's unreal. Historically, the Apollo, and many of these talent shows have taken a gong show type approach, or.... If they suck, drag them out by a cane around their neck. Kind rejection doesn't really exist in the performing arts world. Weight shouldn't be thrown in a persons face if they are talented. Look at some of the biggest names on Motown, or even ballad. You aren't putting them in leotards, and creating a visual of a 400 lb person wearing spandex. That would be indecent IMHO. Yet the way show business does work, is that the kind audience only exists to a point. If a person isn't a good performer, someone will eventually trash them.

I guess I wasn't so much surprised by Simon as I was Randy & Paula. Excuse me, but Randy still ain't no skinny minny by any means. And Paula used to get mad when weight would become an issue because of her struggle with bulimia, but last night I didn't see any such thing. She laughed along with the judges.

I guess reading Heather's and other's comments about their Idol tryouts opened my eyes as to how the process works. I didn't realize that you had to go through 2 or more rounds just to get to the 3 star judges.

SO basically yes, the people that can't sing are passed through so that everyone can ridicule them on national TV... NICE - VERY NICE!

Yes, these things are told to artists in the industry, "too heavy, need to color your hair, need to dress like this...etc.." but usually not on national TV.

Thankfully there are artists out there that are told they can't sing but don't give up anyway. Examples would be Cher -- she's made some people some pretty amounts of change over her career.

Another great example would be Faith Hill --- she was turned down so many times before she finally got a chance. Wonder if some of the people that turned her down are wondering what they let go.

I'm with ya there Genise!

Simon Cowell

nicknames:Mr. Nasty,Judge Dread

those BMI calculators arent accurate....just so you all know....if you have any muscle in your body it will throw it off completely....i went ahead and did it...and guess what, accordign to that my BMI 31.2.......so im OBESE right?....not exactly true.....anwyays yea.....

oHhh also.... this is stupid but it reallhy bothers me when people say AMERICA....refering to the USA...AMERICA is not a country......yup yup....

Things we know about "American Idol" judge SIMON COWELL: He's produced over 70 top 30 records. He loves stretchy black T's. He may have been "breastfed by his father."

That last tidbit comes courtesy of fellow judge PAULA ABDUL, who enjoys a lively repartee with the hit FOX show's reigning Brit wit. Find out what else we learned about the record exec that some critics have nicknamed "Osimon Bin Laden"!

"Can you imagine Simon as a kid?" Abdul asked ET's BOB GOEN. "His imaginary friends probably never wanted to play with him."

As the Grinch of "American Idol," Cowell is known for his witty exchanges and withering put-downs ("You've just killed my favorite song," he told one over-enthusiastic singer.) But he'll be the first to tell you that he's not intentionally out to hurt people's feelings: "You know, the music business is about criticism. That's the reality. I'm telling you now, whoever wins this competition, will have one of the fastest-selling records of all time. I really do believe that."

Cowell's credentials seem impressive. The BMG Records exec and former judge of the U.K. version of the show, "Pop Idol," has more than 20 years in the music business. He helped catapult top Brit '80s bands like CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT to fame and has been involved with 17 No. 1 singles.

But it's his arch rejoinders that have garnered him the most press on this side of the pond. He frequently uses adjectives like "dreadful" and "appalling," to describe the performances of the hundreds of pop-star wannabes he's seen. Abdul calls him simply, "Mouth."

Even the easygoing RANDY JACKSON, a fellow music exec who has worked with stars such as MARIAH CAREY, admits to ET that they had "a spat" they've "patched up since." Yet Jackson defends Cowell's chilly demeanor.

"Part of it's his personality, part of it's his English humor," Jackson says. "You can say to someone in England, 'Oh my god, you're fat, get off the TV,' and people will die laughing. Over here, people will be like, 'You know what? That wasn't really a nice thing to say.' [His] criticism is only a small glimpse of what people will get facing the public."

The recipients of his withering glares, the pop-star hopefuls, also believe the 42-year-old Brit has their best interests at heart.

"He's not going to want to work with someone he doesn't believe in," says finalist KELLY CLARKSON. "He's just being honest."


from a site called "Tattered-Dreams"

STEVEN WRITES:

"Part of it's his personality, part of it's his English humor," Jackson says. "You can say to someone in England, 'Oh my god, you're fat, get off the TV,' and people will die laughing. Over here, people will be like, 'You know what? That wasn't really a nice thing to say.' [His] criticism is only a small glimpse of what people will get facing the public."

The recipients of his withering glares, the pop-star hopefuls, also believe the 42-year-old Brit has their best interests at heart.

Now firstly as a typical english lassie...yes even though i now live in scotland...i am english....anyways....if someone said oh my god your fat get off the TV people would not die laughing believe me! many british people would be quite offended and the papers and press after would have a field day putting the person right in their place.

so i do object to that statement, randy jackson needs a slap for it! hehehehe

simon cowell in all fairness the british love to hate him also....but! the man knows his POP MUSIC and knows what is gonna make him his next million. so hate him...but admire the fact he does know his pop...paula abdul...errrr who is she lmaoo she only ever had 2 songs chart in the uk as far as i am aware

you see we also have another scenario....we are talking POP IDOL so whilst looks, weight etc can be argued....it is pop music and generally when people say pop music you automatically imagine...good looking boy bands, lassies jumping around with bra's that uplift their boobies so the clevage screams look at me....slim heavily made up lassies.

if it were rock idol, country idol, classical/opera/stage idol .... i genuinely do think that looks would not matter so much

and american idol is the same pop idol which originated in the UK....god help you folks you have X FACTOR to hit you yet....that's simon cowells own show....but guess what people..........its for any age and any genere of music that i have no doubt will hit the USA next hehehehehe

oh and steven the winner of X FACTOR mentioned above just earned simon millions and gave the artist a number 1 with a cover song...the guy is in his 40's....theres more hope out there people for ya lmaooooo

Shane-Milwaukee in Onstage1 asks:
Do you think it's hard for the contestants to make sure they don't sound like they're performing "karaoke"?

Simon Cowell says:
It's the hardest. Which is why it's very important you don't sing a song that is close to what your voice sounds like. If Tamyra chose a Whitney song it would sound karaoke.

Not exactly true. You tell any person he/she is fat, and they will be offended. But................the world should stop pussy-footing around and stop treating everyone with tender silky gloves. That's on of the reasons why this world is what it is. Nobody is honest anymore, trying to be politically correct at all times. Stop lying to people and tell them the truth for a change. I'm old and grey and if you tell me that.................fine. If you think I'm ugly at least you're honest.



#1. You didn't piss me off
#2. Yes, I can have a normal conversation, but that happens normally with people that are not over-sensitive.


Just a statement. Nobody really cares if you stay tuned to AI or not.

Many a true word spoken. There's a real life out there, where people have to fight to get somewhere.



#1. Nope, first she said 150, then corrected herself to 160
#2. No need to apologize (or to be sarcastic). I'm just sharing my point of view, not attacking you personally. I too am holding a calm and rational discussion, but have no need to apologize.


I still like your sense of humour.


Here we go again The heart thing............their dreams just shredded that is a bit melodramatic, don't you think?


That is very true, but have a look around you. How many muscular people do you see compared to the obese people????????

Perhaps Randy Jackson can't differentiate between the Benny Hill Audience and the British people

my god steven lmaooooooooooooooo you would not believe the amount of americans that have said to me...we love benny hill.....and i am like WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT !! that show stopped here in the bloomin 70's lmaoo we come a long way since then. hehehehe

Roxy and Missy have both made really good points here!!

Unfortunately, I have to say ... WEIGHT matters .... NO MATTER WHAT. Should it, no, not at all ... IF what is being judged is TALENT. But... it does.

Actually WEIGHT matters in everything, and alot more so for women than men. Personal appearance is used as a "criteria" for "evalution" routinely ... job interviews, auditions, geeeesh... even walking into a new group of people... or in a mall. HEAVY people.. are JUDGED. Is it unfair... yes .. but it happen.


And its the heavy person... not the skinny (and I mean underweight sickly-looking skinny) ..that suffers most. You can be too skinny ... and be "forgiven" .. but not too heavy.

And it does seeem to impact the world of entertainment more that perhaps other areas of work. I am having a tough time coming up with more than maybe 1 or 2 names of folks in the industry right now.. that are heavy. And if they are... they are hearing about it!! (Queen Latifah comes to mind as an exception.. and Oprah seems to be well accepted regardless of where she is on the scale at any given time.)

Now I will say .. that a heavy person might have a BETTER chance at some "character" roles on stage ... if the part calls for that body type.... but I have never seen a heavy woman play the lead role in a muscial or play like Cinderella.... or The Sound of Music... or Evita, etc.... They traditionally go to "thin" women. WHY? I guess it must be "crowd appeal" ... cause I have to believe plump women are equally able to sit and act.

I think.... as long as the general public is allowed a VOTE ... on these shows... those that fall in the "normal weight range" .... will always be favored .. whether they are the "best" or not.... and unfortunately I DO think that attitude will affect areas other than POP MUSIC, such as the show Missy described above that has yet to "grace" the USA. hehe !!

Soooooo sad. {heavy sigh}

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