Shouldn’t talent shows be about the Talent?

Who is more important, the contestants or the judges?

I get that on some of these talent shows, the judges are super important. Especially shows like The X Factor or The Voice where the judges are also coaches. You really want high quality stars who can help mold and shape a contestants career. On shows like Dancing with the Stars, or even Celebrity Splash, you want judges who are technical, and who can actually judge the sport.

But then there’s some shows where I think you don’t necessarily need a big name judge, or even someone who is skilled in that area. For example, I don’t need to be able to cook an awesome apple pie to know a good one when I taste it. Maybe if you’re going to win a restaurant, you want a Chef as a judge, but a lot of chefs don’t actually run restaurants, they just cook there. Head chefs don’t even usually cook anymore. They just stand around yelling at people, or hide in their office. But do you need a model to judge models, or should you have a combination of judges? Photographer, agent, magazine editor, etc. It seems like on some of these shows they’ve got a variety of judges. Like Got Talent has a selection of people. Which is appropriate, because they have a selection of talents. It seems silly to only have singers as judges, if you’ve got dancers, jugglers, magicians and all kinds of other random acts. I get that the judges are also a big part of the show, and that’s why networks fight over celebrities and pay massive amounts of money for those sitting behind the desk. BUT, shouldn’t the talent be more important than the judges? They’re spending millions of dollars on judges, but the talent only gets paid if they win, and even then, it’s only a fraction of what the judges make. Yes, judges work every episode, and put their reputations on the line, but I think instead of fighting over Spice Girls and paying millions to steal them, get some lesser known judges, and maybe even unknowns, like actual talent agents, and put the focus back on the stage. When all these shows started, people like Ryan Seacrest weren’t famous. He had hosted several programs, but he wasn’t the megastar he is now. These shows made the judges and hosts famous, or at least revived the careers of several people. Wouldn’t it be awesome if these shows could also be a launching platform for the hosts as well? Rotate them out every few years so they can move on, and also to give the audiences something new.

People are whining about which judges are on what show, but I don’t think talent shows should really be about the judge. We already know they’re talented. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be up there. We are all judging from home. Because I’m not getting a million bucks, does that mean I’m not allowed to have an opinion on if someone is good or not? Lets go back to focusing on why these shows exist; To showcase the new talent out there that hasn’t been discovered yet.

April 18, 2013April 18, 2013

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo

Will the next Spice Girl come on down?

Ok, so Mel B has been banned from joining Australia’s Got Talent. Now, the rumours are that Nine is in talks with Geri, aka Ginger Spice. Before Mel B was announced, everyone was trying to get Posh Spice to come to Australia.

Now, if you were Sporty or Baby Spice, would you feel a little put out that you’re name hadn’t been tossed around yet? Well, I guess Sporty is at least working with the Jesus Christ Superstar thing. Anyone know what Baby is doing? Maybe the next reality show that pops up will announce her. It seems like it’s de rigeur to have a Spice Girl at the moment.

All Power to the girls for being so popular. It seems like all the 90’s bands are having a resurgence. But can’t they work on the UK versions of these shows?

I don’t get why none of these shows want an Aussie judge. Of course, I look at Delta Goodrem on The Voice, and people are just downright mean to her. Aussie’s say they want an Aussie host or judge, but when they get one, they’re pretty disrespectful to them. Even Danni Minogue gets mixed reviews. It seems a little better for the men. Keith Urban, even though people in Australia aren’t big on country music, seemed to have a little more respect for him.

I can see why the foreign judges are all about doing it. You get to come to Australia for a few months, revive your career in a foreign market without your local people seeing it. That means that there’s no hate from your own local crowd. Back in your home country you can boast you were a judge on a major show, and hopefully then get a job for big money at home. Even the couple of Aussie’s, Keith and Danni are also working overseas. The UK versions of these reality shows have Danni, American Idol has Keith, so maybe it’s just a mixed bag of nationalities that play music chairs on all the versions of these shows.

So now we just have to wait and see who takes the last chair on X Factor and Australia’s Got Talent. Would you like to see another Spice Girl? Or would you like them to pick a total random? Do you care if it’s an Aussie, or you just want a big name star?

April 17, 2013

Mel B officially banned from Nine

Channel Seven wins case to stop Scary Spice moving to Nine.

So Mel B won’t be moving to Channel Nine and now there’s an open judges seat on Australia’s Got Talent.

Now, instead of taking this opportunity to pick an Australian judge for Australia’s Got Talent, the names being whispered as back up plans are Ginger Spice, Chris Isaak and of course, Sharon Osbourne.

Come on Producers. It’s not like the shows are internationally syndicated so you need foreign talent so foreign audiences will watch. This show is for Australian audiences. It’s got Australian talent. Why are networks so against hiring Australian judges?

What do you guys think? Do you want to see another Spice Girl, or do you think they should find an Aussie to fill the spot?

April 16, 2013

Competitive Dating

Finding real love in reality.

So there’s a new reality dating show on TV tonight called Ready For Love. It’s a new concept, in that they have 3 guys, and there’s a bunch of matchmakers that pick girls for them. The matchmakers help coach the girls through the dates, which at least helps the girls in the long term when they get booted off the show. The first round is kinda like Perfect Match, because he can’t see them and they have to do the one liner thing, and then when he picks one, he gets to see her.

My beef with competitive reality dating shows is that I don’t think the contestants really see whether the prize is really a catch. They’re so focused on winning, they overlook any potential flaws. The one who is dating all the contestants doesn’t get a chance to really get to see the real personalities. They’re so caught up in being a prize and being loved on by so many people. When you make love a competition, it becomes about winning, not about finding love.

All these women are so certain this guy is “the one” but they don’t even know him. He gets to make them jump through hoops, and they have to try to be nice for a while. It’s kinda humiliating for them when they can’t deal with it.

At least this show they’ve got a coach telling the girls to raise their standards and be a challenge. Hopefully even if they get booted off here, they can take some dating lessons with them.

I just hope at the end of the show, if either one is not into it, they say so before the fake engagement. So many times, they’re so caught up in winning, it’s not till they have time alone together they realize if he had hit on them in a bar, they’d never have gone out. They just don’t have anything in common.

I also hope with all the bodily fluids being swapped, they do some kind of STD testing before the show.

I’m so glad I got a great man and I don’t have to go through dating drama….

April 16, 2013

Australia’s Got Talent 2013

More announcements for AGT

So far, they’ve announced judges Timomatic, Kyle Sandilands, Dawn French, Mel B and now Julia Morris as the host. There’s still some drama over whether Mel B will actually get to work on Channel 9. Apparently even though the X Factor has announced Danni Minogue as a new judge, they’re still trying to stop Mel B from moving to AGT. There is still one seat open on X Factor, so maybe they’re hoping to put Mel B in that spot. More likely though, they’re just continuing their war with Nine…. I’ll be interested to see how it plays out. Either way, Simon Cowell wins. He created both programs, and this legal battle is creating lots of free publicity for both shows.

It’s interesting to see people’s reactions to AGT moving to Nine. Some people think the show should be retired. I’m actually glad there’s still a talent show out there for ANY kind of talent, not just singing. There’s so many singing shows, X Factor, Idol, The Voice, etc. There’s been more over the years. But if your talent lies in another area, there hasn’t been a whole lot of places for you to show it off. At least during the 80’s there was Hey Hey It’s Saturday and Have a Go. Today it’s all about the singers.

I’m pretty excited they picked a variety of hosts, not just singers. Dawn French and Julia Morris should bring some definite laughs to the show. Timomatic has been through the reality show cycle, so he should bring a different view to the process. Kyle is Kyle. All these shows need someone who will tell it like it is without sugar coating it. I admit it, I loved the Spice Girls, so I have a soft spot for Mel B. I hope she makes it on there.

Seeing all these new shows popping up in Australia makes me wish I was still in Australia and working in the industry. I think it would be super fun to spend a year as a judge or host on a talent show. I’m not sure people would like me as a judge though, cause I have no social filter….

I wonder if Nine has a backup plan in case they don’t get Mel B after all? I’m sure they’re pretty confident they’ll work it out, but just in case they don’t, who do I email to let them know I’m available? 😉

April 11, 2013

The dreaded 36

Not looking forward to 36…

Everyone talks about the dreaded 27 club. However, there’s plenty of people that also fall into the 36 club.

The most important member of the 36 club though was my dad. He died 13 days after his 36th birthday. I’ve always been scared of turning 36. I’ve always been scared of joining the club. I’ve never really thought I’d outlive my dad.

Well, this is it. This is 36. This is also going to be a big year. Hopefully it will just be a part of me that doesn’t make it to 37. Maybe during my 36th year, I can shed pieces of the past, and a new me can emerge.

For now, I’ve just got to make it through the next 14 days, and I’ll at least outlive my dad.

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013

Lindsay on Letterman

Lindsay Lohan on Letterman

So in case you misses it, Lindsay came back from Brazil, and went on to The Late Show with David Letterman.

I love Letterman. Have done since I was a small kid and we watched him thanks to the big dishes at the studio that picked up all the foreign channels. Well, actually, back then I used to think he was kind of mean to his guests. But Julie McGregor loved him, so we would always have him on in the green room. Then I went to Honduras, and it was like comfort food when I was there. I was older and started to get his humour. I think he also mellowed a bit. I couldn’t believe when Steve Vizard ripped off his show, right down to the pencil throws and arm twist drumroll. Then nine bought Letterman and he finally came to Australian TV.

A few years ago I was in New York for a work conference, and I actually got to go see Letterman live. It was awesome. Dave and I share a birthday, and I had always dreamed of being on Letterman one day. Preferably with Drew Barrymore there also. 😉 Maybe one day I’ll have a reason to go on there, but just getting to be in the audience was pretty cool. When we were there, Vince Vaughn was on talking about Couples Retreat.

One of my other favourite people is Lindsay Lohan. I know she’s troubled, and people like to pick on her. But I think she’s incredible pretty, and a very talented actress. I still have hope that she can turn her life around and be a working actress, without a bunch of drama. I really hope that rehab works out for her. She desperately needs to just go somewhere that she can just work on her issues and not be interrupted by paparazzi and E! news all the time. It’s tough to grow up in the industry. People make fun and say she gets it easy. I’d like to see how well most people cope with just one day of being followed and targeted and having everything they do scrutinized and displayed for literally the whole world to see.

Everyone has crazy years. It’s hard to go from kid to adult and not fuck up. Everyone gets into trouble. We all do stupid things. But not everyone ends up on the news everytime they do something other people don’t approve of.

But watching this interview on Letterman, I think Lindsay is going to be just fine. She comes across as very humble. She makes fun of herself. She talks about how she respects Charlie Sheen because he’s nice to the crew. (There’s a lot of actors that are dicks to crew or lesser actors)

I truly hope that Lindsay takes this opportunity to take time for herself, and works on her demons. I hope that all the media also gives her the opportunity to take a time out and leaves her alone to fix herself. It’s important that she is given space and time. The constant hounding by people just hoping to catch her fuck up is only going to make it worse.

I’ll be sending happy thoughts to Lindsay while she’s in rehab. I hope wherever she is going has an awesome staff like they do at Heal For Life. That place was amazing, and they can do in one week what it takes some places months to do. I wish I could send her there.

When Lindsay gets out, I hope people give her a break. I hope she continues working. I hope she finds peace.

And Dave, I’d still love to be on your show one day!

April 4, 2013April 4, 2013

Fashion Week

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

So this is super exciting. While most of us only dream of being special enough to actually attend Fashion Week and see all the designs up close as the models sashay down the runway, this year they’ve decided to make it easier for all of us normal people to get a taste of the action.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week will be livestreaming the events. So now, whether you’re stuck at work, or like me, living overseas, you can still see the action. Invite a few friends over, pop a few bottles of champagne, and have your own Fashion Week party!

You can find the calendar of events and the livestream access at www.jasu.com/jasu/mbfwalive

April 3, 2013

Fashion Week v’s The Logies

Fashion Disaster or Awesome Opportunity?

Lets face it, while the Logies are fun, and a cute little get together for Australian talent, along with the seemingly obligatory international act and guest presenter, the Logies isn’t a big deal outside of Australia.

Sure, everyone gets together, has a drink, there’s some awards passed out, but it’s not the Oscars, the Emmy’s, the SAG Awards or the Bafta’s. The event isn’t televised around the world, with hundreds of millions of people watching from all over the globe.

So when Australian Fashion week falls on the same week as the Logies, I can understand why the big designers aren’t falling over themselves to make sure the locals are wearing their stuff. They simply have a bigger event going on. One that WILL be seen all over the world.

But, while Alex Perry, J’Aton and the others are focused on Fashion week, this does leave enormous opportunity for up and coming designers to finally get a dress on someone. It’s hard as a new and emerging designer to get anybody to pay attention to your dresses if they’ve got some big name designer willing to gift a dress to a star. However, with all the big names not offering their wares, it’s a great time for actresses and their stylists to be making friends with the next up and comer, and start making long lasting friendships.

I hope all the young designers out there are also taking this opportunity to reach out and get their dresses on everyone. Trust me, while the girls can’t get a major designer, they’ll be very grateful to be getting a dress, especially one that they know won’t be worn by another girl that night. Or worse, that they have to go out and buy off a rack somewhere! You might get lucky, and if you get it on a star who then makes it to an awards ceremony in the US or the UK, they’ll remember you, and might choose one of your dresses again for the international awards, where you‘ll get big time exposure. My tip – looking at all the Home & Away people making it in the US right now, get your stuff on one of them. Any of them!

It’s also a golden opportunity for any of the stars who want to dabble in fashion to dress themselves. If I was walking the red carpet this year, knowing I wasn’t going to be constantly trumped by a Dior or Versace or Alex Perry, I’d totally take the opportunity to wear my own design. I’d design it, have it made, and swagger down that red carpet. I’d make sure I was photographed with everyone, especially the international guest, whose photos might make it overseas. A star couldn’t ask for a better year to wear their own designs.

I know I made fun of the Logies a little, but they are a good time, and excellent exposure for people within Australia. I hope everyone has a super fun time, whether they’re getting their drink on at the Logies, or oogling the beautiful new stuff at Fashion week.

I’m super jealous of those of you who get to attend both!

April 2, 2013

Ignoring the Haters

Why the hate for Delta?

So in today’s paper, there’s an article about Delta Goodrem preparing herself against the onslaught of hate like she had last year.

I just don’t get it. She’s the only Australian host on The Voice. She’s the only female on The Voice. Australians should be supporting one of their own. They should be thrilled there’s an incredibly talented, amazing beautiful woman on there. A woman who has been singing for years. One who is multi-talented. She can sing, she can act. She plays the piano.

She’s known internationally, yet she’s one of the few who chooses to continue to call Australia home.

I hope this year viewers cut the girl some slack and let her just be her. Being on TV isn’t easy. It’s certainly not easy to judge other people’s talent. You have to be honest, but not come off as a total bitch. Guys can say someone is awful, and people deal with it. But when a woman says it, people think it’s mean.

I hope this year she gets the props she deserves on The Voice, and in Australia in general. Let her be her. If you don’t like her, then change the channel. But don’t be an armchair hero and spew forth hate on social media. Celebrities have feelings too, and yes, it hurts their feelings to read all the hate directed at them.

Try to show some support for a talented Aussie. Or else you might end up with a 3rd season of The Voice without any Australian judges on there at all.