tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post1375352742462054344..comments2024-02-14T03:20:23.057-08:00Comments on Pop Sensation: American Idol: The Final 9Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-50462637757109843682009-11-07T07:03:18.648-08:002009-11-07T07:03:18.648-08:00Melinda Doolittle in her first-ever Nightclub enga...Melinda Doolittle in her first-ever Nightclub engagement <br /><br />November 17-21, New York City <br /><br />FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" by New York Magazine, will debut MELINDA DOOLITTLE in her first-ever nightclub engagement from November 17 – 21. The “American Idol” finalist will perform an intimate evening of jazz standards, pop hits and Broadway classics, in addition to selections from her CD, Coming Back To You. All shows are at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street). For ticket reservations and club information, please call (212) 339-4095 or visit feinsteinsatloewsregency.com and TicketWeb.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-31361059293134232782007-04-05T15:41:00.000-07:002007-04-05T15:41:00.000-07:00I imagine the producers of "Idol" strive to get a ...I imagine the producers of "Idol" strive to get a diverse group of finalists (or at least the "you're through to Hollywood" group). TV-viewing demographics!<BR/><BR/>However, most seasons do seem to have at least one African-American singer voted off while a couple of less talented white singers remain for weeks longer. When's the last time anyone complained that voting was messed up because a talented white contestant was voted off too soon? Please list their names.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-82691251444688684742007-04-04T16:57:00.000-07:002007-04-04T16:57:00.000-07:00First time poster, frequent reader. I usually jus...First time poster, frequent reader. I usually just post on the NYT, but I found this discussion to be particularly interesting as I was once married to a black woman (think Theresa Graves from Get Christie Love), but I was a country club lawyer type who looked a lot like Tom Brokaw so I frequently heard "comments" that I probably would not have heard if people had known about my wife.<BR/><BR/>I often find myself thinking very much along Rex's lines whether I like to or not.<BR/><BR/>As to the singers, I think it is hard for Rex to explain Reuben beating Clay a couple of years ago, but I do think that race plays a factor. By the way, did you know that Jordin is the daughter of former NY Giants cornerback, Phillipe Sparks? I find that Melinda towers over everyone, with Lakisha a very distant second and Jordin a too young but nevertheless excellent third. I doubt that American will let it come down to three black women, so Blake (whose voice is too thin for my taste) may come in second.<BR/><BR/>Steve MAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-7601858105233816412007-04-04T14:40:00.000-07:002007-04-04T14:40:00.000-07:00PS - I'm not trying to scold or attack you persona...PS - I'm not trying to scold or attack you personally... please don't think I'm out to attack you. This is just far more interesting to contemplate than my job is at the moment!Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15153801769942473275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-33645995236026963952007-04-04T14:37:00.000-07:002007-04-04T14:37:00.000-07:00Chasing after the ghosts of racism in its "super-p...Chasing after the ghosts of racism in its "super-popular and essentially covert forms" is a fool's errand at best, and at worst, blinds the pursuers to more insidious and relevant instances.<BR/><BR/>In the case of American Idol, you're on shaky ground from the start. Aside from Reuben and Fantasia emerging as champions, every field of contestant has been a racially diverse field. It's even harder to make the case that Stephanie was sent home on the basis of race, when of the three divas, she could be considered the "whitest" in appearance. Was it black on white racism that voted out Constantine? Or Kelly Pickler? Or just the tastes of the audience?<BR/><BR/>The reasoning that you use to declare "Idol" a barometer of covert racism can be equally applied to your dismissal of Chris Sligh above. Dismissing him because of his affiliation with a religiously charged university, despite the fact that he's come across as a pleasant and congenial fellow on TV, is prejudicial. Are you virulently anti-Catholic? Anti-Southern Conservative? Those are broadly drawn biases that will get you hung up under any equal opportunity laws. It might be popular with the 'in-crowd' to scorn a particular religious belief, but that doesn't make it any more correct. It's assumption piled on top of assumption, resting on a base of stereotypical, unexamined thought.<BR/><BR/>If it's important to discuss racism, it's far more productive to chase it in the open where it can be quantified to a reasonable degree, instead of in the shadows where it's based on guilt and assumptions. Perhaps the uglier truth, and the one you seem to acknowledge and not accept, is that American Idol might actually be a pretty accurate sampling of the mainstream American musical tastes. The viewing audience is massive, and the median point of taste is probably not what you like exactly, but hey, that's democracy in its purest form.<BR/><BR/>I'm not much of a fan of Idol, but I follow it because it gives me some nice common ground to share with my mom and sister who are huge fans. There's a lot of ways to attack the Idol juggernaut, but race isn't one. Given the massive numbers of votes that pour in across the multi-racial field of contestants, it's easier to argue that Idol is one of the most racially progressive shows on television.Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15153801769942473275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-47106437351293207662007-04-04T12:29:00.000-07:002007-04-04T12:29:00.000-07:00PS despite its problems, I LOVE "American Idol," a...PS despite its problems, I LOVE "American Idol," and if I truly thought that the show was "little more than an expression of [...] racism" I wouldn't go anywhere near it.<BR/><BR/>RP<BR/><BR/>PPS thanks for the nice words about my xword blog.Rex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-42467339443136290302007-04-04T12:01:00.000-07:002007-04-04T12:01:00.000-07:00The last half of your comment has nothing to do wi...The last half of your comment has nothing to do with my post, so I'll leave it alone. But I would have thought that someone who could think in sophisticated ways about race (as you seem to able to do) would see the Necessity of talking about Racism in its super-popular and essentially covert forms (i.e. there is no scarlet "R", nobody's wearing hoods or lynching anyone, etc.). My whole pt about racism in this country is people act like it's some spectre of the past as opposed to the most ordinary, and often unconscious, thing in the world.<BR/><BR/>RPRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-55526028554494382262007-04-04T11:41:00.000-07:002007-04-04T11:41:00.000-07:00Stumbled across your crossword blog by accident, a...Stumbled across your crossword blog by accident, and good work on that. I have to take exception to your opening thought that America is a racist country, and that American Idol is little more than an expression of that racism.<BR/><BR/>Your phrasing implies that America is still knee-deep in the Jim Crow era, and that the "mass market America" would never let some black girl win over a pretty, corn-fed white girl. Any stripe of racial inequality today is a far, far cry from the institutionalized deprivations prior to the 1960's. <BR/><BR/>Invoking the ghosts of the Ku Klux Klan to take aim at a silly pop culture trifle is patently absurd. If you have to dilute your concept of racism to hang a scarlet "R" on American Idol, you're diluting it down to statistical insignificance and making it infinitely harder to have a relevant public discourse on the issue. If America has to culturally wade through a pointless debate on the 'racist' merits of American Idol, it's removing the focus from issues like failing schools, predatory bank lending, and sub-par health care; all of which are infinitely more important.<BR/><BR/>Furthermore, assuming that only white people can be "middle of the road" is insulting to every non-white community out there. It might not be your thing, but a large, large portion of the poor people in this country would love to be in the bland, "middle of the road" demographic. Does being Black or Asian or Hispanic mean rejecting the notion of a house in the suburbs, a boring desk job, and coming home to a wife and kids for a night in front of the TV? Or generally being a law-abiding, well-meaning, churchgoing folk?<BR/><BR/>Good work with the crosswords, though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-22595015417050052242007-04-04T08:04:00.000-07:002007-04-04T08:04:00.000-07:00Middle of the Road - not "Geographically In the Mi...Middle of the Road - not "Geographically In the Middle of the U.S. where Minnesota and Other States Lie."<BR/><BR/>Average White America. People who watch C.S.I. ... or NCIS. Decent, law-abiding, well-meaning, church-going folk, probably.Rex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-66426229441617563252007-04-04T07:56:00.000-07:002007-04-04T07:56:00.000-07:00Two things:Don't you think another factor in getti...Two things:<BR/>Don't you think another factor in getting Sabrina (and Samantha) booted is that if you are a soul/R&B fan the votes just get spread too thin? (Though I think you are right about both reasons why Lakisha won't win.)<BR/><BR/>As Sanjaya stays his powers grow stronger. Case in point: Me. I've really started to like Sanjaya as a brave 17yo kid who says f*** all of you, I'm here and I'm having a good time. At least, I hope that's what he's saying, and that he doesn't need lifelong therapy and anti-depressants because jackasses like Howard Stern decide that a high schooler is the perfect vehicle for his scorched earth brand of "humor."<BR/><BR/>OK, a third thing: Why is "Middle America" a synonym for "Stupid America"? Being a Middle American, I think that's crap. Does it mean non-Urban America? Middle-of-the-Bell-Curve America? Not to pick on you personally, it's just a phrase that I think has outlived its usefulness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-10162172762619600182007-04-04T07:17:00.000-07:002007-04-04T07:17:00.000-07:00Chris Sligh went to Bob Jones University. And that...Chris Sligh went to Bob Jones University. And that is all I have to say about Chris Sligh.Rex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-40315339447458371342007-04-03T21:16:00.000-07:002007-04-03T21:16:00.000-07:00Speaking of "Jine-uh," did you see West Virginia's...Speaking of "Jine-uh," did you see West Virginia's NIT championship t-shirts on TV the other day? They said "West Virgina." (I think that means the hymen is intact.)Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-66713154497158286562007-04-03T20:08:00.000-07:002007-04-03T20:08:00.000-07:00Oh, and have you read Schilling's blog? If not, c...Oh, and have you read Schilling's blog? If not, check it out at www.38pitches.com and tell me what you think. A Globe writer made the crack that it almost took Schilling 38 pitches to make it out of the first inning yesterday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4660994103025515363.post-90441731596402993232007-04-03T20:05:00.000-07:002007-04-03T20:05:00.000-07:00I am utterly in love with Melinda. She is cute, k...I am utterly in love with Melinda. She is cute, kinda dorky, and tremendously talented. Lakisha has a great set of, er... pipes. I call Gina "Jine-uh" like I almost called Jayna from ENG 227 last year. I was sad to see Chris Sligh go, who wasn't good enough to make top 3, but he was funny and probably a better singer than 5 through 9 on your list.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com