Elton John : 'American Idol' vote is 'racist'

[Frederic Bastiat]

http://www.forbes.com/business/commerce/newswire/2004/04/27/rtr1349260.html

NEW YORK, April 27 (Reuters) - British Rock star Elton John, a guest judge this month on the U.S. talent hunt TV series "American Idol," said on Tuesday that he found the voting by the national viewing audience "incredibly racist."

John, who heard the wannabe pop stars perform his songs during an appearance on the FOX TV show, added his voice to a chorus of dissent that followed last week's shock exit of black vocalist Jennifer Hudson, considered one of the top talents among those vying for a recording contract.

"The three people I was really impressed with, and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three," said John, commenting on the tally in which the lowest vote-getter is eliminated.

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[BlueStateGirl]

1. I thought she lost because of a power blackout in her hometown.

They couldn't watch or call.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Correct me if I'm wrong, but...

Now, I don't watch the show EVER, but I was under the impression that a black man won the whole damn thing last season.

[CO Liberal]

11. You Wouldn't Know From The Publicity

The PR Machine has been going full blast on behalf of last year's runner-up, Clay Aiken.

[johnnie]

3. This American idol thing..

...is a load of crap anyway. It all comes down to who the kids like. It's not about the singing really. Like we don't have enough pop singers flooding the market today anyway. Plus, the past winners are hardly heard from again.
Just because Elton likes the black, young females singers and the 13 year olds calling in want someone else to win...then it's racist.
I think that tall black guy will win anyway. He seems to have the most fans for the bits I have seen. Then Elton might say it was sexist.

[tjwash]

4. wow...

...people still watch that show?

[Commendatori]

5. I don't watch the show, but isn't the vote done by viewers?

Do any of you guys who watch the show think EJ is right?

[Misunderestimator]

10. I've seen some of them

... and a couple of years ago (I think the first season) there was a black woman that was head and shoulders above the ones that finally won, and I believe she was voted out 3rd from last. Is it racist? Well, no, sinced the public is voting. Is the public more likely to vote for someone more familiar to them. Yes. Is that racist? Probably. I heard this girl sing, and I can tell you that she (and two other black women on the show), are the only ones that belong there at this point. That little red-headed guy with no expression, no looks, no charisma, and a very average voice is getting votes from middle-america, even though he doesn't have a hope at all of having a career.

Is it racist? Yes, it appears to be... but ashamedly, that means that America is racist. Is that a surprise to anyone?

[Commendatori]

16. But...

...who won the last time? Wasn't it the big black guy over Clay Aiken?

[Kadie]

6. I disagree

I think, and I could be wrong, that what we have going on here are a bunch of teenagers voting for a "fad" or a "one hit wonder" type other than true talent. I'm not worried about those that won't win American Idol, they have the talent and they will have long successful careers.

[Liberal Veteran]

7. There are two whites..3 blacks...one Polynesian (?)....

....left and he thinks the vote is racist?

Hell, out of the top 12, the first one's to go

1) Amy Adams (white)
2) John Peter Lewis (white)
3) Leah Labelle (white)
4) Matt Rodgers (white)
5) Camille Velasco (polynesian)

and then the only black girl voted out of the competition Jennifer Hudson was voted out.

Seems to me any cry of racism at this point is utterly ridiculous.

[mdguss]

8. I think William Hung:

The very bad but enthusastic singer has the highest selling album of all Idol contestants. Says something about the show. Last I heard that album was at 33 on the charts. You have to feel sorry for talented musicians.

[Liberal Veteran]

13. Not exactly accurate: Hung was not a contestant.

He was rejected at the tryouts and has only sold like 60,000 records.

Clay Aiken, who was a contestant (and a damn good vocalist) has sold over 1 million copies of his album.

[johnnie]

15. 60,000

Is nothing to sneeze at. I think that's about what that one guy with the frizzy hair from American Idol sold. He was dropped by his record company soon afterward.
No, I don't follow the show...just read a lot of news at work.

[Liberal Veteran]

17. No...it's nothing to sneeze at, but it's a novelty album.

I don't think we can read much into it.

[johnnie]

18. Point taken... n/t

[Syrinx]

9. there's plenty of real racism in the world

It's a shame that people, like that old has-been Elton John, have to invent instances of it.

[Heyo]

12. I don't watch much...

But I did catch that eposide....

I was outraged....the three best singers (I dont care WHAT ear you have) got voted the worst.

I think they were TOO good. They sang so good people dodn't call in and vote. They didn't think they had to, the figured they were sure to win. They might've been so good they sabatoged themselves.

Heyo

[Liberal Veteran]

14. True, I think it was also a case of 3 similarly talented women...

...having the fan base split between them.

Of the 3, Jennifer Hudson is was the least talented, but none of them really belonged in the circle that night. Jasmine and John are orders of talent below all three of them.

[Delano]

19. I didn't hear her, but...

A common flaw among many black singers today (as well as the young generation of white singers trying to copy them) is a tendency to completely overdrown histrionics.

When I hear a great singer like Xtina Aguilera or even Mariah Carey go overboard with the superfluous wailing, it's very annoying.

Sarah Vaughn, Lena Horne, Chaka Khan, Aretha, they all knew a little something about restraint.


Again, not a comment on this singer, but on "soul" singers today...