22 April 2012

So The Voice isn't that different after all


I loved The Voice when it first started.

At last, I thought, blind auditions. The judges can't see the acts, so image doesn't play a part. That's refreshing, I thought.

The Voice made me laugh about ten times in each episode when they call the judges the BIGGEST NAMES IN POP. Yes, Tom Jones is a legend. Yes, one-hit-wonder Jessie J is big right now. There's wacky will-i-am. He's cute and funny AND talented and my new favourite person off the telly. Then there's Danny O'Donoghue from The Script. I still have no idea who he is. Can someone please explain what he does apart from ask the others 'are you going?'?

That aside, I was perfectly happy to spend my Saturday evening watching something not made by Simon 'Shagger' Cowell.

The main reason I hate the X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent is the whole SuBo thing. Susan Boyle shuffles on to the stage. She looks a bit funny, a few sandwiches short of a picnic. The judges snigger behind their hands. The audience openly laugh. Then she starts singing. Her voice is incredible, clear, strong and stunning. Aha, everyone says, don't judge a book by its cover. She is talented. Everyone cheers. Hurrah.

BUT what if she couldn't sing? The audience would have thrown their metaphorical tomatoes at her. How dare she get on their stage? Daft cow. The message from these shows is that unless you have a 'talent' you're worthless. I don't know SuBo, but I'd imagine she has plenty of wonderful qualities. If she couldn't sing she'd still have those qualities, but she'd have been humiliated on national television.

People do argue that X-Factor and BGT aren't modern day freak shows. The people auditioning know the score and if they're deluded enough to put themselves on the goggle-box then they deserve everything they get. I don't agree. I don't like the mocking cruelty. I particularly dislike the way the rejects are paraded for our entertainment during the final.

Anyway, back to The Voice. This weekend has seen THE BATTLE. They've even made the perspex stage into a boxing ring. Yawn. We're told that each judge needs to see their acts perform two at a time. They sing  the same Aretha Franklin songs we've heard a gazillion times before. The artists try to out-shout, sorry, out-sing each other so the judges can decide who they take through to the live shows. After the shout-off the judges pretend to be making the most difficult decision of their lives.

I just don't buy it.

When I saw the pairings last night I correctly predicted NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN who would go through before they'd opened their massive gobs.

You see, now it's not just about the voice, it's about image and back-story. Of course Amy Winehouse's mate goes through. Of course Jaz goes through, even with bronchitis and a chest infection, because he made will-i-am squeeze out a tear last week singing 'Ordinary People'. Of course Bo, the posh bird with the annoyingly affected voice, goes through. She'll sell a few papers because her sister once played hockey with a Middleton. So far, so predictable.

I hope the live shows are entertaining and that the contestants go on a journey, but, sadly, we've seen it all before.

What do you think?

More importantly, who is Danny O'Donoghue?



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31 comments:

  1. I completely agree and have already stopped watching it!! Now lets talk about Tom Jones.......Ohhhhh I know he's old but I sooooo would!!!

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    1. I didn't say I'd stopped watching it *glosses over the fact that Emma fancies Tom*

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  2. What annoys me too is the Australian version which I haven't seen but can still snark about. It has two overseas judges and a third who hasn't lived there for donkeys years.

    It's all shite. But do I still watch it? You bet I do!

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    1. I wonder if they'll show the Australian version here... Yes, of course we're still watching!

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  3. Does Tom Jones have jaundice?
    Why does Danny always say "I'm making my decision as a coach"... um YES, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PAID A SQUILLION POUNDS TO DO.
    Jessie J is choosing people who she looks taller stood next to.
    Will.I.Am can do anything he wants because he's "been in the Peas since he was 17"

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    1. LOLing at the Peas reference. I still love will.silly.name though :)

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  4. Will.i.am is incredibly talented as a singer-songwriter, producer and performer. I like him, especially his baby teeth smile. Tom Jones is amazing, and he seems like a genuinely nice man. Danny is my daugher's favourite, she has been to see the Script in concert and he can do no wrong. I'm not keen on his mullet hairdo.

    All in all, I prefer the Voice to anything by Slimey Cowell. The thing I hate about BGT and X Factor is the audition stage where they poke fun at vulnerable people, and the Voice avoids that by having people who have a reasonable voice.

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    1. Now that's why I don't know who Danny is, I'm too old. Tom does seem really nice, but I do have a soft spot for will. I totally agree about The Voice only having people who can sing and that's why it is better than Cowell's stuff.

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  5. It started off so well I thought. Of course I shall keep watching and all that, there is something quite appealing about it. No longer watch xf and bgt, for reasons similar to yours really. I happen to know someone who auditioned for bgt, and it really is bit of a set up. By the way I haven t a clue who this David bloke is either! Great post btw.

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    1. Mary, I know someone who auditioned for xf and he only saw a producer. As with all these 'reality' programmes I always think they aren't that real at all.

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  6. My question is why does everyone fancy him? He's weird looking (imho)

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    1. Sally, does everyone fancy him? I must be getting old, I just don't see it.

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  7. I liked how the series started because it came across as non judgemental, however just like you I was able to spot straight off who would go through last night. Nah, don't know who Danny is either!

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    1. Jules, it started off so well. I feel a bit taken in TBH. Of course I'll still watch it...

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  8. danny is BEAUTIFUL like a younger BONo I would have adored him age 18! I agree with you sandy thouigh I knew anmys mate and posh girl would go through and WIll is Loverlly

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    1. Becky, now, you see, I can't stand Bono... Will is fab and reason enough to watch it for me!

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  9. Danny is the HOT one. He's the eye candy. He's the only reason I watched the show when the man insisted on sticking it on! I still have no idea what the show is about.. Just that Danny is HOT! ;o)

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  10. So this is snarking is it? I missed Blog Camp so am having a nose through to catch up on what you learnt.
    Will.I.Am and he is that's for sure certainly in my book- doesn't he have an evil concentrated glance when he's studying his acts.
    Jessie J -is he a lesbian? Not sure yet
    Tom Jones, is so ncie
    Irish kid? Good looking, love his accent, I must search his stuff on Spotify and get up to date ;)

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  11. Mari, will's face is the best. Perhaps spotify is the answer for the Irish chap :)

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  12. The reason they have Danny on the panel is, I think, a homage to X Factor- always good to have an Irishman on the end ;-)

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    1. @Trish, so he's a young Louis Walsh? I see!

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  13. Arg, The Voice just coping the X Factor to be quite honest :/

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    1. Thanks for the comment, it is a bit :)

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  14. Well i absolutely disagree. this show is amazing and so is danny!

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    1. I never said it wasn't amazing... Of course I'm still watching every week and Danny is growing on me :)

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  15. Finally decided to watch the voice.....wish i hadn't what with wooden reggie and his inability to say three properly. I managed all of a few minutes up until the woman who works in a holiday resort (really it must be bad) tell a carbon copy story we've heard a million times, squeal and destroy an all time classic. NEVER AGAIN

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    1. Thanks for commenting. I have to admit I'm still watching...

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  16. I also haven't got a clue who Danny is, but then I don't know all English/Irish artists over here in The Netherlands. I do think that the Voice UK has a bigger part for the judges then in the original Dutch version. In the UK version it's a lot of bragging between judges (i.m.o.) and that is getting on my nerves.
    And I wasn't really impressed with the performances of Jesse J and Danny last night with their teams. I thought the singers outsang the coaches bigtime.

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    1. Barbara, thank you for commenting. I was underwhelmed by the performances this weekend. I think Will and Tom have the strongest teams. The judges are far more constructive than on other shows, but still there was a fair amount of 'discussion' this week. On the bright side, there are only a couple of weeks left ;)

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    2. I agree: Tom and Will do have the strongest teams. I'm hoping Jazz'll win. He's got a lovely voice.
      It looks like the 'nice' acts have been dropped and everyone showing their true colours. :-)

      And I'll keep on watching too. :-)

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