Oh dear, I think I'm going to regret this posting, and ruin my somewhat intellectual reputation (I have published blogs about poetry and my intense love for Classic FM, honest), but here we go.............I actually enjoyed the finals of Strictly Come Dancing and the X Factor (oh God what have I done?), but for very different reasons.Ok, Brucie is tending to jabber on now, but he is pivotal in retaining the sense of old style variety/music hall show culture. But the show is an "honest" one, where actual people have to demonstrate their ability; there's no miming, there's no orchestrated politics, it is what it is, pure physical commitment played out" live" on stage with a fantastic "live" house band! And when the results are announced, all the participants are honourable and celebrate their win or loss positively. No back stabbing, no jealousy and poisonous rhetoric. You're left with a sense of admiration for all of them (and those dresses!)
Whereas the X Factor, well where do I start? I really admire Simon's professional entrepreneurial spirit, and the fact that the show gives normal hopeful people a chance to go on TV and onto potential fame, and I enjoy watching the spectrum of ability (the early stages are hysterical!) but that's where my admiration stops.
I watched a beautiful excerpt at the weekend of Elton John singing live his first hit "Your Song". Pure genius talent, an amalgamation of tender lyrics and a beautiful melody. His future success and reputation have been based on his musical ability to work hard and to create fantastic masterpieces. He wasn't hustled onto a" boot-camp" and made to sing someone else's hits in front of 4 talentless, meaningless so called "personalities", He wasn't exploited by the media and put under so much pressure for the first month of exposure that he had flu and fits. He got to where is his because of his "honest"talent.
The X Factor is an orchestrated media circus acted out on the back of hideous and made up stories. Have you seen the Cowellesque manouvered headlines about some of his already vulnerable contestants, "*******'s grandmother mother is a prostitute" just to raise audience figures? Lovely.
"Nice to see you, to see you, nice" any day.
When I read the blog heading I thought it was going to be about Springsteen!! Merry Christmas to everyone at Woodreed.
ReplyDeleteSo agree Dave, although not a fan of 'Strictly' either - not cos I don't like it but just never watch TV in that way - Simon Cowell may be a great entrepreneur and rumoured to become Sir Simon in the New Year's Honours, but he's done sweet diddly squat for the UK music industry in terms of real talent.
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