[nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #131- White Cane andAmericanIdol

[kaye zimpher]

I love country music for thet reason along with many others. Country music 
is still music. I feel like a lot fo today's popular music is just noise. 
Many of the artists can not even sing they scream, groan and make just a lot 
of noice. I always prayed I would never say that when I got older and now I 
am saying it.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Milissa Garside" <milissa.g79 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 9:31 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #131- White Cane 
andAmericanIdol


> Mike,
>
> It depends on what type of music one is going into. For example, country
> music does not require a lot of visual entertaining. The same holds true 
> for
> opera and classical music. However, if one wants to pursue music within 
> the
> pop, R and B, Hippop, and rock fields, the visuals are important whether 
> you
> are on TV or performing to a live audience. In those jonras, visual
> entertainment and performing are more important music. Hence, there are 
> now
> many musicians who can not sing that are famous simply because they can
> shake their booty and look good.  can      music,
>
> Milissa
>
> "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that 
> matter."
> Martin Luther King Jr.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Michael Bullis" <mabullis at hotmail.com>
> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 9:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #131- White Cane
> andAmericanIdol
>
>
>> Ah,  so, we have two diverging interests.  One side says it's all about
>> the
>> music and that's what it's supposed to be about.  Are you sure?  Can't it
>> be
>> about visual entertainment as well?  I mean, this is tv after all which
>> does
>> imply visual entertainment.  But, don't feel bad.  There are lots of good
>> singers, both sighted and blind, who hate the tv's requirements for
>> visuals.
>> But, I wonder, why fight it so much?  Why not just learn to visually
>> entertaining?
>>
>> Some country singers like Randy Travis are visually borring.  They just
>> stand there and sing, barely moving.  Clearly they've made it.  Perhaps
>> country allows for more of this still.  I know that Garth Brooks was put
>> down by a lot of his fellow country artists because he has so many 
>> visuals
>> in his show.  He also has a college degree in marketing as I recall.
>>
>> So, anyway, I'm sure I won't turn any of you musical purists into visual
>> entertainers, but, I don't think it has much, or even anything, to do 
>> with
>> blindness.  But, if you choose not to be part of the visual form of
>> television, then don't be surprised if you don't get on American Idol.
>> They're in a ratings fight and will always take the dual visual and audio
>> entertainers over those who are just audio.
>> Mike Bullis
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of kaye zimpher
>> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 9:05 PM
>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #131- White Cane and
>> AmericanIdol
>>
>> As I read this thought provoker I was quite interested because I
>> absolutely
>> love American idol, but I have to say I agree with the judges. I am and
>> will
>> always be a proud cane user, and I think it should be used at all times 
>> as
>> the mobility aid that it was meant to be, but to have the cane as part of
>> the dance/song? I'm not so sure about that. If I were a contestant I 
>> would
>> want to look as good as I could and I would not want something 
>> distracting
>> the crowd from my *beautiful* voice. hahaha But in all seriousness, if 
>> the
>> contestant familiarized themselves with the stage before the show they
>> should have no problem making the best routine caneless. By the same 
>> token
>> I
>> am also not fond of the distracting way some contestants wear strange
>> things
>> in their hair or dres so weird. It distracts the audience from the true
>> nature of the show which is singing.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
>> To: "nfbtalk" <NFB-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 10:16 PM
>> Subject: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #131- White Cane and American
>> Idol
>>
>>
>>> NFBtalk members
>>> RE:  White Cane and American Idol
>>>
>>> Simon, Paula and Randy are faced with judging if a white cane is a
>>> detractor to the performance of the first blind American Idol
>>> contestant. See if you agree with their Judgment. fellow judges If you
>>> have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.  Recall that I collect
>>> responses and post them upon my web site for all the WWW to read and
>>> learn from and that URL is- Http://thoughtprovoker.info  If you wish
>>> to receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and
>>> ask, at-  newmanrl at cox.net
>>>
>>> THOUGHT PROVOKER 131
>>> White Cane and American Idol
>>>
>>> White cane arching, swaying, at times twirling like a baton in his
>>> fingers, the young blind man belted out his vocals and danced in
>>> rhythm to the driving beat of the stage band and supporting voices of
>>> the backup singers, all part of his well rehearsed number for the
>>> audience and judges of American Idol, the hit television show. The
>>> competition was in the third week, eight contestants had already been
>>> eliminated, four in each of the proceeding two weeks. This week four
>>> more, two males and two females would be voted off, sent home by
>>> America's voting audience.
>>>
>>> The live audience responded enthusiastically, obviously having liked
>>> the young blind man's rendition of the eighties rock tune. The radiant
>>> smile and confident movement of the young man on stage told the
>>> watcher that the singer felt he'd given a good performance.
>>>
>>> "Check it out! Check it out! Dog!" Loudly proclaimed Randy, the first
>>> of the three judges standing on his feet, bent arms waving the beat,
>>> looking excited and pleased. "That was hot! That is what we saw in you
>>> from the first tune you sang in front of us.  it's the enthusiasm of
>>> delivery, good clear tone, and the way you handle yourself. Dog! Good
>>> song choice--that was perfect for you. I liked that! This was the best
>>> performance of the night!"
>>> Randy was beaming so hard, he could have been an ad for toothpaste.
>>>
>>> Paula was next, face beaming, still standing where she had risen to
>>> dance behind her chair, "Brent, that was a stunning performance; great
>> vocals!
>>> Your parents. who are in the audience, can be proud of you. You looked
>>> natural up there; you had the audience loving you! And hey, you can
>>> dance!
>>> We hadn't seen that in your earlier performances.  You looked good;
>>> you need to do more of that. I think you are going to be in the final
>>> twelve and the other singers will have to work hard to beat this
>>> performance."  She sat down, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows
>>> to check what the persnickety judge on her right was going to say.
>>>
>>> The cameras shifted to the final judge. He had sat, arms crossed,
>>> taking in Brent's performance with his usual critical eye and half
>>> smile.  With serious tone and British-accented speech, Simon began one
>>> of his infamous, well known intros to an evaluation of a singer's
>>> performance. "To be honest with you, I have mixed feelings about you."
>>> The audience erupted with hoots and jeering in response to the judge
>>> they loved to hate. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, let me have my
>>> say." And with the return of quiet to the hall, Simon addressed the
>>> now unsmiling, serious young singer. "On the positive side, I think
>>> you actually are one of the top two voices in the competition." The
>>> audience responded favorably but quieted down quickly, knowing that
>>> Simon had more to say. "But my problem is." Simon's eyebrows came
>>> together as he frowned in concentration.
>>>
>>> "Ah, what? The ever eloquent Simon is lost for words!" blustered Randy.
>>>
>>> Turning a serious face to his fellow judge, Simon answered, "Well,
>>> we've never before had a blind contestant and I'm struggling with how
>>> to phrase my comment." Abruptly turning back to the waiting performer,
>>> face determined, Simon continued, "Brent, I will not treat you any
>>> different, I owe you that, and I'm going to tell you what the problem
>>> is. It is . as we tell you all, in this business you have to be
>>> believable. And in your special case, you have to be acceptable." The
>>> audience reacts, Randy and Paula's voices add to the storm of protest
>>> and Simon has to again pause. "Now wait a minute, wait!
>>> Let me finish. Hear what I've got to say." With order restored, Simon
>>> went on, "I did not say a blind singer would not be acceptable! As
>>> everyone else here, I'm aware of Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, and
>>> other blind musicians who have made it in professional music. But
>>> there's a difference at work here. Now what my problem is--I said your
>>> vocals were one of the best, but on stage I believe you will have to
>>> lose that white stick. It was .
>>> annoying; it kept drawing the eye, taking the focus off of where it
>>> should be, on the singer. Sorry, the stick is not compatible with being
>>> an
>> Idol."
>>> THOUGHT PROVOKER 131
>>> White Cane and American Idol
>>>
>>> White cane arching, swaying, at times twirling like a baton in his
>>> fingers, the young blind man belted out his vocals and danced in
>>> rhythm to the driving beat of the stage band and supporting voices of
>>> the backup singers, all part of his well rehearsed number for the
>>> audience and judges of American Idol, the hit television show. The
>>> competition was in the third week, eight contestants had already been
>>> eliminated, four in each of the proceeding two weeks. This week four
>>> more, two males and two females would be voted off, sent home by
>>> America's voting audience.
>>>
>>> The live audience responded enthusiastically, obviously having liked
>>> the young blind man's rendition of the old rhythm and blues classic.
>>> The radiant smile and confident movement of the young man on stage
>>> told the watcher that the singer felt he'd given a good performance.
>>>
>>> "Check it out! Check it out! Dog!" Loudly proclaimed Randy, the first
>>> of the three judges standing on his feet, bent arms waving the beat,
>>> looking excited and pleased. "That was hot! That is what we saw in you
>>> from the first tune you sang in front of us.  it's the enthusiasm of
>>> delivery, good clear tone, and the way you handle yourself. Dog! Good
>>> song choice--that was perfect for you. I liked that! This was the best
>>> performance of the night!"
>>> Randy was beaming so hard, he could have been an ad for toothpaste.
>>>
>>> Paula was next, face beaming, still standing where she had risen to
>>> dance behind her chair, "Brent, that was a stunning performance; great
>> vocals!
>>> Your parents. who are in the audience, can be proud of you. You looked
>>> natural up there; you had the audience loving you! And hey, you can
>>> dance!
>>> We hadn't seen that in your earlier performances.  You looked good;
>>> you need to do more of that. I think you are going to be in the final
>>> twelve and the other singers will have to work hard to beat this
>>> performance."  She sat down, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows
>>> to check what the persnickety judge on her right was going to say.
>>>
>>> The cameras shifted to the final judge. He had sat, arms crossed,
>>> taking in Brent's performance with his usual critical eye and half
>>> smile.  With serious tone and British-accented speech, Simon began one
>>> of his infamous, well known intros to an evaluation of a singer's
>>> performance. "To be honest with you, I have mixed feelings about you."
>>> The audience erupted with hoots and jeering in response to the judge
>>> they loved to hate. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, let me have my
>>> say." And with the return of quiet to the hall, Simon addressed the
>>> now unsmiling, serious young singer. "On the positive side, I think
>>> you actually are one of the top two voices in the competition." The
>>> audience responded favorably but quieted down quickly, knowing that
>>> Simon had more to say. "But my problem is." Simon's eyebrows came
>>> together as he frowned in concentration.
>>>
>>> "Ah, what? The ever eloquent Simon is lost for words!" blustered Randy.
>>>
>>> Turning a serious face to his fellow judge, Simon answered, "Well,
>>> we've never before had a blind contestant and I'm struggling with how
>>> to phrase my comment." Abruptly turning back to the waiting performer,
>>> face determined, Simon continued, "Brent, I will not treat you any
>>> different, I owe you that, and I'm going to tell you what the problem
>>> is. It is . as we tell you all, in this business you have to be
>>> believable. And in your special case, you have to be acceptable." The
>>> audience reacts, Randy and Paula's voices add to the storm of protest
>>> and Simon has to again pause. "Now wait a minute, wait!
>>> Let me finish. Hear what I've got to say." With order restored, Simon
>>> went on, "I did not say a blind singer would not be acceptable! As
>>> everyone else here, I'm aware of Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, and
>>> other blind musicians who have made it in professional music. But
>>> there's a difference at work here. Now what my problem is--I said your
>>> vocals were one of the best, but on stage I believe you will have to
>>> lose that white stick. It was .
>>> annoying; it kept drawing the eye, taking the focus off of where it
>>> should be, on the singer. Sorry, the stick is not compatible with being
>>> an
>> Idol."
>>>
>>>
>>> Robert Leslie Newman
>>> E-Mail- newmanrl at cox.net
>>> Web Site- thoughtprovoker.info
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ----
>>
>>
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