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

[bright-sunshine]

Maybe true, but how come I have not seen one blind individual up their yet?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Bullis" <mabullis at hotmail.com>
To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 8:16 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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