| Sirius Satellite Radio has announced that they've added two channels of EWTN Radio (in English and Spanish) to their line-up.
Admittedly, not everything on the Sirius schedule is family-friendly: they have a raunchy comedy channel (and are about to add a family-oriented one). And some of the talk on the talk channels isn't quite right, e.g., the gay-oriented channel. But today Sirius is doing a Good Thing. Good doggie! |  |
Arts & Culture: January 2004 Archives
Time for a new year and a new episode of "American Idol." I've never actually seen the show, but since Fox is the only place one can watch "The Simpsons," I've seen plenty of previews for it. A wife of mine (who shall remain nameless) has actually seen an episode or two.
Does anyone else think the way they treat contestants on "AI" is wrong? I used to do some acting, and the Brothers Schultz and I used to do a little singing way back when, and I remember the kind of nervousness you get when you perform on stage. The way I understand it, in the first few episodes, they drag in kids who can't sing and humiliate them in front of the cameras, then broadcast it to millions of people.
Ha ha ha. I've read that the producers identify the ridiculously bad performers and then tell them they're going to audition for the main judges instead of the lower-level screeners. So these people think, "Hey, I've really got a shot," but instead they get verbally abused. Maybe some of them think it's a lark afterwards, but from the looks on their faces, they seem genuinely shocked.
If I were one of the sucky performers, I'd probably want to shoot myself -- or that nasty judge, Simon. Where does he get off passing judgment on people's talents? He's the guy who inflicted the Spice Girls on the world. He should be on trial at the Hague, right after Milosevic is finished.
Anyway, the whole thing makes me sick. I don't really care about the whole "Star Search" aspect, but it seems like they could have that without the humiliation. Or is cruelty considered good clean fun these days, and I hadn't noticed?
UPDATE: I was wrong -- Simon Cowell did not create the Spice Girls, contrary to my memory. He is responsible for the Teletubbies and the Mighty Morph'n Power Rangers. Simon Fuller is the guy who created the Spice Girls. I should watch VH-1 more often to keep these things straight, but I don't have cable, so I can't.
The stage show !Hero, written by Christian pop performer Ed DeGarmo, toured 20 cities in November, and plans another round this year. Christianity Today comments.
