Music News - Lovable & Laughable Make It Into NZ Idol
NZ Idol contestants were screened before being put before judges Frankie Steven (left), Fiona McDonald and Paul Ellis
10 February 2004 - 0 Comments
Do New Zealand Idol's hardworking judges really view thousands of contestants in their search for a new star? Sorry, we'll have to say no.
It turns out the hit show uses a screening process which ensures it fits the bill of "entertainment" - including the deliberate pre-selection of some tragic failures.
The first episode gave the impression the three judges were ploughing through about 4000 wannabe stars at auditions in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland.
But behind the scenes the producers of the "reality" TV show, which screens on Sunday nights, were allowing only a minority to go before the judging panel.
And, in some instances, plainly less-talented individuals were put before the judges ahead of better singers or musicians to provide the "entertainment" value.
Producer Andy Shaw told the Weekend Herald yesterday that although a total of 4000 people had turned up at the three venues, they were all first seen by either himself, musical director Eddie Rayner, or record executive Jake Shand.
Mr Shaw said logistical reasons necessitated the whittling-down of numbers before the judges got to assess up to 130 contestants in each city the next day.
He defended the process, and said the three pre-selectors were all capable of spotting singing talent.
But Mr Shaw accepted they might have missed some contestants who would have had more musical ability than others who got their televised chance at fame.
He said there had been no formal complaints but he got a bit bored with the whining "I didn't get through" gripes.
An administration worker, William Edge, of Auckland, told the Herald that he and a choir-singer friend were surprised and disappointed they did not even make it to the judging table.
"We expected we would be put in front of the three judges, but found we were going in front of just one guy."
He was shocked to see some of the "idiots" who had made it.
Mr Shaw said they had wanted to put forward a wide range of performers for the judges to consider.
"We aimed to provide the widest variety we could from the vocally skilled, individual personality, dynamic sense of self-belief - even if they were not that good - or just those with a question mark."
According to Mr Shaw, some of the shockers viewed on the first programme - like the "na, na, na" man who mainly just clicked his fingers and the woman who crawled on the floor - were given a chance because they had unswerving self-belief or character.
"The whole concept of the show is about the great, the good, the bad and the weird ... That is what makes the show satisfying to watch."
Mr Shaw did not think it was cruel to screen wannabes whom most viewers considered clearly useless.
"Some truly believed in themselves and were desperate to go in front of the judges."
He added that it was an entertainment series and entrants should have read the "detailed" rules where they gave up their moral rights to the material recorded of them.
"It's buyer beware, you enter at your own risk."
Mr Shaw said he placed equal emphasis on discovering a star and providing entertainment, although the judges were under enormous pressure to find "the one".
A reporter told the Herald she had not got an audition because her occupation was a "problem".
But Mr Shaw said no one was denied a chance because of his or her job.
He also denied a claim that the judges in Auckland were told they were being too nice and instructed to be meaner.
A woman who worked on the show for the Auckland screenings said she heard a producer tell the judges they had to be harsher, and they were. She did not want to be named, but added that the producers chose the best and the worst to go before the judging panel, leaving out everyone in between.
"There is a ginger-haired man who will screen tomorrow [Sunday] who was obviously tone deaf - he had been laughed at ... It's sad," she said.
Mr Shaw said the show would be controversial, as it should be, and that was already being reflected in chat-room traffic. He was pleased with initial feedback and a television audience of more than one million viewers last Sunday.
The first episode rated higher than the international formats that screened here last year. More than 1.2 million viewers aged over 5 tuned in for the local version.
By tomorrow night, the judges would have narrowed down a cast of 60 - 10 from the Wellington auditions, 13 from Christchurch and the rest from Auckland.
But there would still be room for the "characters". Upcoming episodes would include snippets of failed entrants who had believed in their own abilities.
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