You know how there's times when you get news and when you first hear it you think "Oh, thats fantastic!" But then the more time you have to think about it, it starts to baffle you slightly and it takes you alot more time to get used to the idea than you'd thought after that first, intial reaction? Thats how I feel about Ellen Degeneres judging on American Idol. Don't get me wrong, I love Ellen and think she's fantastic, funny, witty and the like and I think she'll add some much needed spark to the current panel (seeing her an Simon Cowell working together should be interesting...), but as a judge I'm not so sure. I'm hoping she won't turn out to be the cliche sympathetic female judge that sits in the centre of the two harsher critics as it seems to go with alot of these shows. (Don't get me started on So You Think You Can Dance. The honest truth is you think you can, but you can't, please go home).

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out. I'm hoping she'll bring some more honesty to the table and a little constructive criticism. Simon's very good at the criticism but it's not always constructive as playing up to the character he seems to play every series, the one that's been set aside for him and that earns him ridiculous amounts of money. I think their serious lack of brutal honesty in some cases results in so much half assed talent out there aswell as young singers who have the talent but don't go about things in the right way, meaning their star only shines for 15 minutes before their dwarfed by someone who was a little more business savvy.

I think that's why I've spent a little more time on Australian Idol this year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of talent shows, but when there's nothing else on TV it's nice to catch up with what everyone else is talking about. I can't fault that there's some talent on that show this year either. And the judging panel is improved by the absence of Kyle Sandilands. The new judge, Jay Dee brings a certain professionalism and industry know-how that's been missing from Dicko's judging style as of late. He's starting to work back into it and we're starting to see more of the Dicko we all know and love, but what's impressed me about Mr Springbett is that he's been honest from the start and is very comfortable with that. He's not saying things to benefit the audience, but the performers themselves, which realistically is what the shows all about.

"I'm not here to be a clown. I'm here to unearth talent."

Sure, the public has input, but it's not their futures that are being played with.

Jack Marx came out today defending and insulting Kyle Sandilands in a rather scathing description of today's journalists. I think the constant insults of Sandilands were meant to prove that the outrage both in and out of the media, his comments have generated is a waste of time. It was an interesting read and he makes some valid points. However, one such point did get to me a little:

'His excuse for saying, “Was that your only experience” made sense to me: he was confused, gobsmacked, and was trying to let his producer know that the segment was over. You can actually hear the panic in his voice, if you care to listen.'

Right, Ok. I don't know about you (and this is all I'm going to say about this because I don't think for a second it deserves anymore of anyone's time), but how does "Was that your only experience?" manage to let the producer know the segment is over? I don't really care how much panic was in his voice, it was a bloody stupid thing to say. There are millions of different ways he could have ended the segment. One really super way which would probably keep him out of a whole heap of trouble in the future aswell, would have been to STOP TALKING. Who gives a crap if it sounds messy or doesn't make good radio. Thats not the point. At that stage, it was that girl who was important, not the saving the damn show.

So no. No I don't care to listen (again).

For those who care to read it, Jack Marx article can be found here:
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,26054015-5013560,00.html