First off, I'd like to perform a little number I call "Genevieve Koski Is Right (Mostly)." Sure, I could just say ditto to her post from last night. But that's not what for they pay me the big bucks. So here are some comments on and hearty amens to the points Genevieve made yesterday.
- Should the audition shows shuffle off to Buffalo? Well … of course. Genevieve is correct that the SYTYCD audition shows seems to exist mostly because of Idol's. They don't help us determine who America's Favorite Dancer is. The editors don't even seem to be aware of who might make it through Vegas week; as with Idol, every year the finalist pool is stuffed with people we barely saw during auditions. They're perfunctory nods to the competition reality show playbook. But … one must acknowledge that there are far, far fewer of them than in the soul-crushing month-long Idol run-up. And every season I appreciate the relative professionalism of the judges and (most of) the contestants. They point up an important fact: These are people who know what an audition is. They have been in auditions. They know that you don't always make it. They know that constructive criticism is the best 90% of the people who walk on stage can hope for. They "dismiss" (in Nigel's inelegant wording) the heartwarming stories so beloved of the televised format, after giving them their due, to actually comment on the dancing. After last night's audition show, frankly, I wish the judges could just take over the Idol audition process, too, and bring some much-needed class to the joint.
- Nobody wants to see the performance artists or the clueless. Goes without saying that we all sit through the interminable — INTERMINABLE! — Kevin "Respect!" and Hella Hung stuff tapping our fingers impatiently. But again, that's instructive of the difference between this show and Idol, which even Nigel seems to forget (or is pressured by the network to ignore) during audition season. This is not a show about talent, but about trained and developed talent. You could walk off the street and make it to the competition phase of Idol. No way for SYTYCD. You have to have worked hard, really, really hard, before you get to that audition stage to have a chance of getting to America's vote, and scores of people who have worked really, really hard won't get there. So why Fox and the show's producers think that the television audience who is interested in this trained and developed talent pool wants to see interminable — INTERMINABLE! — camera time given to the clueless and deluded, I truly have no idea. Maybe we should all turn off our TVs en masse when they come on, relying on one sacrificial person to post on Facebook or something when they're over so we can turn them back on. A mini rolling boycott.
- Cheerleader Lauren was icky. Boy, I'm glad Genevieve said it. Why the judges talked about the sexiness not becoming gross is beyond me, because I was cringing. That blinding cheerleader smile on top of those bumps and grinds screamed "I'm doing something intimate, but for an audience of faceless millions!" Noel even made the identical comment while watching that Genevieve made in her post: On Project Runway, someone in charge would have questioned her taste level. She just didn't get it.
We're going to have to table this discussion until next season, though, because these are the last auditions we'll have to endure. It's Vegas time! And here's where I disagree with Genevieve: I can't get enough of Vegas (or Hollywood, in the Idol universe). It's the crucible factor. These people now have to perform under pressure, and we get to see if they come through or don't. And honestly, that's what I love about all competition reality shows. You've got to stick the landing with the eyes of the world upon you. Can you do it? It's about that moment of truth — the moment of performance, where storylines and resumes cease to be relevant.