Key disconnect between local and foreign TV talent tilts

WE’VE been watching a lot of talent tilts on TV, both local and foreign and have sadly noted a key disconnect between the two versions.

Basically, our homegrown tilt’s jurors appear to be hesitant to come up with negative performance notes that may hurt contestants’ sensibilities and make the judges come across as less than encouraging, and even harsh.

On the other hand, most of their counterparts in talent tilts held abroad feel no such compunction to “soften” their blows and thus sweeten up their image—and just focus on evaluating the contestants’ performances, so they will realize their flaws and strengths, and do better the next time around!

Another key observation: Most talent tilts tap celebrities as jurors and/or mentors, but some local stars who are chosen to judge talent competitions are veteran performers who aren’t known for their objectivity and perspicacity as evaluators.

Thus, their verdicts are unhelpfully subjective and even occasionally dead wrong, and they make things worse by coming up with embarrassingly gushy reactions like, “I don’t know how to say it,” or “There are no words,” or “I’m speechless!”

Is that so? Then, why did you agree to become a talent tilt juror? You should have volunteered to become a member of the show’s cheering squad, instead.

Tiny, insignificant

The few times that local jurors come up with an even faintly less than rave reaction, they dilute it some more by feebly whispering, “I hear that you’re not feeling well,” or “This is just a small, minor, tiny, insignificant, picayune, probably irrelevant (take your pick) observation,” or some other “understanding” disclaimer.

Of course some judges in competitions televised abroad err at the other end of the niceness/harshness spectrum.

For instance, Simon Cowell used to be infamous for chopping hapless contestants’ heads off with colorfully bitchy comments that cast aspersions, not just on their inadequate talent but also on their (lack of) looks, clothes, song choices, diction, intelligence, family background and genetics!

Instructively, however, even Cowell has stopped being so self-servingly bitchy, and is coming up with more sensible and helpful notes on the TV tilts he appear in these days.

Of all of the TV talent competitions we’ve been viewing, the best verdicts are being handed down on the US edition of “The Voice.”

Its four jurors—Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine—are famous performers in their own right, but they put their celebrity status aside.

Instead, they focus on coming up with objective evaluations of contestants’ plus and minus points as musical performers—and, more to the heart of the tilt’s matter, on their stellar potential.

As a result, their respective best bets visibly and audibly improve from week to week—until, at the end of the long and arduous competition, they emerge as polished, versatile and confident professionals—many of whom do become singing stars and enjoy long and prosperous performing careers!

In unfortunate contrast, local singing tilt champions generally don’t do well at all as professionals, partly due to the poor training they receive, and the “soft” and “kind” judging they experience at the gentle and even apologetic lines of so-called celebrity jurors who love to call attention to their lovely  selves—and don’t do their job!