Cowell Copies

There’s something about American Idol that’s addictive beyond one’s voluntary control. I’ve been an Idol follower for quite sometime now and have watched the series that gave Clay Aitkin, Ruben Studdard, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks the platform from which they launched into the limelight.

I think everyone’s gotten used to Simon Cowell’s “nasty” dishing out of honest, candid comments by now, not to mention Paula Abdul’s eager-to-please stutters or Randy Jackson’s annoying “okay dawg, check it out, check it out” clichés. Ryan Seacrest’s dead pan commentaries as host makes a difficult job look easy and the audience is quite used to his deliberate dragging of results till “after the break”.

In comparison, there’s the host of “America’s Got Talent” hosted by Jerry Springer (who will be replaced by Nick Cannon in the next season). An epitome of grace, courtesy and mild mannerdness. Seacrest’s know-it-all sarcasm shows up when compared with Springer’s classy act. Jerry treats contestants with a lot of respect and David Hasselhoff, Brandy and Piers Morgan can’t help but toe the line.

And then of course, our very own “Sirasa Superstar”. It's painful to watch the poor villagers who have traveled from afar - to a Colombo they are visiting for the very first time, just to watch and support a grandchild who is contesting, wipe tears with hankies as they fall prey to the sarcastic glares of our very own judges who strip down every bit of confidence with their piercing, menacing looks.

Paula Abdul is a judge who sponataneously gets on her feet and dances away (with a beaming smile), whenever the music moves her. In stark comparison, our local judges take it upon themselves to stare down the participants in the preliminary stages, visibly giving contestants a hard time, just because they’re all aware of the “Simon Cowell” factor.

I have nothing against Simon Cowell. In fact I think he’s the only sincere and upfront judge up there sometimes, because Paula tends to sugar coat her responses (which drives Simon crazy. You often catch him say “answer the question” while she stammers her way through her judgment) But what I do have something against is our local judges imitating the Cowell act. THAT is what I find degrading.

We have to remember the Americans unlike Sri Lankans, have very different personalities. They are more “tongue-in the –cheek” while the rural community of Lanka albeit those who take part in contests like Sirasa Superstar are humble, timid people who may have talent yet hang on every word the judges say. The American youngsters are arrogant, self-confident and of a totally different mindset to us Asian folk which is why I have a bone to pick with the Sirasa Superstar Judges who ought to be educated on a few things.

Here’s hoping that our television shows quit mimicking our foreign counterparts when handling these contestants who travel miles to take part in such contests.

Here’s to the death of Cowell and the birth of Sri Lankan originality in our judges.