America's Not Talent(ed)

I will not be watching America's Got Talent next summer. Once last night's results show cut the field down to five, I said "If this chicken catcher wins I'm not watching next season." Sure enough they knocked people off one by one until this no talent, sob story of a country singer, Kevin Skinner, won a million dollars for being unemployed and having a country twang.

I am sorry, but if this guy tried out for American Idol he wouldn't make it past the first audition. Not only is he not any good, but in this week's final, he was even worse. As Piers said in his judging of the chicken catcher, he was "flat and missed a few notes." He was easily the worst of the five singing acts in the finals. Skinner sang an iconic song, Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing', a song done on this show and American Idol and probably every other singing competition out there, and it was the worst version I've heard yet. Even worse than Idol's Joshua Gracin of season two shame.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't like Barbara Padilla either, who finished second to the country bumpkin. But at least she was good at what she did. I may not enjoy her high pitched opera singing, but it was a good talent. Skinner was just plain awful.

That is the difference between Talent and Idol. Although America votes in both, the producers and judges of Idol are promoting the singers that they think will go on to have the best careers to keep the show relevant. In Talent, they are promoting the contestants with a little bit of talent, a heartfelt storyline, and a relateability to the audience. This is because they know that no one (other than the FANTASTIC Terry Fator) from this show is going to go on to have a career, so they need to get the most bang for their buck while they're still on the air.

Case and point:

Three out of the top five acts...

1. Kevin Skinner- unemployed chicken catcher with a family to support.

2. Barbara Padilla- cancer survivor.

5. Voice of Glory- three kids that sing for their mother, who recently came out of a coma.

Of course you had...

3. Recycled Percussion

4. Texas Tenors (right)

...that were just flat out good. Miles better than the top two acts, but didn't have the story for America to grab on to.

If you want to win a million dollars, have a tramatic event happen to you and then try out for America's Got Talent with some minor ability. You're golden. See you in two years Hoff, if the show is still on the air.