Give Me a Break
Has anyone watched a piece of fluff that is masquerading as a talent show
contest called 'Dick
Clark presents Your Big Break'?
Normally I shy away from this sort of B.S., but my daughters think the show
is great. There's music and they can dance to it. I'm pretty sure that's not
what Dick Clark had in mind when he decided to produce this farce.
The whole premise is this...If you look like a singer (or group) and sound
like that same singer (or group), then send in a tape and if your chosen you
compete against five other so called look-a-likes for a chance to go to the
semi-finals and then on the finals for a chance to win $25,000.
The host of the show, Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton from 'Fresh Prince Of Bel
Air'), introduces each contestant by way of 'this my everyday life' video.
After they are 'transformed' to look like their superstar counterpart the
audience (studio and television) gets to watch them perform a song, complete
with musicians, backup singers, dancers and special effects. There's more
going on here then there is most high profile music videos.
So what's my gripe with the show? It's not so much the performances as it is
the voting process. The studio audience gets to vote (via electronic keypad)
on who looked and sounded most like their superstar counterpart. This bothers
me to no end. Why? Because these people don't know Jack.
If anyone saw the semi-finals then you know what I'm talking about. Here's a
quick run down...
- 18 contestants
- 3 shows
- 2 finalists chosen from each show
- Onto the finals where one wins
Here comes the 'faux pas' that the studio audiences for those three shows
made...
Semi-final #1 -
Barry White, Shania Twain, Hootie & the Blowfish, Elvis, Monica &
John Lennon were the superstars. The guy that did Barry White was great.
Didn't make it. Elvis was good. Didn't make it. We ended up with Monica and
John Lennon. I won't bitch about Monica...she was my third choice. But the
guy who did John Lennon didn't even sound like John Lennon.
Semi-final #2 -
Tina Turner, James Ingram, Melissa Etheridge, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston
& Gloria Gaynor were the superstars. Nothing to say here. Whitney and
Stevie were chosen and, yes, they were the best of the lot, even though
Stevie should have chosen another song besides 'I Just Called To Say I Love
You'. ('Living For the City' would have been a better choice)
Semi-final #3 -
Toni Braxton, Little Richard, Sarah McLachlan, Al Green, Gladys Knight &
Boyz II Men were the superstars. This is where I went ballistic because when
this show ended I knew it was rigged. Gladys Knight and Boys II Men went to
the finals. Sorry, people. Little Richard was the hands down winner. He
looked like the man, sang like the man and even had the mannerisms down to a
tee. Al Green should have been pick #2. It's hard to do one of the greatest
R&B singers of all time but this guy pulled it off. Boys II Men should
have come in third. Gladys Knight shouldn't even have beem there. It looked
like Dionne Warwick trying to imitate Gladys Knight. She didn't even sound
like Gladys. But I give The Pips 9 out of 10; the dancing was a little too
fast for 'Midnight Train To Georgia'.
So who won the $25,000 you ask? Gladys Knight. The show was fixed. Plain and
simple. Sorry, Mr. Clark. I think you should get audience members who know
music and who will vote honestly. In my opinion - Little Richard (who didn't
make it to the finals) should have been the big winner.
Your Big Break...Give me a break!!
- Richard Blaine
* Richard Blaine's views and opinions do not necessarily
reflect the views and opinions of the staff at Twin-Music.