I've already blogged about my love/hate relationship with the American Idol audition episodes. I'm still watching this season (go Kris!!!! go Alison!!!) and enjoying it for the most part. I still can't physically watch Adam Lambert sing (he makes strange eyes at the tv and I feel like I need a shower after every performance) but his "artistry" (god help me I used the same term as Kara) is growing on me.
While I'm determined to watching the rest of American Idol this season, I'm afraid to say that my heart has been stolen by another reality tv singing competition: Any Dream Will Do. This show is brilliant. The entire goal is to find the man who will be cast as Joseph in the next West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor (it's on BBC America on Sunday nights). I was in this show in high school and Joseph is an incredible show. It touches on almost every modern musical style and has the potential to be directed in so many ways that it really represents an opportunity for someone to express themselves on a stage in a way that many musicals don't offer. Plus, I still use the song that lists off all of Joseph's brothers as my only solid way to remember the names of Jacob's sons. Sad? Possibly. Also awesome.
The show is really corny. The opening credits shows the 12 finalists are singing various parts of songs from the show while wearing ridiculous technicolor coats and I giggle horribly every time I see it (it's possible I also rewind to watch it multiple times, it's that great brand of cheesy goodness). The men involved (and its all men and I think every one of them has been filmed without their shirt and it's only like the 3rd episode) are all part drama queen, part pseudo-macho because really, Joseph is exactly that. He has to be pretty, well, pretty, while still being able to belt out a good portion of a 2.5 hour show. The first show showed them going to "Joseph school" (ie can they sing? can they dance? are they hot?) and now it is on to the live performances. Each man sings and then one gets kicked off. They all sing different kinds of songs and some even get dancers to work with them (the dancers are kind of high school dance teamy, which just adds to the campiness of the whole show). I like that some sing very showy songs while other pick songs that aren't showy, but they try and make them such. And it's only the first live episode and they have already showed some poor girl crying. It's great and my words can't really do it justice. And have I mentioned Gram Norton is the host?!?!?
I know that we've already had shows in America to find the next Elle Woods or members of the Grease cast, but I couldn't really get into those shows. I don't know if I have more interest in this because I've actually performed in this show or if it's just more fun to watch the Brits do this. I just know that I'm going to keep watching.
