Well I just watched the American Idol Gives Back special. For the most part I was impressed with all the work that went into this production. I wonder though how much of the money raised had to go to fund this show, anyway, that is not my point. My point is that the show did some amazing things and it was pretty good up and until the end where things went really wrong in my opinion. No, not the last song I thought that was great, what I am talking about was the whole Ben Stiller skit at the end. If you did not see it let me clue you in (SPOILER ALERT). The idols just finished singing a beautiful spiritual number and they quick cut to Ben Stiller in an empty idol studio wondering why he had been given bad info on the timing of the event or maybe he thought he was being punked either way he goes on a tirade and proceeds to cuss and fuss about being lied to. Yes, they bleeped out his F-bombs but not very well.
What were the producers thinking. Here they are trying to appeal to people to give their hard earned money to their cause and they used some very effective emotional tactics to accomplish this just to have this idiot come out on stage and do this whole vulgar routine. It was an immediate turnoff for me as I am sure is was for millions of americans watching at home. Me and my wife were offended and I can not imagine what families with small children were thinking about all of this. I can see this really back firing on Idol as this was to last impression they choose to give about their charity event and it was not a good one. Don’t get me wrong there were other questionable things about the show but this one thing will be hard to forget. I wonder just how much this may cost this show or more important the charities that they were promoting.
Believe me, we’re not the only ones who felt this way. Unfortunately, most people thought it was over at 10:00 and turned it off and didn’t even see the eight sing “Shout to the Lord” much less ole Benny shoot off his vulgar mouth. Who knows how much backlash there will be for that, but seeing as Idol tries to promote itself as a show the whole family can enjoy I’m sure the bleeped expletives will produce some feedback. I’m going to try to find a way to send a comment myself. I’m assuming there’s a way to do that on their website.
By: thescribespen on April 10, 2008
at 11:59 am