In a shocking result Sisaundra Lewis a former back-up singer for Celine Dione was eliminated on season 6 of THE VOICE - NBC photo

The diva IS BACK!!! Jennifer "I want you to win Phillip" Lopez returned to American Idol with her biased analysis helping Idol slip into darkness with failing, low ratings - Fox photo

Video Beat - THE VOICE PUMPS while AMERICAN IDOL LUMPS

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

As the seasons come and go The Voice is improving its show while American Idol is slipping into the darkness of self destruction. It continues a format of deception and drama. The Idol judge's critiques display arrogance, is too lengthy, distasteful and serves no purpose but to draw a yawn - Recommended TV Listings

Friday, May 09, 2014

IDOL'S DOWNWARD SLIPPERY SLOPE to SELF DESTRUCTION

It's coming down to integrity as The Voice is dominating over American Idol in the ratings and its quality of program. In successive seasons The Voice has PUMPED IT UP by improving the quality of its program by having made a better talent selections and a more diverse format with twists resulting in a seamless production.

Idol must have lumps in its throat and is choking. It continues to go down the path of self destruction with the same old tired contrived show. The staging is not as colorful as it was during the season before last (season 11) the series that featured Jessica Sanchez. At that time the band was much stronger with its leader being Ray Chew and their background singers were far superior to this season's. As the lyrics of the band WAR's hit song states….Idol is … SLIPPIN INTO DARKNESS.

The show is so bad and boring. It's like an old lame horse that SHOULD BE PUT DOWN and out of its misery. American Idol has run its course and has past its sell by date.

For the past two seasons Idol's talent has declined. They lack the quality voices of season 11's Jessica Sanchez (2nd), Hollie Cavanagh (4th) and Jermaine Jones (disqualified at 12th). Idol continues to focus on making the judges the stars with Jennifer "I want you to win Phillip" Lopez being cast as the centerpiece of a judging team that loves to hear themselves talk with their long drawn out critiques.

Idol's powers that be lack common sense. They appear not to respect the intelligence of its viewing audience, resulting in the show loosing viewers. Since this seasons opening episode Idol's ratings have been sliced more than half from 15.9 million viewers down to 7.3 million last week in their TOP 5 Telecast.

Last week The Voice attracted 11 million viewers. The Voice's season opener attracted 15.85 million viewers for 13 share of the entire viewing universe against other programs that are televised the same time slot in the USA. Of note the show airs in Asia on a 5-6 day delayed basis.

More evidence in Idol's decline is the shortened results show which was once a one hour superstar special that was packed with performances from guest recording stars. This season the results show has been reduced to a half hour minus the guest recording stars. It's dull, boring and comparable to watching a wake.

The Voice has a more inspiring program in which judge Blake Shelton continues to show why he is such a good coach. He has the gift of improving talent by suggesting songs that display their voice in a better light. Often he takes a singer that enters the contest favoring another music genre other than country. By the time they reach the live shows via his direction he has converted them into singing country songs.

Shelton did that best with Cassadee Pope in Season 3. Pope came into the contest as a rocker and won The Voice title singing country. Shelton's transformation of pope has led to her current success as a top country artist.

This season Shelton had the strongest team as all three of his final team singers qualified for the TOP 10. In the process he converted a non country singer Audra McLaughlin who hails from non country area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania into a country singer. As Shelton noted country music needs her quality of talent.

Shelton has improved country singer Jake Worthington who hails from the country state of Texas. The puzzle was what Shelton could do with the 47-year-old soul/pop singer Sisaundra Lewis who in our opinion was the most talented vocalist in the contest. That question came to fruition this week.

On an episode that has aired in America this week on Monday and Tuesday following the elimination of two from the Top 10 all three of Shelton's team remained. Four contestants from the TOP 8 were in jeopardy of being eliminated.

It is in this episode that is scheduled to be televised in Southeast Asia this Sunday that Shelton's quest to win his fourth title crashed and burned as Lewis and McLaughlin were shockingly eliminated. Though she's out if the competition Lewis, in our opinion, has the best voice as well as being the most experienced and the most mature in the competition. The reasons why this attractive 47 year-old was voted out could be that her talent is above the understanding of her talent by a young voting audience.

Lewis has reached the highest point of career development than any other contestant having been a back-up singer for Celene Dione. She is mature being a single mother of grown daughters. Talented or not, as the Hall & Oates song goes, SHE'S GONE.

The Voice title is in the hands of a young voting audience that tends to vote for contestants that are closer to their own age. Those that vote are in the age group that has too much time on their hands and will purchase songs from i-Tunes. Although we like Lewis, her age could have been a factor for her not advancing. A more astute viewer that can appreciate her vocal talent doesn't take the time to vote or buy songs from i-Tunes. The younger tweeting type of audience does.

At this point in the final 5 Adam Levine has the best chance of winning with You Tube sensation Christina Grimmie and twice saved Kat Perkins. He is the only judge with two contests remaining in the contest.

Usher has the 2nd best chance with our favorite and once eliminated by Levine but saved survivor Josh Kaufman. Worthington is our 3rd choice to win the title. That's how we see the shows finale shaping up. That's out take on The Voice but what about Idol.

Of note the Top 8 episode in which three are eliminated including Lewis will be televised this Sunday in the East Asian region.

As for American Idol, to be honest we have seen very little of the show this season. The reason why is when we drop in on the program there is no contestant with an outstanding voice that commands our attention. Also, for the past few years the show has stimulated anger and to fails to be entertaining. The format is too much of a staged, contrived drama presentation which, quite frankly, is sickening.

Talent shows are supposed to be about the talent not the judges. It's as if Idol is trying to recreate another Simon Cowell who became famous by successfully insulting and embarrassing people on live television. As Cowell would tell you and particularly tell the Idol powers that be the creation of another Simon Cowell… CAN'T BE DONE as he, thankfully, is one of a kind.

The question is, with The Voice's continued improvement one has to wonder how a show such as American Idol, with its successful history, continues to be on a steep downward path of self destruction… it belies logic.

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