Ep 5 Recap- Oh My God , You're Almost 40?

[Tirlittan]

Originally posted by Tracker
There's nothing wrong with a performer pushing the slutty envelope. But to do so and then whine about being called a slut is just silly. Get a tougher hide if ya wanna be in the business, Shannen.

If she wants to play the card, she needs to get over the fact that some people are going to label her. This is just the beginning, there will be worse in store in years to come if she makes it.

I think the difference between Moy/Serena and Shannon being sexy is, that Moy and Serena make it look grown up and classy. Shannon looks just too young and tries to play the innocence card simultaneously with her sex card, that's Lolita behaviour, and frankly people do not like it.But hey, the same behaviour got Britney and Christina to the top, and Shannon seems very talented, she can make it. She just needs to learn to face the public opinion and differentiate (in her own mind) her public and private personas.

[drkim]

And I forgot to thank Eny for another great recap.

[John]

As I end up saying several times for every show - contestants agreed to appear on TV. In return for that exposure, they trade away their right to privacy, and open themselves up to all kinds of criticism of the "character" we see on TV.

If one of our members, or moderators, or administrator, thinks that a contestant is a skanky ho, they are free to call them like they see them. You don't have to agree, but that's your perogative, just as it's theirs to make their own opinions known.

And I will be editing your post above. You may say what you want about contestants, but members are completely off-limits from flaming, baiting, etc.

[katmando]

I have no problem with your editing of my comment to Enygma about what her child thinks or doesn't think. It was/is unimportant anyway.

[Abelard]

Originally posted by Tirlittan
I think the difference between Moy/Serena and Shannon being sexy is, that Moy and Serena make it look grown up and classy. Shannon looks just too young and tries to play the innocence card simultaneously with her sex card, that's Lolita behaviour, and frankly people do not like it.But hey, the same behaviour got Britney and Christina to the top, and Shannon seems very talented, she can make it. She just needs to learn to face the public opinion and differentiate (in her own mind) her public and private personas.

Excellent point, Tirlittan. The combination of sexy and innocent is somewhat squicky, even more so on American Juniors.

[AnnaRHR]

Originally posted by enygma
You know it’s bad when everyone compliments your outfit and not your singing.

Found that amusing - hopefully Moy steps it up if she stays (which she should based on former performances).

Honestly, the outfits are chosen by the stylists, so they don't have a choice and that is similar to the outfits Tina Turner wears. While I don't care for what most of the contestants are forced to wear, I would blame the producers for supporting that kind of image for the girls and think it's unfortunate that talented people still are forced to resort to sexualization to sell records. I'm just curious as to what would happen if one of the contestants were to request that they wear less sexualized clothing?

Great recap, by the way!

[MajiH]

Great recap, Eny. As always.

[Abelard]

Originally posted by AnnaRHR
I would blame the producers for supporting that kind of image for the girls and think it's unfortunate that talented people still are forced to resort to sexualization to sell records. I'm just curious as to what would happen if one of the contestants were to request that they wear less sexualized clothing?

I agree, but I somewhat blame Debbie Allen and Broadway. If the women are singing from All That Jazz, the Broadway performers outfits emphasize sexuality. Any Fosse-derived choreography is 3/4s about sex and sexual energy. I did feel for Jamisen or someone who was worried about what her grandparents would think about her outfit.

Actually, I don't mind the outfits so much as the choreography for some of the girls/women. Sexualized teenagers are a little hard to take on a family show. But any of these young women could get a job in a Broadway show and have to do a lot of sexualized dancing. They would be happy to do it too, because it would be a job. On a show like Fame, though, it doesn't quite work. Remember, the sixteen year old who basically pointed her crotch at the audience and looked between her legs. That was the choreography and not necessarily any hoochiness on her part. However, even the producers knew that this was problematic for such a young girl and, instead, gave the t.v. viewing audience a different camera shot that did not show us what the audience saw. The studio audience got the full effect and the judges, who didn't quite like it.

Shannon should not even have bothered to respond to internet claims that she was looking like a slut. There are kibbitzers all over. You just give them (us?) more fodder when you try to counter by presenting yourself as virginal. Most of us do not care if you are having sex, we just want to see you sing, dance, and do whatever is that third threat.

[AnnaRHR]

But, then again, the movie they're "basing" the show on was highly sexualized too - remember Leroy? It's unfortunate that being sexual seems to be a better means of attaining popularity than actually having talent in so many spheres...

[notriplethreat]

I think all the girls in the finals looked classy. Shannon just dressed like Tina Turner. The only sleazy looking girls were those 2 sixteen year olds in the prelims. And it was their dance moves, not the outfits that made them look sleazy.