Over the years, there’s been a noticeable change in the iconic show American Idol and it might be time to shift closer to the original vibe of the show. In June 2002, American Idol hit TV screens and swept fans away as it showcased a new way of finding musical talent. The reality show’s premise was simple: several contestants with a love of singing from around America would compete against one another for a chance at a large cash prize and a recording contract with Hollywood Records/19 Recording.
However, in addition to the singing competition, there was another perk that fans enjoyed originally: the judges. Initially there were three judges: Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul. Simon, known at the time for his mean-guy persona, often provided constructive criticism with a hint of arrogance that fueled the show’s success. In the past several years, though, the judging style has shifted. Judges don’t seem to have the same constructive criticism they once did, which has caused a major shift in the talent show.
In the past, when the show first began, the judges tended to offer much harsher criticism, especially Simon. Randy, too, would have no problem saying “That’s a no from me, dawg.” If a performance was questionable. However, the judges seem to have shifted and offer much more positive reinforcement than they used to. In general, there’s nothing wrong with positive feedback. Positive reinforcement can increase confidence and give the American Idol contestants a gentle push out of their comfort zone.
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Positive reinforcements make it more likely that the contestant will keep pushing through the tough and uncomfortable contests while still giving themselves grace and a fair shot to truly succeed. Meanwhile, negative reinforcement, especially in a competition setting, can have more drawbacks. Negative reinforcement, especially Simon’s older comments, might cause more harm than good. While constructive criticism, when applied appropriately, could help contestants improve, perhaps the harsh and arrogant nature of some of these comments made contestants not feel confident and hesitant about their progress going forward. However, with the constant utterances of positive feedback, the judge’s part often seems ingenuine and repetitive.
‘American Idol’ Judges Should Be Free to Give Criticism
Overall, though, the judges should be allowed to do just that: judge. Oftentimes, judges brush over poor performances or provide vague feedback for the sake of maintaining a more personable image. The occasional time the judges do speak up and share their true opinion, they often receive backlash from social media and fans. For instance, Lionel Richie enjoys the gospel singer Canaan James Hill. However, the renowned judge made a comment after the singer’s Hawaii performance about how he couldn’t wait to see the singer perform songs outside of gospel.
Lionel’s opinion caused some uproar among fans. Some fans thought it was inappropriate for Lionel to suggest the star needed to sing other styles and that the contestants should sing genres they’re comfortable with. Also, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan eliminated teen country singer Crews Wright and viewers believed the style of music possibly contributed to their decision, which was also upsetting to some fans. It seems like even when judges want to be honest, they receive scrutiny from one outlet or another, making this a classic “damned if they will or damned if they don’t” scenario.
In truth, there could be a bunch of reasons why the show prefers to maintain a more positive outlook regarding the contestants. Perhaps another concern is that the contestants may not be able to handle the criticism. This point ties into the first one as the positivity will continue to push American Idol contestants to keep trying until the end of the season. This would likely affect the season and possible future seasons as well if stars often drop out of the contests because of harsh criticism. Overall, though, having judges only provide positive reinforcement negates their role. They don’t offer real advice, which doesn’t help the stars improve because they’re not working on their weak areas.
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