Singapore Idol Grand Finals

Was surprised to find out while channel-surfing yesterday that there IS a Singapore Idol. Unlike the Australian Idol, where the last perfomance and finale are on different dates, the Singapore Idol Grand Finals is on the same night, Dec. 1.

By the time I rushed back to the hotel (skipping dinner) and switched on the telly, Taufik and Slyvester have just finished their three songs each. Not to worry though. While waiting for the 11pm verdict, there were enough replays and highlights to allow me to form my own opinion.

It's the same "Idol" packaging, but Singapore's is unique. For one, the audience support is clearly there. The venue was jampacked with teenagers and adults alike. When asked to comment, Dick Lee, singer/songwriter and Idol judge, went onstage to the piano and belted out a medley with lyrics specially written for the show. While waiting for the verdict, the eliminated finalists joined the show, and they had lots and lots of song-and-dance numbers. I'm not making any accusations here, but I have this nasty suspicion that they are lipsyching a la That's Entertainment. The voice levels are just too consistent compared to live numbers of the two finalists.

People have been complaining that the Australian Idol hosts are bad. The Singapore Idol one is even worse. I've seen a few of Gurmit Singh's sitcoms, and he seems to be a local version of Jim Carrey (but not as talented and versatile). No doubt he is popular, but c'mon, a decent host needs to have at least some hosting skills. He goes around asking the finalists and judges, "What are your thoughts right now?" And he does this every few minutes. And he doesn't even try to get a conversation going. Ask a question, get an answer, BANG! Move on to the next victim. Maybe because of this, the judges have been reduced to giving familiar cliches and soundbites. "The voting lines are not yet closed, but we already have two winners." "You are not a good performer. You are an exceptional performer." "Move over, Stevie Wonder, because Taufik is in the house!" "All this time you have been emulating your idols. From now on, people will be emulating you." What's this? Wannabes emulating a copycat?

To make up for his lack of hosting skills, the emcee works the crowd by shouting inanities, such as "Are you having fun?!", "Somebody scream!", "Make some NOISE!!!", "SAY YEAH!!!", etc. And the audience is too pumped up already to ignore him. I'm just happy my choice for Singapore Idol (and Australian Idol) won.