So You Think You Can Dance? or Sing? or Your Mom Thinks You Can?

Anyone else notice that when they do the audition clips on shows like American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance?, that many times the contestant is seen in the lobby, waiting with their parent (usually mother) and she telling the host how amazing her child's voice is. Or there is an interview with the auditioner where they talk about how their parents' praise over a lifetime of performances has gotten them on the stage today.

Ya, so, then you see the audition. And you wonder - is his mother tone deaf? Has her mother ever seen a professional dancer? Or perhaps, has the auditioner ever recorded themself and listened to the playback?

I digress for a quick moment. I have some friends who suggest TV shows to me from time to time. Right now I am to the last season of Dawson's Creek. I will do another post of what I've learned watching this show, and how I think it has totally lent a hand to the decline of society.... another day, another day.

A season or two ago on So You Think You Can Dance?, for some really weird reason, Mrs Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, did a musical number on the show. I was dumbfounded - it was awful. She couldn't sing, she couldn't dance. Yes, yes, she disrespectfully tried to recreate a number Judy Garland is famous for. And though Judy Garland couldn't really dance either, 1) you hear her voice and you forget about her movement and 2) she at least knew enough how to strike her pose and make the choreography acceptable.

I really wonder why Mrs Tom Cruise thought she should perform in public like that. Back to Dawson's Creek. In multiple episodes, they have her singing. I don't think I'll ever listen to the Les Miz classic "On My Own" again. And, oh my goodness, don't get me started on the other songs she has destroyed.

Dawson's Creek is the evil mother who wrongly encouraged Mrs Tom Cruise and gave her the impression she can sing, and maybe dance too not that she dances on the show.

I know we don't want to hurt our children's feelings. It takes a lot of courage to stand on a stage. But really? I think they'd appreciate being saved from a harsh lashing by one Simon Cowell. Or the outrageous laughter of a panel of professional choreographers. Or the extreme embarrassment of being slammed on my blog (I'm sure Mrs Tom Cruise reads my blog after all.)

Just think about it next time you are going to tell someone how great their performance was...