So, while the beeb keeps on pouring money into [is[/ihit programming like this, they are slashing away atnews, natural history and other quality programmes. Just so that Jeremy Hunt can say he's frozen the license fee

Britains got talent



I was listening to the radio today and it was concerning 'Yoof' unemployment and they had this muppet on whinging because he could n't get an apprenticeship or even a job in a call centre, it went something along the lines of

'a bin fo abart 200 jobs like and like every time I try like I get like no replies like, I have tried like for painting like and joinery like, but like I can't get like any interviews like, even the like call centres like have nuffin'

At least he didn't say 'innit'

I suppose he could always get 'famous like'

I would tend to agree.

The problem, though is of their own making. They want to compete with commercial stations whilst remaining a public service broadcaster. In this day and age, it's difficult to have it both ways.

Personally, if BBC One wants to compete with ITV, when it should allow adverts, and not allow any license fee to be directed that way. Same goes for Radio 1 and 2 and their digital channels. There should be a severe rationalisation in their local radio stations too, or again, they should bring in adverts to pay for them.

The public service element (for instance, say a rebooted BBC Two and Radio 4) should indeed be license funded and should indeed keep on producing minority interest and educational/documentary programming. I'm not suggesting that this should be negalected or even shut down at all - just suggesting that the license fee should be used wisely.

I actually applied for - and got - an audition for the forthcoming ITV series "Superstar", where they're trying to find a new Jesus for the forthcoming "Jesus Christ Superstar" arena tour.

I didn't go. Why? We were playing Castleford away

BGT - some good entertainment.

Ashley and Pudsey - 10/1 seems like good odds to me for the best dancing dog ever

And Zippy for No. 1 with the "Where's me watch, where's me mobile" song



On The Voice - interesting opportunity to double your money -

If you assume that the winning coach will be either Will.I.Am or Jessie J then at the moment each is available at 3/1

So £10 on each costs you £20 and returns you £40, for a nice 100% £20 profit.

The Voice was summed up for me last night when none of 'em wanted the guy who belted out 'Livin' On A Prayer' yet fawned over some Adele wannabe and some posh upper-crust Dido-a-like

Why you no listen?


''Where me keys, where me phone?''

No, that's HIS version, mine is unique, and not at all copied off him

do you recall the good old days of the BBC World Service ? I mean,when it really[u was [/uthe top wireless broadcasting medium ?

can't explain what listening to an episode of the Men From The Ministry or The Clitheroe Kid in the middle of a stormy South China Seas did for the system....

the GB edition of the world atlas still had bits of pink on it !

ahh,the good old dzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wasn't paying much attention to the show but the girl who sang Purple Rain on Britains got talent

Watched the first few BGT shows of the series but lost a bit of interest, felt a bit 'samey'. Had a good laugh at that old girl doing the poetry while that fat idiot pranced around behind her, and the German guy with the wings - think they were both on the same show

.

David Walliams has been terrific so far, much better than McIntyre and Hasslehoff.


My girlfriend always bangs on about The Voice. Watched a bit of it, thought it was OK, but only really watch X Factor if I'm with her on a Saturday night so can't see me watching this on my own either.

If the self-styled Rock God had bothered to try a bit of singing rather than just belting every line at the top of his voice he might have got somewhere.

Instead he came across like some sort of Spinal Tap-esque parody of a rock frontman, with everything turned up to 11.

Quote ="Paul Weller"You get some of these kids who think they're a little bit 'edgy', got a bit of a Pete Doherty haircut. You're not edgy, really, mate. Otherwise you wouldn't be on an effing talent show, would you?'" www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/ap ... NTCMP=SRCH

Quote ="Paul Weller"You get some of these kids who think they're a little bit 'edgy', got a bit of a Pete Doherty haircut. You're not edgy, really, mate. Otherwise you wouldn't be on an effing talent show, would you?'" www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/ap ... NTCMP=SRCH

Paul Weller is 53, btw

It's rare that I agree with anything that old has to say, but on this one he's exactly right.

Now if he'd get rid of what is known in some circles as 'A lesbian granny haircut' he may get taken more seriously elsewhere.

Fell out with Weller shortly into the Style Council but he's spot on with that.

At what age is your opinion irrelevant?

Have we got to guess your age?

Ditto. Want to talk about self indulgent musicians? He's top of my list.

More relevant to other posters here tb included.

Toni. Freedom. Now that was a good turn

I beg to differ, it turned into a screaming contest as did several of the other duos - not really impressed with that format to be honest, it shows nothing of what each individual can do and only panders to a TV competitive format, each judge simply picked their pre-decided choice regardless of who screamed the loudest and the production team should have been honest enough to admit that.

Except I was only referring to Toni, the tiny bald lass. She has the power, and was going full volume at times, but never abandoned singing for screaming*. Thought she was excellent.

In general I agree with you, most of the participants in the "battles" seemed to think it was a volume contest, and/or let-me-show-how-many-notes-I-can-run-into-one-note contest.

As for the judges, as they'd heard the acts all week, they had almost certainly 90% made up their minds what they were probably going to do, but the ability to perform in front of the audience when the pressure is on must, in cases where it was close (there were a few) have been a factor.

The carefully timed "judge's agonising" period, invariably interrupted by the presenters pretending they were cutting them off as a decision had to be made, was pretty cringeworthy, and whilst it was different, I really didn't like the "battle" format either.

*=#8080FFWell, except once.

I thought that the head-to-heads were a bit unfair at times.
Just a device to whittle down 40 to 20 and make two extra shows.
You could pretty much guess, with a few exceptions, who were going out before they sang.
The old biases of age and looks coming into play.

The guy who was told to knock the power down on his voice so we could hear the 'posh' bird knock him out must have been well pleased.



''Excuse me Mr Pavarotti, do you mind stop giving it all that power stuff?''
''You're drowning out Mr Carreras!''

Just catching up with the Voice and have to say I enjoyed the audition part. Yes the judges were very cliched in the "arguing" and "bickering" and being nice to them when no one got picked, but it was, I thought, a fair way to do it, and the ones getting past that stage were pretty good, bar none, so for me that worked.

Not quite sure what Reggie and Holly added to that process though, via the family inserts. And Danny Whatever is a bit of a douche. The kid who thought he was cool at school and carries on like it when he's older. Sir Tom and Will.com are way cooler and they know they don't need to ar$e around like Danny.

So far though I'm not sure about the battle format. One song (and a duet at that) to progress seems a little unfair and some good singers have gone, as SO points out. And cutting the field in half over one weekend seems a little rushed. It's another few months till Strictly and Dr Who...