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Celeb News: Yahoo: Why Nicki Minaj Is The New Simon Cowell
Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 53,790
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Yahoo: Why Nicki Minaj Is The New Simon Cowell
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If you only started watching "American Idol" in the post-Simon Cowell era, over the past two seasons, then you were undoubtedly very confused when you tuned in for this Thursday's Season 12 Hollywood Week episode. What was this? An "Idol" judge giving actual advice? Having strong opinions? Not just telling everyone they're "beautiful" and "in it to win it"? Yes, on Thursday, newbie judge Nicki Minaj stepped it up and officially became "Idol's" new Simon Cowell, proving once and for all, to all doubters and haters, that Fox honchos actually knew what they were doing when they controversially hired her.
Sure, after two years of former judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler's softballing and spinelessness, not to mention Randy Jackson's overall ineffectiveness (and, three years ago, the checked-out emotional state of lame-duck judge Simon and the overall embarrassment that was Ellen DeGeneres), it was easy to at first be taken aback by Nicki's blunt, sometimes brutal, approach. It'd been a long, long time since viewers had heard such frank feedback from any "Idol" judge. But really, nothing Nicki blurted out this Thursday was any meaner (or less truthful) than anything Simon used to say in his heyday. The only difference is sometimes she dropped a (beeped-out) curse word or two. And even if Nicki's unminced words were sometimes difficult for the contestants (or viewers) to take, she said many things that everyone truly needed to hear. Seriously, it was about "American Idol" included some actual critiques again.
For instance, when country singer Paul Jolley shuffled onstage to sing his solo, already quivering with nerves, psyching himself out, and whining about his self-doubt to the judging panel, Nicki sternly told him: "You walked out so defeated, and that really irritated me. It's such a turnoff. Just give us one minute of professionalism!"
Nicki was right.
Then when 4'9" hopeful Matheus Fernandes came out and once again self-deprecatingly poked fun at his height (or lack thereof), Nicki chastised him for milking his sob story too much, barking: "Sometimes things can go from being inspiring, to like you wanting a pity party." (Side note: I was more annoyed by Matheus's golly-gee claims that he'd never sung with a live backing band before, despite the fact that he'd been a top 12 finalist on another major TV singing competition, "The Glee Project.")
Nicki was right.
And then Nicki really turned on the tough love for one of her pet contestants, androgynous free spirit Papa Peachez--but her harsh words seemed to come from the good place. At least she seemed like she cared; this was a contestant she'd passionate fought for earlier in the week, remember."Remember what I told you yesterday? You are too complacent now in this competition. You have to step up," Nicki scolded. "I pretty sure that flame is now completely burnt out. I'm so disappointed; I can't believe you would allow this competition to suck that amazing quality out of you. I just hope that you realize how special you are."
When the judges then axed several contestants (including Papa), Nicki told them, "This was the one time to fight for your life, and if you didn't fight for your life, then you'll probably be pretty upset with yourself. You should be." And after Peaches exited the stage, she snarled to more mild-mannered judge Keith Urban: "I'm so f***in' disappointed...What the f*** was that?"
AND NICKI WAS RIGHT.
By the end of the hour-long episode, only 28 of the 43 guys remained. (Eight more will be cut later, with 20 guys eventually moving on to Las Vegas.) Matheus and Papa were among the contestants expectedly sent home, but some of the other cuts were much more surprising, like botched-tonsillectomy survivor Micah Johnson, sign-language teacher Nate Tao, R&B powerhouse Sanni M'mairura, and fun-loving hairy rocker dude Gabe Brown. These cuts seemed like big mistakes on the part of Nicki and her fellow judges. (Nicki was not right, this time.) But maybe "Idol" editors made the bigger mistake here, by investing so much time in creating story arcs for contestants who wouldn't be staying on the show for the long-term anyway. Now Season 12 is stuck with a bunch of guys who've received comparatively little screentime and therefore have comparatively smaller fanbases.
So next Wednesday, it will be time for the Hollywood Week female hopefuls to compete. Will Nicki give the girls similarly honest, no-holds-barred critiques? I imagine so--if anything, Her Minajesty might go even harder on the girls. And I say...bring it on. Being The New Simon is a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it, and judging by what I've witnessed so far, Nicki does it very, very well.
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http://t.co/NurOdWl0
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Member Since: 12/15/2009
Posts: 23,385
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What is life!?
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Member Since: 7/21/2012
Posts: 28,099
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Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 53,790
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I wonder how she'll be with the females.
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Banned
Member Since: 3/15/2012
Posts: 3,491
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My queen 
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Member Since: 12/2/2011
Posts: 52,765
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Banned
Member Since: 9/7/2012
Posts: 3,929
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haters, stayed pressed
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Member Since: 5/1/2012
Posts: 5,525
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Nicki makes greats tv, her personality shines a lot
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Member Since: 12/8/2010
Posts: 17,643
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Nicki is the best judge this show has ever had.
She gives intelligent constructive criticism and she's extremely entertaining.
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Member Since: 8/11/2012
Posts: 7,715
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Nicki DRAGGED Matheus.
I was just as disappointed in Papa Peachez.
Queen Onika getting that critical acclaim
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Member Since: 11/7/2011
Posts: 10,399
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Quote:
Originally posted by man*****
What is life!?
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 seethe & I completely agree w/ the article. She has the least experience out of all the judges up there yet she gives the best advice/criticism and is the only one who speaks up
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Member Since: 1/11/2012
Posts: 14,421
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She totally is. She's the best judge they've had since Season 6 Simon.
The only time this whole season I haven't been totally behind her was when she kept calling that group that did a disastrous Payphone "her favorite group" and fought for them to all stay. Maybe it was the producers telling them to let them continue on, but that performance was a M-E-S-S and they all deserved to go.
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Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 53,790
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Quote:
Originally posted by ethan
She totally is. She's the best judge they've had since Season 6 Simon.
The only time this whole season I haven't been totally behind her was when she kept calling that group that did a disastrous Payphone "her favorite group" and fought for them to all stay. Maybe it was the producers telling them to let them continue on, but that performance was a M-E-S-S and they all deserved to go. |
IA.
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Member Since: 11/19/2010
Posts: 351
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I found it interesting that most of the guys who made the cut are "underdogs" (they barely had screentime LOL) 
Maybe Nicki against the producers 
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Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 53,790
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Quote:
Originally posted by mr kiet
I found it interesting that most of the guys who made the cut are "underdogs" (they barely had screentime LOL)
Maybe Nicki against the producers |
As the article says, the people who made the cut were mostly people who weren't seen during the audition rounds 
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Member Since: 4/25/2011
Posts: 41,661
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She's actually a very good judge. I must say I'm impressed. Mariah tho. She's sitting like a rock there not moving or talking at all. 
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Member Since: 6/7/2011
Posts: 22,128
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She is such a good judge.
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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Nicki is the sole reason AI is watchable.
She's the second best judge ever, after Simon.
Simon, Paula & Nicki would be the ultimate panel.
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Member Since: 9/22/2011
Posts: 9,178
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That is awesome. Get 'em Nicki!
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Member Since: 6/25/2011
Posts: 28,853
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She is GREAT. She really is the new Simon.
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