View of The Voice

For a long time I've been very skeptical of reality TV. Most of the time it's so obviously rigged that it's almost painful. In particular, I've always had high expectations of talent show judges that unfortunately lately haven't been met. I mean, come on; in what universe is Nicki Minaj sufficiently musical that she gets appointed as an American Idol judge? On what test did she cheat to be given a spot?

(I'll probably rant about her in another post. Stay tuned.)

But after watching Ricky Martin on The Voice offer fellow Adelaidian Mark Steffanoff a well-deserved opportunity to pursue his dream as a Broadway star, my harsh view has somewhat softened. As soon as the words "I'll hook you up with my agent and you're going to New York" came out of Mr. Martin's mouth, I was astounded. He genuinely wanted to help the guy. I mean, I don't blame him; Mark's talent for music theatre is undeniable.

And as the episode wore on, it occurred to me that these judges actually know what they're talking about. Joel certainly surprised me after taking on a jazz singer to be part of his team, revealing his secret love for the genre. It'll be interesting to see how that situation unfolds.

So after a long time of harboring an unrelenting hatred towards these shows, I can safely say a small fragment of my faith in humanity has been restored (with emphasis on "small fragment"). 

However, something still bugs me.

Does Seal really have to embarrass himself by wearing black nail polish?

Nicki Minaj probably told him to, given her taste in fashion.

(Too much sass?)

So in conclusion, Ricky Martin's a hero, Joel Madden has an unexpected soft spot for jazz and The Voice actually has substance to it. 

Oh, and Nicki Minaj is unmusical and tasteless. 

Thank you and goodnight.