Anyone who believes that the average Canadian is culturally distinct from the average American has never viewed an episode of Canadian Idol.
Anyone who believes that the average Canadian is culturally distinct from the average American has never viewed an episode of Canadian Idol.
AMEN! No different indeed.
But don’t we wolf down our Big Macs differently? Slurp our Cokes? Wait a minute. We put vinegar on our fries. The gulf between us is vast and insurmountable.
The popularity of the show(s) indicates a high level of mental retardation amongst the general population on each side of the border.
I’ve seen a little bit of American Idol once, but not Canadian Idol. I wonder if Canadian Idol (or American for that matter) is as popular here as Am. Idol is in the US. I truly hope it’s not, but I wouldn’t know which way to bet. Can anyone tell me – are the hosts on Canadian Idol abrasive and rude or a little more gracious?
And why is this a problem?
Just think how many are not out wandering the streets on these nights?
By the way, having seen both, there is a distinct difference. Canadian television production absolutly sucks!!! poor video and audio, terrible staging, total lack of talent in the setup.
I’ve worked in live TV sports in the US, and just watching the productions up here hurts!!!
Sean, the only thing I have to say to you is: Elitist!!!!
Right on Sean!!!!
That’s a low blow; you’ve aimed south of the border on that one. 😉
It’s amazing how we canadians love to boast not what we are but rahter what we aint. We know we ain’t americans but very rarely do we know what we are other then Canadains (to which we have a hard time defining without the term ‘not american’). We watch american TV not becuase we have to but becuase its better then our own stuff, we watch their movies agin becuase its better.
There is a huge difference between Canadian Idol and American Idol. Our judges try to be nice and cuddly, rarely do they offend.
The contestants are rarely “that bad” or that good, and of course we have Ben Mulrooney. He is a nerd, and lacks talent. He makes it “feel” Canadian. It’s like watching Littlest Hobo, or King of Kengsington. It’s a car wreck we just cannot turn away from.
So you see there is a great deal of difference. We are nerdier, more modest, and we are completely convinced we are the best despite all evidence to the contrary!
It’s one of the things that makes me love Canada!
“Our judges try to be nice and cuddly, rarely do they offend.”
That’s nice but hardly relevant as Mr Nasty Cowell is of British origin. The only other difference is the quality of production of the show. Besides, a bad act is like a train wreck, you can’t help but watch it happen.
As an aside, I always loved to compare the diferences in the TV game shows. In the US, winner got $64,000 or something worthwhile while Canadian contestants won a Shafer Pen & Pencil Set. Oh the joys of living close to the border in the 60s.
Having seen neither program, but having lived for extended periods of time in both nations (24 years in Canada, total of 31 years in US), I would maintain that Canada is indeed different than the US. Having said so, I cannot put my finger on how. I, and virtually every other American I’ve spoken with about this topic, believe it’s true. Interestingly, close Canadian Friends tend not to agree …
the vast majority of television programming in this country originates in the US of A.
so how can there be significant differences in that medium?
this is one thing I admire the quebecers about, THEY have the termidity to produce their OWN programming in large part.
we get ‘street legal’ and david suzuki for 30 friggin years.
Well, texas canuck…..what you don’t know about winning a Shafer pen and pencil set up here in lil’ol Canada is that we don’t actually use it. We just put it away in the china cabinet, and bring it out to show company. That’s how precious our winnings are. 🙂
LMAO Kate!
(…. ’nuff said)
The winner of Canadian Idol gets a recording contract with Sony/BMG, which depending on how you look at it, is either worth thousand and thousands of dollars, or has a value roughly equivalent to being diagnosed with chronic incontinence. I’ve searched the website up and down, and can’t find any mention of a cash prize. Hey – I have to write about this show every week starting next month!
I like these talent shows.
I do not go out of my way to watch them but have found them to be for the most part entertaining.
I think Canada has a lot of good talent. The only difference I see in the Canadian Idol show is in the cheaper cost of the production in regard to the sets etc.
I saw some of the new show, Americas Got Talent and a couple of young singers (one was 11 and one was 14) were great, IMO better than anybody who has won on American or Canadian Idol. Also the judges on Americas Got Talent are even more obnoxious and annoying than on American and Canadian Idol, which is quite an accomplishment in itself.
Ben Mulroney should run for PM once he gets a decent haircut…
Canadian game shows caused you to answer 500 correct questions in a row over 50 weeks to win a set of bath towels whilst seated amoungst the Canadian pseudocelebrities -Austin Willis, Bruno Geruzzi , all the subcharacters from Wayne and Schuster.
US game shows you got a car for guessing the right door and running down the isle with a loose top.
Now that is a cultural gap! The prize money being siphoned away by the immense CBC bureaucracy , no wonder Austin Willis could look smug.Meanwhile we exported Alex Trebek.