14 DAY TRIAL // Last night, the ninth season of American Idol, the popular reality show that sees aspiring singers fight for the ultimate title of the country’s hottest star, kicked off. As we also reported months ago, the first temporary judge that fills in Paula Abdul’s shoes is Victoria Beckham, who served on the panel for a couple of auditions in Boston. As the Daily Mail puts it, the US media and audiences have nothing to like about the former Posh Spice.
The ninth season of the show, save for the aforementioned change in the judges’ lineup, returns to the verified success formula: on one side, there’s Simon Cowell, the judge the entire America loves to hate, Randy Jackson, who is always fair in his appraisal of the contestants though less direct than Cowell, and Kara DioGuardi, admittedly the nicest of the three. This episode of AI saw Victoria Beckham seated next to them in what was, as the US media calls it, the best example of why Paula Abdul’s seat should have been left empty until Ellen DeGeneres occupied it.
“The night’s saddest failure, however, was guest judge Victoria Beckham, who actually made plenty of appealing comments and bonded beautifully with fellow judge Kara DioGuardi but whose gaunt appearance was so off-putting it might have cost her the slot DeGeneres eventually won,” the Los Angeles Time says in a cutting review of the first episode, as cited by the British publication.
Most critics though point out that it wasn’t Mrs. Beckham’s thin frame that most bothered them. She had little to say and, when she did happen to open her mouth, she only did it as if of spite, to pick a fight with Cowell, whom she made a point to try and annoy, other media outlets say. Overall, Victoria did not contribute in any way to the AI auditions but rather hindered them by simply being there, it is further being said.
“Victoria Beckham does look sharp, if rather Jackie O. Barbie, tonight in a trim red suit. But her face is just too crazy for the close-up, and she has nothing to add to the commentary. I always thought a British accent made people sound smart but I guess I was wrong. Simon really does have that X-Factor,” the Village Voice writes, as per the same publication. The Washington Post goes even further, to criticize her choice of a headband, saying she must have cracked her head open right before the taping and chose to keep it together with the help of her grandmother’s headband.
Below is a segment of the first episode of American Idol, albeit of rather poor quality. Enjoy.