Condolences go out to the family and friends of Paula Goodspeed, the former American Idol hopeful who was found dead in her car near the home of judge Paula Abdul on Tuesday night; People.com reports that police are ruling Goodspeed’s death by drug overdose as a suicide.
Goodspeed’s 2005 audition is currently streaming on the Internet, and it’s a typically depressing case of a troubled young woman bringing delusions of singing grandeur into the bright and unforgiving spotlight of a nationally televised talent contest. I know there’ll be that knee-jerk response from some circles that the cruelty of the Idol machine — in particular the point-and-laugh-at-the-weirdos vibe that pervades the show’s audition rounds — is at least in part to blame here. But I think that oversimplifies the heartbreaking reality of severe mental illness. Sure, Simon’s repeated jabs at Goodspeed’s braces seem almost barbaric now, in the immediate aftermath of her suicide, but the sad truth is that even without Idol, even without reality TV in general, ridicule always has a way of finding the outcasts and misfits and oddballs of the world — especially those who mistakenly think they’re destined to be the next celebrity sensation.
Sure, it’d be great if the folks inside Idol’s audition rooms were perhaps a little more careful with the feelings of its wannabes — especially when those of us watching from our couches can spot the occasional cases of mental instability as easily as one of Randy’s bedazzled skull shirts — but at the very least let’s hope that Idol’s editing staff honors Goodspeed’s memory in season 8. After all, will any of us be worse off if, say, Idol managed to entertain while dialing back on the mockery of and gratuitous fascination with braces and bulges and other physical imperfections?
More on Paula Goodspeed, ‘American Idol’
A recap of the 2006 ‘American Idol’ episode featuring Paula Goodspeed, criticizing Simon’s ridicule of her braces
EW’s ‘American Idol’ headquarters
People.com: Paula Goodspeed Went to Abdul’s House Before
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That’s just creepy.
thats f-ed up
American Idol can’t take the blame for what happened to Goodspeed, but I think that this, along with increasingly obvious fact that the broadcast audition rounds are largely inconsequential to the remainder of the competition, should be considered when creating the upcoming season. I can be mean when it comes to reality television contestants, but my limits of schadenfreude have been reached with this show. When I can diagnose Asperberger’s pretty handily after having watched enough auditions, it’s no longer entertaining. It’s painful and gross, and I’m tired of not knowing any of the finalists because WE NEVER SAW THEM IN AUDITIONS.
Simon’s a jerk, he should be dismissed permanently from the show.
I’ve been over AI when I found out the audition process is staged. Good people that should have gotten through are left out in the cold while they PURPOSEFULLY let these people in, coddling their already fragile states with praise so that when they get to the judges, it’s completely shattered. I’m not blaming idol for this woman’s death, but I do sincerely hope they’ll begin second-guessing this ratings ploy.
And it would be nice to see the actual finalists’ auditions DURING the auditions process.
Well said Michael.
But I would like to comment on your statement “…especially those who mistakenly think they’re destined to be the next celebrity sensation.” Isn’t the very way that American Idol sets up it’s auditioning process, and later edits that for the viewing public, which leads some to that “mistaken” belief they might be on the verge of having something big happen in their lives?
By giving the time of day to auditioners who really have little place at a talent show just to score some laughs, seems to not only give TV wannabees a bit of underdeserved attention but also aids and abets a cruelty towards those who mistakenly but genuinely thinking they are been given a chance.
I sooo agree with you Mr Slezak. Idol has long needed to “dial back on the mockery.”
This is part of the problem
“…ridicule always has a way of finding the outcasts and misfits and oddballs of the world”. This has been the source of all sorts of persecution and indignities. That these people may have mental instabilities make them a greater target before the fact, and after… can send even the most self-reliant on a downward spiral. AI is not to blame in and of itself, but is part of the mob mentality that feels a lust for scapegoating. The need for so many people to “be on top” is one of our ugliest of human traits. Who is the audience? I thought so. (Stop watching so-called reality teevee.)
Wow, that was a really, nice poignant post, Slezak. Thanks.
This is sick. It was bound to happen eventually. This is exactly why I quit watching the first month of the show. All they do is parade a bunch of mentally handicapped people through the audition process so that a bunch of sick minded individuals who think it is funny to ridicule people with special needs can laugh their butts off. Of course we should blame American Idol and everyone associated with it. We have a mandate as decent human beings to put blame where it is due. It is unconscionable that qualified screeners allow those who can’t sing a lick to pass through to see the judges. If all of America recognizes bad singing immediately then there’s no excuse. Those lowlifes probably could care less as they sit back, make fun of, and criticize people they know are mentally unstable. Still, everybody gets their day of judgment. How many millions does it take to buy a clear conscience with God and where are the responsible friends, and relatives, who don’t stop these auditions.
I’m certainly not blaming AI for this woman’s death (many condolences to her family), but I 100% agree with previous posters and with Slezak that American Idol clearly gets its first-round “laughs” but picking on the mentally handicapped and socially awkward. Couldn’t we see some actual talent instead? Great singers get left in the cold so that the producers can ridicule auditioners such as Ms. Goodspeed; I realize that not everyone is going to make it to the judges and on television, but at least we could leave that to those who are reasonably good singers.
Sorry, Slezak. You’re too big a fan of the show. You sound too much like an Idol apologist. While sure, we can’t consider Idol responsible, the show should have learned a little something from the Jenny Jones Show issue several years back.
What a load of Idol apologist crapola. Of course Idol isn’t to blame for someone’s mental illness but they are 100% responsible for taking advantage of this woman and many other people who are too stupid or too sick to know better. Idol makes literally billions of dollars by televising these folks being publicly ridiculed. That’s unconscionable.
However the only reason Idol continues to hold these public humiliations is because they make money doing so. If people didn’t tune in to watch it happen, Idol would stop doingi t. So if you’re an avid Idol watcher and just watching the Idol audition rounds to see what kind of freaks, slow adults and weirdos they have rounded up for the season, you’re no better than the Idol folks (but you don’t have their money, so you’re really in bad shape).
Honor her memory in Season 8? That’s just sick. “Sorry we humiliated you. Now that you’re dead, we’re sorry, that is. If you were still alive, we wouldn’t be sorry”. Something like that?
I do agree that we cannot blame just American Idol, but I do think this is a lesson that the show needs to learn from. They need to start being more careful about who they show on national television, since rejection by the producers is not as demoralizing as rejection by the three judges, which is then replayed for all of America to see.
The ratings of the open audition episodes are strong, which communicates to Fox that viewers like those episodes. The alternative is to turn these “freaks” away and only send talented people to the judges, which could possibly also lead to high ratings. But since Fox knows for a fact that the “freaks” equal good ratings, don’t hold your breath on them changing formats. The question is, why miss the opportunity to find a truly great singer which might lead to better ratings for the season overall, and a legitimization of the show itself? This is the real mystery as to why the non-talented “freaks” are given preferential treatment and talented folks are left out.
While I think sometimes they go too far for entertainment value given many of the people won’t be moving on. AI isn’t to be blamed if someone is mentally out there. Who is obsessive. It’s sad what happened, but I don’t think you can blame the audition process. Obviously she had some deep issues. But at the end of the day, it’s a talent show. They shouldn’t have to pysch review all auditioners. Sure tamper down some of the insults. But show business is a brutal business and sometimes you need a eye opener. And once they leave the room; it’s not the fault of the show if the person ultimately harms themselves.
This will encourage even more unstable people to audition. Trust.
As always it a pleasure to read Slezak’s take on things; his eloquence is seemingly wasted on the ‘entertainment’ beat. Keep up the good work. A sad story but well reported by the aforementioned Mr. S.
Honor her in Season 8? Hah! And how do you propose they do that exactly? Maybe edit together a clip of her more loopy moments so Simon can wax all deeply sentimental about how he should have seen through her pain? PLEASE!!! This show WAS! IS! And WILL ALWAYS BE trash! It’s garbage. Spoon fed to the mindless masses by pathetic magazines that claim to be cutting edge. What a joke.
I was going to say I wouldn’t put it past Fox to put on a show where people are emotionally tortured to death for our entertainment–you know, AI without the singing–and that it would be a ratings bonanza. But then I remembered we are now in the reign of Obama, and he will save us!
Simon, Fire yourself!!!
American Idol is just a trashy show, period. The show would be just as well and get plenty of great ratings if it just skipped showing us all the auditions and started with the Hollywood round. But I suppose offending everyone’s sensibilities by parading the weak and the defenseless through to tear them down is well worth it, eh?
Personally, I hope AI executives lose a few days’ worth of sleep over this.
The media defends itself if this thing happened to someone it reports on. For them to take the moral high ground here is ridiculous.
God forbid, but if Kristy Lee Cook killed herself after reading this writers nonstop assaults on her, he wouldn’t blame himself at all. His mockery of her and others is more extreme compared to the idol judges. But he’s the superior elitist tossing grenades from cover.
Maricel Alag farted. Maricel Alag acts like Paula Goodspeed. http://maricelalag2.blogspot.com
I think an AI boycott is in order till they change their format. This is not the last time a tragedy will happen. Is this really entertainment?
Come on, Kristy Lee is a tough corn-bred cowgirl!
She can take Slezak. Criticism here is constructive, he wants her to work harder.
I refuse to watch the audition rounds b/c I hate how they ridicule so many. However, to blame AI for this tragedy is ridiculous. She auditioned in 2005. It’s 2008. Obviously, there was so much more troubling this young woman. Her death would have gone ignored by media if she hadn’t audtioned for AI, and that is sad.
Of course you can’t blame AI, they’re a business. They exist to make money. But you can blame the American viewing public who make it the number one show year after year. Look in the mirror, viewers.
If this girl chose to take her own life because of any kind of connection to AMERICAN IDOL, then as far as I’m concerned, that’s one less idiot in the world!