Taking things from the Brits and making them our own has historically gone one of two ways: the Coupling way or the Office way. America’s Got Talent has taken the middle path on this: It’s a modest, inoffensive summer hit here for NBC, but has yet to take pop culture by storm the way its cousin American Idol clearly does. And now its progenitor, Britain’s Got Talent, has suddenly become an online phenom — last week it was Susan Boyle, this week it’s little Shaheen Jafargholi, and it’s only the first round of auditions — which brings up a whole host of questions: Are Brits inherently more talented than Americans? (Freakishly good Britney Spears impersonations aside, of course.) Has this been going on the whole time across the pond and we just weren’t paying attention? (Okay, we sorta paid attention that one time with that opera singer guy.) Is this just a lucky season for the show, whose ratings are up, and of course, online views have skyrocketed? Probably, but that just brings up the biggest question of all: How fast can BBC America get this season onto the air so we can see the Susan/Shaheen battle play out in all its glory, not confined to tiny YouTube clips?
What do you think, PopWatchers? Would you tune in to Britain’s Got Talent on American airwaves?
More on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ stars:
Music Mix: Susan Boyle: America, what’s your problem?
Ken Tucker: Here’s Susan Boyle’s competition… and he’s 12 year-old Shaheen Jafargholi
Piers Morgan on Susan Boyle: ‘She can do whatever she wants now’
‘Britain’s Got Talent’ breakout Susan Boyle: Why we watch…and weep
Susan Boyle: What’s the big deal?
Susan Boyle on CBS ‘Early Show’: Watch talent triumph over show-biz again this morning
5 reasons why Susan Boyle is different from your usual overnight sensation
Susan Boyle’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ audition gives Simon his second spontaneous ‘O’ of the week
Given that Brits can watch “American Idol,” I say fair is fair.
NBC shows America’s Got Talent, right? Why not put this on instead of some other not so good tv (i’m looking at Sunday night, no way we need two hours of the Donald, no matter how so-bad-it’s-good it gets)
all these shows are horrible.
No, we should focus on Home-grown talent. The reason the UK gets American Idol is because a US star can be bigger than a UK star.
Don’t believe me? Name one Pop Idol winner.
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/04/20/greys-anatomy-star-pregnant-but-what-about-her-character/
Definately – I’d love to see Britain’s Got Talent. I recently found a great variety/reality show where they are trying to find the next Joseph for Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and love it! I realize that a lot of people don’t have this station if they have limited cable coverage, so better yet if one of the networks could broadcast Britain’s Got Talent. We need more feel good shows these days and this is one.
Britains Got Talent came after America’s Got Talent, not before. AGT is actually great too, and I have a feeling that this season they will also be featuring similar if not better inspiring stories that appeal to the recession-weary world.
Britains Got Talent was the actual first version in the world and was due to be hosted by Paul O Grady. However he had a dispute with ITV (who air the show) and it never got made until AFTER AGT. The American format was – I am afraid to say – after BGT.
Actually, sir, you both are correct. While the British version was developed before the American version, the American version did air before the British version. So, you are both are correct.
By the way, there is no need for your obvious sarcasm (i.e. “I’m afraid to say”)
Um… because Britian has tlent is a crappy, annoying show (mostly) filled with no talent garbage. It’s total filler – a waste of space. Why? Then again, why are they cancelling all of the best shows running this year? And, God, why are we going to be subjected to five hours of Primetime Leno a week next fall? It’s all terrible – and maybe a sign that thinking people should just stop watching TV altogther.
Britain Got NO Talent? Why is it that the Brits are still one of the most respected, creative, innovative and talented cultures /countries in the world. No talent? Shakespeare, Beatles, Stones. If there is no talent then why do American TV companies clamber over themselves to release watered down versions of all things British?
I for one am a VERY talented Brit and am VERY proud to be British. Millions of American tourists to Britain per year I think would wholeheartedly disagree with you Tim as Britain certainly has got talent.
Sir, everything you say about Britain is true, but the picture you paint of America and her companies is one of dependency on the UK. This is ludacris.
We do not release “water-downed” versions of UK shows. American Idol actually was a much bigger hit than Pop Idol and has produced more stars, both national and international, than Pop Idol ever has. As much as I love X Factor UK, the only mega international star it has produced is Leona. Not to mention, American Idol airs in the UK.
You can save your self absorption for some other forum. This is not a battle of if Brits or Americans are more talented. That is individually based.
America’s Got Talent should be sufficient if they get rid of the transvestite acts that everyone knows won’t win and the mediocre but pretty country singers who just aren’t good enough. There’s plenty of real talent in America and plenty of dreck on Britain’s Got Talent.
The problem with the format on both sides of the ocean is that they really don’t want 20 quality acts per show. So instead we get 1 or 2 Susan Boyles or Terry Fadars and a bunch of Vladimr the Magnificants.
That way when the crap acts are votes off, the fanbase hardly shrinks.
Adam: Will Young. I still get excited when I see him doing stuff.
I would love to be able to watch Britain’s Got Talent here. It was sort of the staple of my viewing week last year when I was studying in the UK. Getting it on BBC America might take some wrangling, as it’s an ITV program, not a BBC one, but I’m fully supportive of the effort.
I would so watch it.
Anyone think it’s a little bizarre that Susan Boyle and this Shaheen kid have the exactly same nose and mouth?!?
to Adam: Problem is there were only 2 UK winners on Pop Idol: Matina McCutcheon and Will Young. But I can name 3 X Factor winners, the show that replaced Pop Idol: Leona Lewis, Leon Jackson and Alexandra Burke. (Jackson will go nowhere in the States, but Burke’s terrific) and tow BGT winners: Paul Potts and dancer Geordie Sampson.
Do you really think Taylor Hicks made much of an impact outside the States?
Martine McCutcheon? Michelle McManus do you mean?
Will Young had the BIGGEST selling single in the UK of the noughties. I don’t get why artists try to break America anyway.
Artists try to break into the US market because we have the largest market and have the biggest influence in the global market. Give credit where credit is due.
BBC AMERICA needs to jump on this to show it at the same time and improve its ratings…trust it would help. Cus who watches BBCA i know i never have…but i have it.
If they edit it as poorly as they do Any Dream Will Do, I’ll pass.
Until America understands that there is more to life than being a size 4 and drop dead gorgeous we will be stuck with the same shallow garbaget that you see nightly on tv. Interesting and talented people come in all ages, shapes and sizes.