86 replies to this topic

[Kromm]

Making Paula Abdul look sane (in comparison) is a pretty big accomplishment. But so far Minaj is doing just that.

Edited by Kromm, Jan 22, 2013 @ 6:49 AM.

[Ellegado]

I swear I'm not a hateful person. But I Hate Nicki. Please someone, anyone get her to stop talking. No one should ever be this obnoxious and annoying in such a short time period.

[lulugirl896]

Her approach is so off-putting that even when she is making valid points I still can't stand her. She is like a petulant child!

[Rdnzl]

I don't even watch AI, but I had to come here and express my disgust for Nicki Minaj.

What the hell is she doing judging a singing competition, anyway? Last I checked, she was a shitty rapper. She seems to follow the candy-colored robot trend that has become popular with entertainers these days, and looking at her makes me want to punch something. No talent, constantly trying to be the center of attention, she just SUCKS.

[ari333]

Agreed with all the points above, but what galls me the most is when she mocks and goads some of these poor schmucks. I realize that the poor schmucks are there by choice, but that doesn't seem (to me) to give her carte blanche to humiliate them further. "Oh let's hear another one" to someone who is so bad it is sad. OR "Oh you could be a model... let's see you walk... take off the hat.. now pose" directing the poor guy around like a dog. It's disgusting in every way that she deals with those folks who are auditioning and she is coming close to making me a non-viewer of this show that I've watched since season 5. No, they won't care if I don't watch, but if there are many more viewers with the same sentiments, well-- you get the idea.

Edited by ari333, Jan 24, 2013 @ 7:05 PM.

[OakGoblinfly]

I don’t know if she’s bringing “crazy” back as much as rudeness and attention seeking.

It’s quite a shame actually. If Nikki learned to control her temper, rudeness, and ego I think she could be an excellent judge. Buried amongst her fake British accent, steam-roller approach, loudness, inarticulate ramblings, and mean-spiritedness are some solid observations. She needs to drop the shtick (and I don’t mean the crazy outfits, that’s her thing and that’s fine) and she’d be fine.

[ari333]

Agreed again, OakGoblinfly; Get out of my head. :)

The vibe I get from Minaj is that it's all about her. Even in her "defense" country girl who said that she was over it - that exchange seemed to be about Minaj as well as far as wanting to be contrary. And additionally, I think she was running on fumes by that time anyway and was just looking for a reason to explode and show her ass. It's not brave. It's not quirky. It's rude, demeaning to others, and not at all appealing in any way.

Imo, even though she provokes all three other judges to some degree, the focus of her eye-rolling and bitchy uncalled-for comments seem to be directed toward Mariah (that is, when she's not humiliating the folks auditioning.) I just hope Mariah doesn't stop to Minaj's level in return.

[OakGoblinfly]

Hi ari333, first the DWTS forum and now this one. I am begining to think you're following me. ;-)


What I don't understand is why the powers-that-be are electing to edit the show this way. Do they think the fake "drama" will increase ratings?

I really hope that once the four judges settle into their roles, Nikki will be less loud-mouth and more respectful and that the others will speak up more often. As I said previously, when you filter through her affectations Nikki makes some valid observations.

Edited by OakGoblinfly, Jan 25, 2013 @ 1:55 PM.

[SnarkyTart]

It's hard to understand.

Minaj, who is a rapper, not a singer, is judging the #1-rated singing contest in America. She can't sing and has no background or training in singing.

The peak of Minaj's success (at least so far) is a grand total of two, count 'em, two, studio albums as a solo "artist." While her debut album did go Platinum, her sophomore album has yet to go Gold and has yielded no #1 single.

Factually speaking, of the four personalities on the newly reconstituted judging panel, Nicki Minaj has, by far, the least amount of professional experience, career success, or longevity.

Yet, in spite of all this, we have Nicki Minaj being given the lead role on this judging panel. The majority of the time, Minaj is the one who greets the contestants, as in: "Hello darling, tell us your name and a little bit about yourself...what are you going to sing for us today?" Then, the majority of the time, Minaj is either the first judge to comment on the performance and/or the judge who provides the longest commentary. She also is most often the judge who polls the other panelists for their opinion prior to voting, as in: "Randy, what did you think about that performance? Keith, what about you?" Then, finally, usually it's Minaj who calls for the final vote, "Okay, let's vote now. Randy, yes or no? Keith? Mariah?"

This must all make sense in some universe I don't know much about. Minaj talks the most (and has the most annoying voice with which to do so), Minaj gives the longest opinions (having no qualifications for providing opinions at all), and Minaj is apparently the head judge, whether it's officially stated or not.

I have a prediction. Remember how Steven Tyler was kind of funny during the audition rounds of his first season? Remember how, by the time he hit about mid-season of the live show in his first season, the only thing he really could think of to say was, "Beautiful...that was...beautiful" until a lot of viewers just wanted to punch him? Minaj is already working on her trademarked meaningless phone-it-in phrase. I've lost count of the number of times she's told an auditioner "You are a superstar!" Newsflash: if everyone's a superstar, nobody is.

[ari333]

If Minaj asks one more male if he has a girlfriend (just as they walk in the door, no less) I'm going to throw something.

[OakGoblinfly]

To be fair SnarkyTart we don't know if the other judges are making comments or not; we just know that the powers-that-be are focusing a lot of their edits and a heck of a lot of air time to Nikki.

I don't object to the idea of having someone like her on the panel ~ I do think you need someone that the younger demograph can relate to ~ I object to the mean-spirited, rude, and steam roller personna Nikki is forcing on us.

[sgomes]

This chick is the most annoying judge EVER! The weave, makeup, eye lashes, fake accent--WTH is that about? She's a corporate clown put together by committee.

[ari333]

I think 30 is too young to be a judge for this show, unless perhaps in a case in which the person has maybe, for example, been a child star, is super successful as a singer, has many years of experience...

Nicki, not so much. Is she a singer? Does she have vocal training? Does she sing?

[Kromm]

The fact that she annoys the shit out of me virtually every time she opens her mouth doesn't change how right she was about Randy in the third episode. How that got misreported by the press as a conflict mainly with Mariah is beyond me, unless the show is playing fast and loose with footage and didn't show us that part.

I wish she was able to monitor her own mouth a bit. Because she DOES occasionally show real signs of actual kindness towards these contestants, and she certainly was perceptive to zero in so well on Randy's usual bullshit where he does that Randy thing of telling people what they're supposed to think about their own music.

[ari333]

I think Minaj's "defense" of not-country girl who was over it was more evidence of what she doesn't know about the show and how it works. They seem to want to fill certain boxes and if she could be put through and advance in the country box, but wasn't one of the better ones if she chose to go "soul" or whatever, (because of others who are better that they have in mind to fill that/those spots) it seems to me that the countrified urging was intended to help in trying to get her through. I didn't say that very well.

This is shallow of me and if I liked her at all I'd probably overlook it, but her helium voice and affected pronunciation of certain words only at certain times (not as in someone with a consistent accent) just grate.

[jvermeer5]

Minaj is certainly not the first judge on Idol that was not known for being a proficient singer. Randy? Simon? Ellen? Paula? Lopez? Having first-hand knowledge of music myself, I find her comments surprisingly on point. She is overcompensating for her feelings of inferiority by seemingly taking over the panel of judges. Psychology 101.

[Asari]

I think she's doing a fine job, she's perceptive and has intelligent feedback (as opposed to Mariah who seems to be confused by black girls who sing rock, country girls who are over it, shoelaces, breathing...) I like that Nicki's not trying to shoehorn a contestant into some ridiculous box. I get that's what the show does but if all of the judges are supposed to say the same thing then why bother with having more than one?

[ari333]

I wasn't aware that Minaj has had Lopez's or Paula's level of success, longevity, years of experience in the business. I was also unaware of her expertise in the areas in which Randy and Simon have made themselves famous.
Ellen, hmmm, comparing her skills as an AI judge to Minaj's , I'd think Ellen, imo, comes up inadequate as well. I would wonder the same for her qualifications, or lack thereof, as I mentioned as pertaining to Minaj. Maybe this will be a one season gig for Minaj. Unless she changes her attitude, I can't see how this will be a long run for her, imo.

[Kromm]

I wasn't aware that Minaj has had Lopez's or Paula's level of success, longevity, years of experience in the business. I was also unaware of her expertise in the areas in which Randy and Simon have made themselves famous.

To be clear, I think Minaj has a big mouth, bad judgement on how much she should be saying and when it becomes tiresome, and is indeed very underqualified as a music expert.

That said, I can't exactly sign off on Randy as a the preferable alternative. Sure he's got infinitely more experience, but he's also compromised himself and his ethics for far longer. He lacks credibility not because of his experience, but because of those compromises, and also how he's often shown that experience doesn't always equal good taste, or common sense, or effective judgment.

I like the IDEA of Nicki Minaj as a thorn in the side of Randy's ego. Shit like he pulled on that girl who wanted to be a soul singer but who he pigeonholed and manipulated into saying she was ultimately a country girl show so well what's wrong with him, and it took bigmouth Nicki to point it out. The problem with Nicki though is that while the idea of her as Randy's check and balance is good, the actuality isn't as good as the idea. She's observant enough to see the bullshit going on. She's outrageous enough to comment on it. But she's not savvy enough to know how to conduct herself otherwise, and not wise enough to realize how flaky she looks the rest of the time.

[ari333]

The difference for me among the 4 judges (and their respective shenanigans) is that Minaj makes me want to change the channel.

[argrow]

Dear producers:
You showed us how the panel is without Minaj. And we like it. Can you please make it permanent?

[MarySNJ]

I hate the audition rounds and didn't watch, so I guess I've missed a lot of Nicki's unpleasantness. I liked her on the panel in the Hollywood round. I think she's kind of eccentric but also offered practical and real advice and was mostly positive, even when delivering bad news. Of course she doesn't pull any punches if she really doesn't like someone.

I'm taking a wait and see, but so far I like her.

[BuffyAnnSummers]

Caps issues.

Edited by TWoP Tennison, Feb 13, 2013 @ 10:22 AM.

[Ohwell]

I don't like the way Nicki Minaj seems to dominate the judges panel. I can see that this is going to be the trend throughout the season, which is why I won't be watching much of the show. And I'm sorry but it scares the hell out of me just looking at her. Seriously, she creeps me out. I guess it's the makeup but she's unpleasant to look at.

CAN SHE PLEASE SHUT UP!!!!

If only. I swear, she is really spoiling it for me. I can't take it.

Edited by Ohwell, Feb 7, 2013 @ 8:46 PM.

[OakGoblinfly]

Why is Nicki allowed to interrupt the other judges’ critiques to lay a verbal smack down on the contestants she doesn’t like? And why does it seem like she bullies her opinion on the other judges. More than one time I heard Keith and Mariah vote “no” and the contestant was put through because Nicki like the “personality”. To me it seems that Nicki is more vested in personality than actual singing (at least based on those contestants she advocates for).

[anonymiss]

Thanks to Ms. Minaj (and a little bit of Keith Urban), I am enterTAINED by this show again! Like, for the first time since Ms. Clarkson season 1.

And to think I knew nothing of her prior to this and had never seen her speak but my perception from photos and articles was mostly negative: bitchy, quasi-talented contemporary artist.

Now I think she is a strong leader and multitalented woman. She makes Mariah her slow, dimwitted, tryhard lamb. And I love Mariah and followed her career and interviews. I never thought Mariah was particularly bright but next to Minaj, she seems incredibly unsure of herself and, well...lamb-like (not to overuse the allusion to Mariah's fanbase).

Edited by anonymiss, Feb 16, 2013 @ 3:40 AM.

[Ohwell]

Nevermind.

[geej]

I am at once shocked and delighted how much i am entertained and impressed with Nicki, great addition. I was not very open minded about ms carrey but she has disapppointed me each show worse than even i can imagine. she looks as out of it as paula but without the fun factor. i am surprised how i am enjoying keith. he adds an enthususaum i did not expect.
randy who?

[Kromm]

I think I'd be more okay with Nicki's atitude if she didn't seem to take over so totally at every opportunity. There's a line between confidence and arrogance, and she seems to be on the wrong side of it often. Again, as I said before, I liked the part where she burst Randy's ego balloon (that time where it was misreported in the press as a conflict only with Mariah, who was definitely a third wheel at most in that conflict). I don't mind her crazy, even if often lame, niknames for everyone. I don't even mind the apparent disparity between her own skillset and what she's judging. But I DO mind that sense we get now that she thinks she's in charge, or head judge, or default spokesperson, or whatever. As much as Randy disgusts me, its simple ettiquite as well as logical for him to do the little bits where someone communicates instructions or information to people, like "we're going to vote now" or asking them to step forward or back.

The one other part I find myself frustrated with is her apparent support for some people BECAUSE they suck. She tosses around the word "unique" like it excuses anything else.

[ari333]

Agreed, Randy may have his shortcomings, but he's stuck it out 12 years; so for that he deserves a little respect from the nube. So did Minaj fancy herself the tie breaker during auditions? Someone had to be designated if it were two and two.