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Singing Bee launches

Last night I attended Channel Nine’s launch of The Singing Bee, its new music game show which premieres this Sunday night.

Two episodes were recorded by American host Joey Fatone in Melbourne. The show combines karaoke and pop culture skills where contestants must complete musical phrases played by the resident band.

I always make it a habit not to review shows where I am in the audience, it’s just never the same as watching it through the TV screen. But I will say the colourful set is identical to the NBC production (pictured here) and the audience gave a lot of enthusiasm to the simple rules and format of the show.

Fatone, who must have had little preparation for the Aussie version of the show, seemed pretty keen to get everything right and fit in with the local dancers, band and production crew.

It’s not a demanding game by any means, nor is it intended to be, and it thrives on audience participation -even if the studio crowd were banned from singing the answers out loud. Most of the songs were readily identifiable so as to allow home viewers to play along.

Unlike music shows with bitchy judges, The Singing Bee is a lot more tolerant of bad singers. Just not bad lyrics.

The Singing Bee premieres 6:30pm Sunday on Nine.

13 Responses

  1. “…Hosted by some former washed up former boy band wannabe possibily as no local talent was either available or desperate enough to host such an appalling abomination of alleged entertainment. 30 minutes of extruciating pain, time that could have been better spent removing clump’s from the kitty litter tray. That’s the Singing Bee, Newstopia was good.”

  2. Okay so David as far as Joey was concerned is it money well spent? Of course he would be perfect for the role as he has the experience after being auditioned, rehearsed and then presenting in the US.
    Surely they could have groomed the right person and spent one tenth of the money on an Aussie – and be seen to be “Proudly Australian”.
    I thought it was quite interesting that when he appeared on A Current Affair last night the reporter tested him with “Waltzing Matilda” which he didn’t know. An unusual point to make on your own network when the fact he is a US host is already a sore point? Hhhmmmm maybe staff at Nine aren’t so happy with the choice after all the cost cutting.

  3. In fairness its neither reality nor cheap. Costing a fortune to bring Fatone and have a resident band/singers/dancers, plus the rights, crew and prizemoney. The only cheap part is the contestant supply versus a drama production. It’s light entertainment and deliberately not reality.

  4. This is so tragically lacking in inspiration …
    Channel 9 need to get their heads out of there asses and create some NEW product instead of recycling more predictable “reality” tripe like this … because it is relative inexpensive.
    I am annoyed that there is an American host and will not be watching …
    Jack!

  5. I went through two auditions (initial and call back) to be on the show, only to find myself sitting in the audience the entire night. I was a bit disappointed about that, but I wasn’t the only one in that position. I think the show is a lot of fun though, and should get some great ratings. If you have watched the American episodes linked to the Channel 9 website though, you’ll notice that the first Australian show is nearly identical – same songs and stopping in the same sections of the songs.

  6. True it is only a karaoke hybrid, but it’s the right timeslot for light entertainment. The real test will be how an Aussie audience takes to an American host. Have a look on Sunday and see what you think. We’ll know by week two.

  7. Actually there wasn’t one, but Nine went to a lot of trouble on the night schmoozing everyone, including flying people in from interstate. This is a big push…

  8. Was Joey as enthusiastic and full of life as he is on the American version, notably when choosing the contestants?

    And were there many Australian songs that he had to introduce?

  9. It will be a great feel good show for Sunday night at 6:30.

    Whilst Nine has been hyping the living daylights out of this show, one show does not make a network !!!

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