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Kyle Sandilands insults Australian Idol audience

Reality TV judges really should refrain from insulting those who are there to support the show.

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Kyle Sandilands has been pretty well behaved on Australian Idol this year, getting teary at auditions, offering plenty of praise to some talented singers, keeping it real for those who should have never been let into the room, and even singing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ to a tiny tot.

Yes, he has surely mellowed since becoming a parent.

But on Tuesday he didn’t take kindly to a heckler in the Australian Idol audience after he was critical of a singer.

“Kyle, you suck!” one audience member shouted.

“What, you think you know better?” Sandilands retorted. “Come down here, clown! Come down here and say it. What, you think he’s great? No? Then shut your pie-hole!”

While I don’t deny the right of a performer to respond to a heckler, I can’t imagine Chrissie Swan in The Masked Singer or Guy Sebastian taking the same approach on The Voice.

On Wednesday he dished out more disappointing comments to the audience after it was clear they were unhappy with his decision.

“It doesn’t matter what you say. You guys get to ruin the show later when you guys can vote. At the moment, the show’s controlled by us.”

Australian Idol is a reality show that invites the audience to cheer their favourite performers, and respond to judging. Warm-up men often encourage crowds to applaud or boo reality judges.

It’s very disrespectful to dismiss them and resort to insults when challenged on decisions.

After all, it’s the audience that helped them attain celebrity status in the first place.

Australian Idol also welcomes patrons as young as 10 years old. Producers would do well to remember there is enough drama in the competition itself without facilitating it to those who are supporting the show.

10 Responses

  1. Why haven’t you David? Written about how stupid this new format is? This so called ‘on notice’ s whack. Might be okay if they let them sing again but they don’t, it’s ridiculous!

  4. I didn’t watch the show so im basing my whole opinion on the single image at the top of the story. But in that moment Marsha and Amy both look like they wished they were anywhere but there.

  5. I’m just surprised how polite he was using the term “pie hole” …..I thought he would have resorted to his usual standard and called the audience heckler an “a…hole” instead….if anyone gets to ruin any show it will be Kyle…after all he does have a “reputation” to uphold… I agree with the heckler.

  6. Imagine if the guy had taken Kyle up on his offer…

    He comes down from the darkness, emboldened by the thrilling shouts and applause, his fellow audience members urging him into the fight. Camera cuts to Kyle – his best poker face hiding fear and fury. We sit forward holding our breaths and wonder what might happen? What do we want to happen? Cut to a close up of Marcia, always superior, then a quick shot of a panicked control room and cameras shifting positions. The stunned and confused contestant, almost forgotten is bustled off stage by the floor manager. She refuses to leave, stands in the wings and watches, eyes like saucers. Suddenly we have a new dynamic: Audience v The Judges.

    Well, as Kyle said, that’s what happens later in the format, so why not introduce the friction early?

    Of course, if the muppet in the audience comes into the lights and mumbles incoherent rubbish, it’ll be cut in post and free up valuable time for a lovely little song. Nothing lost.

  7. Controversies are important to these type of shows, and without outbursts like this the show is simply a talent quest with cameras.

    If controversy wasn’t important, they would’ve cut the interaction out of the show.

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