| Torkington's got a Beef.... | |
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Posted by: |
Jacqueline 07:04 pm UTC 01/16/08 |
| To be fair - I've seen the show and it reeks. Plus it's a total waste of Graham Norton's talents. xxx JD ------------------------------- http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/19565/bbc-show-makes-mockery-of-tribute-acts BBC show ‘makes mockery’ of tribute acts Published Wednesday 16 January 2008 at 15:30 by Matthew Hemley Professional tribute acts have hit out at the BBC’s latest talent search show The One and Only, claiming the programme will cost them business and set the industry back They say the show, which is on Saturday evenings and promises to find the UK’s “best tribute act”, does not accurately reflect the standard of artists who make their living as tributes and is likely to deter potential customers from booking them in future. Dean Torkington, who has been a professional Meat Loaf impersonator for 15 years, said the programme could not claim to find the country’s best tribute act because those who are most successful at what they do are too busy working to audition for such shows. He said: “The best tributes are that busy they can’t give up two or three months of their diary to be at the beck and call of the BBC. We cannot do that. If you can give up two months of your diary and enter a competition hoping you will win, obviously you cannot have a lot of work. “If I was watching this show and owned a big hotel and was thinking about hiring a tribute act, it would put me off booking a tribute show for life. It has set the industry back.” Frank Sinatra act Phil Fryer, who appeared in the trailer for the programme but was also too busy to audition for the series, agreed that the show could be detrimental to the industry and claimed it made a “mockery” of his line of work. “I think it is a bit of an insult to say it is a search to find the best tribute in the country,” he added. “The busiest tributes are working. I think it makes a mockery of the industry and it has not done the tribute game any favours.” The series includes acts performing as a host of popular singers, including Cher, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Elton John, and offers its winner a three-month contract performing as part of the Legends in Concert show in Las Vegas. However, while some tributes have criticised the quality of the show, others have welcomed it, claiming it boosts the profile of the industry. Elvis impersonator Steve Preston said: “I think the principle of it is all right. I am not sure the top impersonators are there, but a primetime Saturday night show like this keeps our business in the public arena.” A BBC spokesman refuted claims the show made a mockery of the industry and said some of the finalists were professional performers who had appeared in West End productions. He added: “The One and Only is a celebration of the dedication, hard work and professionalism that goes into making a convincing performance, from vocals, hair and make-up to perfecting stage presence and musical performance.” | |
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