★★★★★ 0/5

‘Norman Gentle’ challenges American Idol

This year American Idol has been trying to come to terms with a guy who can sing but does the whole thing as a send-up.

16
Leave a comment

nick-mitchell-american-idolTwo years ago American Idol was divided over a young singer by the name of Sanjaya whose personality (and his ever-changing hair) seemed to upstage his performances.

Lately Idol has been trying to come to terms with its first comedic performer -a young man by the name of Nick Mitchell and his camp character, ‘Norman Gentle.’

This week he sang Dreamgirls‘ “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)” with a completely over the top performance. It’s a very astute answer to not having “a look” but still possessing singing chops, and possibly an example of the “inmates taking over the reality asylum.”

As it turns out, Nick / Norman didn’t make it through to the Top 12.

But there is still a ‘Wildcard’ vote to go. And as bothered as Simon Cowell might be by the idea of a parody in the final group, the guy is good for getting the show talked about.

American Idol airs on FOX8.

16 Responses

  1. Man was I glad he didn’t get through the other night – horrible, and the top 12 is the place for serious singers that actually want a serious career out of this. Fully with Simon Cowell on this one!

  2. To Matthew above, there is no cost information because the American Idol voting is toll free. That is why, when American Idol brags about it getting ‘more votes than the US election’ it needs to be kept in mind that its free for most Americans.

  5. I absolutely agree with Craig Hardie’s comments. Norman/Nick has got this far because the judges can actually see some real potential in him. However, they keep asking to see Nick sing…..for him to drop the Norman act and let them see just what Nick can actually do.
    He has had chance after chance….and even after the judges tel him to leave the Norman act behind…..even after he ‘loosely hints’ that he will take their advice on board and come out and perform seriously for them….soon as its show time, the sequined shirt and ratty headband come out again.
    He isnt taking the competition seriously, and some fine young vocallists didnt make it through…..young people who have dreamed of making it big in the industry.
    He is taking the chance off someone who really wants to win this, and he is making a joke of it all.
    If he is serious about his sort of performing, then he needs to take his act where it belongs…..some Vegas lounge would surely be glad to have him.
    After all these weeks, yes, the joke has worn thin. He needs to be taken out of the running for a wildcard entry and give the opportunity to someone more deserving.

  7. I would hate to see this guy make the Final 12. He is a complete joke. There are plenty more other talented singers that deserve places in that Final 12 more than he does.

  8. 100% agree, Karen. Bob Downe is funnier… and going back 30 years, so was our own ‘Norman’ (Gunston)…. loved his debut album (The Popular Ballad Animal). Poor Nick couldn’t stay in character, and that was his problem. If he was gojng to run with the joke, he should have created a more fully defined character and stuck to it.

  9. I agree, he was funny in auditions, but I was well and truly over it by the last show. Is it just me or was he a poor version of Aussie Bob Downe??

  10. He is perfect for auditions, because that’s when we want to see total losers…but after that…he’s excruciating. Thank God the Americans didn’t vote him through. Those damn judges kept on bringing him through. If they give him a wildcard spot…they’ll be on my hit list.

  15. firstly, let me say, im always up for a bit of camp nonsense, this guy was funny at the first audition, and he brought some light relief to the Hollywood shows but the joke has very much worn thin in this current round and the viewing audience in the US seems to think so as well judging by the fact he didnt get through to the Top 12.

  16. Normund was amazing. The parody that is American Idol was shown up by Nick Mitchell in his performance. He doesn’t have a hope in hell of getting a Wildcard, but he was just pure entertainment.

Leave a Reply