Little Talent Show
Encyclopedia
Little Talent Show was an MTV
program that aired weekdays in the fall 2006 season.
Each episode, 7 contestants who felt they were a triple threat
when it comes to singing, acting and dancing, competed against each other until 2 were chosen to go head to head in the "Triple Threat" round. After the final round a winner is selected and crowned the most talented performer of the episode and receive a five hundred dollar cash prize and a statuette.
, Laurie Ann Gibson
, and Kimberley Locke
. Each contestant received feedback from a panel of celebrity judges, each one specializing in one of the categories. Gibson served as the dancing judge. She is a former "Fly Girl" and choreographer, having worked on the Making the Band
series. Locke was most often the "singing judge". She was herself a finalist in the second season of American Idol
and is a recording artist for Curb Records
. Anthony Fedorov
and Constantine Maroulis
, both from American Idol's fourth season, occasionally sat in as singing judges. The show had alternated acting judges from episode to episode. These judges were Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Roberts on Days of our Lives
), Matt Cedeno
(Brandon Walker on Days of our Lives
), Sean Kanan
(Alan Quartermaine Jr. on General Hospital
.) and Amy Davidson
(Kerry Hennessy in 8 Simple Rules
).
In the final shows, we are told that contestants consider themselves good singers, dancers and actors - a "Triple Threat." Onset, most of the performers considered themselves singers, dancers or actors, not all three. If a performer was a talented dancer, he would be left out of the dancing segment, and so on. The very different singing styles used by the contestants are edited into a single piece, making even a fairly good singer sound awkward in a disjointed edit.
The scripts to the acting competitions were written to be as ridiculous as possible and impossible to perform seriously (full of comically overlong words, or showing the actor regressing in age from an old man to a baby), so most of the cast performed them in a purposely comedic fashion (affecting silly accents, or doing impersonations of celebrities). Sadly this doesn't come across in the edit, as intentional comedy would have detracted from the show's idea of showing the contestants as untalented. There are some extremely odd edits in all the episodes, and it has been said by the show's unwitting cast members that overall, the final shows are much less funny or interesting than what was actually seen onset.
The judges were mostly shot separately from the contestants and seem to use the same script in each episode. This extends even to their comments to the contestants - for example, Kimberley Locke
says "It's distracting when you take your top off" in two different episodes (once to a man, once to a woman).
Extensive backstage material and a second singing competition ("Photograph") were also filmed for the pilot but not used. Contestants were urged to perform scripted material where they would bicker and infight with each other. Few of the contestants were interested in doing this, but similar scenes supposedly showing the contestants fighting amongst each other were shot for each episode with a similar script.
Contestants were also urged to shout out single scripted lines, like "I am the Triple Threat!" Although the contestants appearing on the show were not working from a script, and could be themselves onset, very few unscripted moments were used in the final edit, suggesting that the shows were written ahead of time, and then edited to that script without paying attention to what actually occurred onset.
In the shows as aired, the contestants are competing for a tiny $500 prize money. Onset there was no talk of prize money - everyone was given a $200 paycheck for a weekend's work, and the chance to be on MTV. Inevitably due to the format of the program, the contestants were disappointed and embarrassed when they saw the final product.
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
program that aired weekdays in the fall 2006 season.
Each episode, 7 contestants who felt they were a triple threat
Triple Threat
The Triple Threat was a professional wrestling heel stable that existed in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1995 to 1998. It was Shane Douglas's answer to Ric Flair's Four Horsemen...
when it comes to singing, acting and dancing, competed against each other until 2 were chosen to go head to head in the "Triple Threat" round. After the final round a winner is selected and crowned the most talented performer of the episode and receive a five hundred dollar cash prize and a statuette.
Judges
The hosts included Bryan DattiloBryan Dattilo
Bryan Ronald Dattilo is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Lucas Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of our Lives, a role he played from 1993–2001, and from 2002-2010. He still recurs on Days....
, Laurie Ann Gibson
Laurie Ann Gibson
Laurie N. Jibsen is a creative director, VMA-winning choreographer, and Emmy-nominated director best known for her work with Lady Gaga, Diddy and Keri Hilson. She rose to public prominence as the star of MTV's Making the Band and P. Diddy and Mark Burnett’s Starmaker series...
, and Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Dawn Locke is an American singer-songwriter and model. She has recorded in the dance, pop and adult contemporary music genres....
. Each contestant received feedback from a panel of celebrity judges, each one specializing in one of the categories. Gibson served as the dancing judge. She is a former "Fly Girl" and choreographer, having worked on the Making the Band
Making the Band
Making the Band is an ABC/MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each iteration focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang...
series. Locke was most often the "singing judge". She was herself a finalist in the second season of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
and is a recording artist for Curb Records
Curb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
. Anthony Fedorov
Anthony Fedorov
Anatoliy Vladimirovich "Anthony" Fedorov is an American singer who was the fourth place finalist on the fourth season of the American Idol.- Biography :...
and Constantine Maroulis
Constantine Maroulis
Constantine James Maroulis is an American rock singer, actor, and writer from Wyckoff, New Jersey. He was the sixth-place finalist on the fourth season of the reality television series American Idol, and lead vocalist of the hard rock band Pray for the Soul of Betty...
, both from American Idol's fourth season, occasionally sat in as singing judges. The show had alternated acting judges from episode to episode. These judges were Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Roberts on Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
), Matt Cedeno
Matt Cedeño
Matt Cedeño is an American actor and former male fashion model.He was born in Moses Lake, Washington to an Afro-Cuban father and an Irish-English mother. He became a model doing gigs in Milan, Spain, New York and Los Angeles, which Cedeno juggled, along with academics, until he finished school...
(Brandon Walker on Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
), Sean Kanan
Sean Kanan
-Early life:He was born Sean Perelman in Cleveland, Ohio and was raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Boston University and UCLA where he earned a degree in political science....
(Alan Quartermaine Jr. on General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
.) and Amy Davidson
Amy Davidson
Amy Lynn Davidson is an American actress best known for her role as Kerry Michelle Hennessy in the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.-Early life and education:...
(Kerry Hennessy in 8 Simple Rules
8 Simple Rules
8 Simple Rules is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 17, 2002, to April 15, 2005, with 76 episodes produced over three seasons. It is based on the self-improvement book of the same name. The show starred John Ritter until his death on September 11, 2003...
).
Episodes/airdates
Each episode set a particular acting theme for the contestants.- Back From War (October 5, 2006)
- Superhero Formula (October 4, 2006)
- Paranoia (October 3, 2006)
- Maniac Slasher (October 2, 2006)
- Possession (September 28, 2006)
- Jailbreak (September 27, 2006)
- Amnesia (September 26, 2006)
- Snitch (September 25, 2006)
- Hostile Witness (September 21, 2006)
- Fountain of Youth (September 20, 2006)
- U Robot (September 19, 2006)
- I'm Dyin' Bryan (September 18, 2006)
- MTV's Little Talent Show (September 18, 2006)
Contestants
Contestants included Yara Camarena, singer Aria Johnson, comedian Garrett Gilchrist, Chavon James, Jesse Lewis, Sheila Tejada, Mickey Mello, Ismael Moreno, actor Kamahni Huck (winner), comedian Jesse Maddox, comedian Erik Anderson. Adam Ryan and Merrin Mae Fuentebella were cut from pilot episode "I'm Dyin, Bryan."Reception
The show was panned by Hartford Courant critic Roger Catlin who wrote on his official blog TV Eye - What's on Television that MTV was tardy in coming forward with a musical competition show, and expressed disdain that none of the competitors seemed to have talent.Editing and Controversy
The pilot episode "I'm Dyin, Bryan" was shot under the (false) title "Triple Threat." Most of the contestants were professional singers, actors, comedians or dancers of some kind, and were told that this was a serious (if small scale) talent competition rather than a spoof. Misleading editing was used to try to show the performers in the worst possible light. For example, professional singer Aria Johnson appears in the pilot but we don't hear her much of her singing in the final edit. Two contestants (Adam and Merrin) were edited out of the final pilot entirely, having performed well in all three segments.In the final shows, we are told that contestants consider themselves good singers, dancers and actors - a "Triple Threat." Onset, most of the performers considered themselves singers, dancers or actors, not all three. If a performer was a talented dancer, he would be left out of the dancing segment, and so on. The very different singing styles used by the contestants are edited into a single piece, making even a fairly good singer sound awkward in a disjointed edit.
The scripts to the acting competitions were written to be as ridiculous as possible and impossible to perform seriously (full of comically overlong words, or showing the actor regressing in age from an old man to a baby), so most of the cast performed them in a purposely comedic fashion (affecting silly accents, or doing impersonations of celebrities). Sadly this doesn't come across in the edit, as intentional comedy would have detracted from the show's idea of showing the contestants as untalented. There are some extremely odd edits in all the episodes, and it has been said by the show's unwitting cast members that overall, the final shows are much less funny or interesting than what was actually seen onset.
The judges were mostly shot separately from the contestants and seem to use the same script in each episode. This extends even to their comments to the contestants - for example, Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Locke
Kimberley Dawn Locke is an American singer-songwriter and model. She has recorded in the dance, pop and adult contemporary music genres....
says "It's distracting when you take your top off" in two different episodes (once to a man, once to a woman).
Extensive backstage material and a second singing competition ("Photograph") were also filmed for the pilot but not used. Contestants were urged to perform scripted material where they would bicker and infight with each other. Few of the contestants were interested in doing this, but similar scenes supposedly showing the contestants fighting amongst each other were shot for each episode with a similar script.
Contestants were also urged to shout out single scripted lines, like "I am the Triple Threat!" Although the contestants appearing on the show were not working from a script, and could be themselves onset, very few unscripted moments were used in the final edit, suggesting that the shows were written ahead of time, and then edited to that script without paying attention to what actually occurred onset.
In the shows as aired, the contestants are competing for a tiny $500 prize money. Onset there was no talk of prize money - everyone was given a $200 paycheck for a weekend's work, and the chance to be on MTV. Inevitably due to the format of the program, the contestants were disappointed and embarrassed when they saw the final product.
External links
- Little Talent Show at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- MTV's Little Talent Show website