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Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
I've been watching the show since Howard Stern became the new judge. It's been really good, but a controversy has arisen and it has nothing to do with Stern.
If you haven't heard about it, watch the video first. Then read the following article.
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/america … 46084.aspx
'America's Got Talent' Controversy: The Chronicle of Tim Poe's Unraveling Story
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
America's Got Talent only aired one episode this week, giving us half the auditions and (inadvertently) more time to focus on the real AGT news of the week: the Tim Poe controversy. For those of you who haven't caught up with the many stories that have circulated about this stuttering country crooner from last week, here's a rundown of Poe's whirlwind week.
June 4: Tim Poe's audition airs
The crowd and judges are moved by Poe's "If Tomorrow Never Comes" performance and his story of a crippling grenade injury during his time serving in Afghanistan (Poe stutters in his interviews, but sings flawlessly).
June 6: The rumors begin
Numerous sources break the news that Sgt. Timothy Poe may have lied about several aspects of his story, including how long he served in the military, where he served and, most importantly, whether he was actually injured in combat. According to sources (including E! Online), Poe served in the Minnesota National Guard from December 2002 to May 2011 as a supply specialist, serving in Afghanistan for a month in 2009. A statement from the Minnesota National Guard stated, "Sgt. Poe's official military records do not indicate that he was injured by a grenade in combat while serving in Afghanistan in 2009."
Echoing this sentiment, Defenders of Freedom (an organization that gives financial assistance to injured soldiers) founder Donna Cranston reveals, "Tim served honorably while he was in [the military]. However, he was injured in training, not in combat... Defenders of Freedom is saddened by his false claims of service and sacrifice and have dissociated ourselves with him."
In a You Served podcast (Poe's first response to the media allegations), Poe defends himself, reiterating that he had been injured in Afghanistan, although the head injury caused him to forget many of the details of the event ("I had a blast go off by my head and it caused me to forget things"). Poe also says he's requested to have his military record corrected with the details of his injury, but that he has gotten no response. "Until you see the documents, don't judge me," he says.
It is also discovered that Poe was the lead singer of a Minnesota band called Crawl Space, though he told the AGT judges, "I didn't know I could sing until my speech pathologist said it would help my stutter."
June 8: Poe apologizes and AGT judges chime in
Poe continues to defend himself to the public, although his conviction seems to waver: "It may not have happened exactly like I said it did," he tells the New York Post. He also addresses his false comments about not singing prior to his alleged injury by saying, "I do not know how to explain why I answered about never singing before" (according to E! Online). "At the time of AGT, when the judges asked, before I could even think about answering, my words had already came out."
New York Daily News also exposed Poe's misleading photo he gave to AGT producers of himself; according to the source, Poe admitted "it was not really him in the picture."
Cranston also took her comments a step further by calling Poe "a liar." She also gave WFAA a copy of a phone interview she had with Poe in November 2011 in which Poe did not stutter.
At this point Poe goes on record apologizing. He tells the American people, "how truly sorry I am that they had to endure the incomplete facts. I understand how they feel" (according to E! Online). To Donna Cranston, Poe says, "I am so very sorry" in a tearful interview with WPAA. Though Poe says, "I truly thought these things have happened to me," he admits to feeling like he's going "crazy" and has sought help at the VA hospital.
AGT judges Howard Stern and Howie Mandel had their own harsh words on the matter:
"You could be the most f---ed up liar on the planet, but you never lie about your military service," Stern said on his SiriusXM satellite radio show. "This lie is so wrong on so many levels...This really sickens me."
Mandel was similarly disgusted, saying, "Last week he was publicly praised and honored. Now he is publicly humiliated and he deserves to be publicly humiliated" (according to Zap2it). But, anger aside, Mandel still felt AGT was about talent and not about background: "We should not be judging at all on a back story. Whatever the judges do will be based on the talent and whatever he does in Vegas."
June 11: Poe's uncertain future on AGT
Like Mandel, Stern still feels Poe should get a shot on AGT in Vegas. "I do hope that [AGT] doesn't boot him off," Stern said, according to Examiner. "To me... I always kind of resented American Idol when they would pull someone out because of a drug scandal or an arrest," Stern continued. "Let the audience decide on talent."
There has still been no official word on how NBC will proceed with Poe's involvement, although there are reports that his Vegas segment is being edited before airing. Stern, meanwhile, is trying to set up a live interview with Poe on his show.
What do you all think of the controversy? Should Poe be allowed to continue on the show, regardless of the veracity of his back story?
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
To me it illustrates the problem with these kinds of shows.
It's not so much about talent as an entertainer as it is about the entertainment itself.
Having an inspirational backstory, such as being a war hero or still being able to sing enjoyably despite horrible injures is more entertaining than having the same degree of talent and no cute backstory.
Thus the real talent gets lost out there in favour of people who have movie-line stories or pretend to have movie-line stories.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
To me it illustrates the problem with these kinds of shows.
It's not so much about talent as an entertainer as it is about the entertainment itself.
Having an inspirational backstory, such as being a war hero or still being able to sing enjoyably despite horrible injures is more entertaining than having the same degree of talent and no cute backstory.
Thus the real talent gets lost out there in favour of people who have movie-line stories or pretend to have movie-line stories.
I honestly didn't think he was THAT talented when I first heard him. Though I'm not a country fan by any means, so I'm probably not a good evaluator in that sense. His story is what sold his act. And obviously now, his act is a sham.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
Well to be honest as good as he was with his performance I would not have voted him through. He wasn't that good in my opinion and I honestly feel his phoney backstory played a huge part in the judges voting yes for him. He got the pitty vote straight up. It was amazing how he could sing without stuttering yet now I don't even believe the stuttering is real. Just another ploy to get the sympathy vote.
I don't believe this guy for once second. Way too many peope have come out against what he's said. To me this is a simple case of someone making up a bullshit story, seeing an opportunity for fame at whatever cost and then when it backfired he starts to crumble. He got caught in a web of lies that even if he thought were true people in his life would've know it wasn't so in my opinion it's a group effort to trick people. I'm positive his fiance knew what a bullshit story this was too.
FRAUD end of story. He knew his "phenomenal talent" wasn't enough so he added the story cause let's be honest who's gonna vote against the the former American soldier who was injured in the line of duty who now suffers a stuttering condition yet sings great. He knew this. He fooled everyone for a few seconds. I say cut him from the show.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
Yeah, the day after the guy performed Howard Stern was raving about what a great story it was and how people were contacting him, saying the competition was over. Then a few days later the story broke. Obviously now Stern is pissed, and rightfully so. He was duped, along with the rest of America.
I got emotional watching it. I had just come back from a charity golf outing in support of a local wounded vet. A guy who lost both of his legs in Afghanistan. So when this emotional story came on, I teared up a bit.
The guy is an obvious fraud. They played an interview the guy did previously where he didn't stutter. He's now come out and apologized, saying he believes what he said really happened even though all evidence says otherwise. He says it's "his truth" and even if it didn't really happen that's how he remembers it. I guess he got his 15 minutes of fame, if that is what he was after. He had to know he was going to get caught. And it sure didn't take long. Maybe he thought he could've milked it for a few more weeks at least.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
I'd be pissed if I was the judges too because he tricked them into voting yes. I swear had he not had the bullshit emotional back story none of them would've voted him through. They say it's about talent yet they all voted him through based on his backstory. he made the judges look like clowns.
Fans will vote this guy off in a heart beat assuming they're made aware his story was bullshit.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
I'd be pissed if I was the judges too because he tricked them into voting yes. I swear had he not had the bullshit emotional back story none of them would've voted him through. They say it's about talent yet they all voted him through based on his backstory. he made the judges look like clowns.
Fans will vote this guy off in a heart beat assuming they're made aware his story was bullshit.
Yeah, in fairness to the judges, USUALLY they're not as briefed on the backstory as the viewing audience is. They don't get to see the production work that the network shows to sell the acts. All they go off of, is whatever they get out of the short interview they do with the acts before they perform. But in this case, they were obviously swayed by the whole "war hero" theme. Who wouldn't be? Howard keeps saying he hopes they keep him on the show for now, as he did advance and performed for them again in Vegas. There have been talks that they may edit him out of the show altogether, but I think they'd benefit in the ratings by leaving him in. Then IF he gets through to the live shows and the vote goes to the viewers, he stands no chance. He might as well not even show up. Probably safer for him.
The messed up thing too, is the guy DID serve his country for 9 years. That's honorable in its own right. There's no real need to make up this grand story about risking your life to save others when you've already done a very noble thing. He still would've had a chance at advancing and getting sympathy votes just for being a former soldier.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
This problem is RAMPANT to be honest. I know PLENTY of guys who have actually served in the military, but I know for a fact lie on a regular basis on what they actually DID in the military. And every single one of them was U.S. Army National Guard.
I don't know what it is about that branch of the military but it seems to attract lightweights, wannabes, glory hounds, self-regarded legends, Call of Duty-created "Sniper specialists", shirt-tail riders, that lie about experiences, military talent, military positions, injuries, awards, etc.
And why? Because of America's war situation, instead of being the bean getters and weekend warrior statue cleaners they were in years past, suddenly these guys come home and get the "thank you for your service. Let me buy you dinner".
This guy is a stupid, lying, honky ass, white trash, trailer trash, piece of pond scum that blew up his small town dumbass lie and took it to the big city with him and got his fuckin' ass CRUSHED and exposed for the pussy liar that he is.
Now all of the sudden -- "he's sorry". He's not sorry. He thought he was slicker than everybody and kept lying. That's the problem with these military lies. When you lie once about it (John Kerry). You have to keep lying over and over. And you compound the lies. Then you forget where the truth started. And the holes and cracks get exposed more and easier to the naked eye.
He's a disgrace to any honorable man that ever served in a military uniform anywhere in the world, and he's a disgrace to any honorable man that ever wore a cowboy hat.
If he walks out in Vegas to sing, no way anyone will hear him. The place will be deafened with boos.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
The messed up thing too, is the guy DID serve his country for 9 years. That's honorable in its own right. There's no real need to make up this grand story about risking your life to save others when you've already done a very noble thing. He still would've had a chance at advancing and getting sympathy votes just for being a former soldier
No it's not. I get what you're saying, but just because he served is not honorable.
He signed up for a support job. Otherwise the military wouldn't have "Dishonorable Discharge" if all military jobs done were honorable in their own right.
That's the problem with these miltary shirt tail riders. The military has an equal number of lying, cocksucker, assholes -- no different than any other job, or the equal amount of shit cops get as being "pigs" and "corrupt pieces of shit".
Just because he served, doesn't make him a good, honest person, who served honorably. These guys that lie about being heroes make me want to pick up a gun on them and never put it the fuck down.
They see all of the love and attention they get for being "just National Guard", and then turn around and see the attention of these wounded warriors and special forces guys, so they turn around and embelish their miltary experience more to get MORE sympathy and attention, like a drug.
They are not entitled to it, and they deserve NO mercy imo.
The boys over there in Afghanistan, Iraq, and hell even further back that are never coming home, unless they're in a bag, and these mother fuckers like this piece of shit ARE THE ONES WE GET BACK in a uniform.
Keep 'em. They should've stayed over there.
I've been around alot of military guys in my life. The real ones, and the fakers. All of them military experience. All of them YEARS of military experience.
And I hear the ones that BEAT OFF constantly about their service and what they did over and there, and every fuckin' one of them are full of shit. You can see the fear in their eyes.
THE REAL HEROES are the ones that never say a word. They don't ever talk about it and hover a glass and a bottle of Jack. Those are the guys I sit beside and try to talk to. I know they were there, and I know what they did. They don't have to say a word. I can see it in the tears on their face.
Re: America's Got Talent Controversy
THE REAL HEROES are the ones that never say a word. They don't ever talk about it and hover a glass and a bottle of Jack. Those are the guys I sit beside and try to talk to. I know they were there, and I know what they did. They don't have to say a word. I can see it in the tears on their face.
Victims as much as heroes really.
