It's official: stupid makes you cruel or Simon is Nicer than Paula After All

Cafe Society
21

Taylor wasn’t old, he was just prematurely gray. You have to be under 30 to get on the show, so the “young” part is true.
Paula’s remark was stupid, but I actually think her constant patronizing of the blind guy (“you’re so brave…you have to work so much harder than the others…you’re an inspiration”) is more offensive.

Her suggestion that he leave the piano is idiotic, though. Even if it’s physically possible to walk him out on stage and stand him up at a microphone, what is that going to add to his performance? Did anybody ever tell Ray Charles to stand up and do a jig? Does Stevie Wonder get up and vogue?

I actually much prefer to see a musician stay with his instrument. For some reason this show doesn’t really like seeing the contestants play instruments and the judges are always accusing them of using their instruments as “crutches.” I’m not sure why that is. I guess it’s because it gives the contestants too much control or something. Personally I’d rather see aguy who plays guitar play guitar every week, and a guy who plays piano play piano every week. That’s part of who they are as musicians. I always have more respect for the ones who can play an instrument.

22

But AI is about star quality, and that’s a very narrowly defined thing in their terms. It doesn’t include playing an instrument. FWIW, it also doesn’t include doing anything very different from, or even better than, what 1000 other hopefuls are doing. It’s really selling yourself, according to an accepted formula, with polish and intensity.

23

If he was playing the piano with star wattage, then playing the piano all the time would be a good thing. But because he’s a quiet guy who sings mellow songs, the piano becomes a distraction. Basically, he’s dividing his attention between the piano and the audience, and Paula is suggesting that at some point he needs to direct all of his energy at the audience.

24

But he’s blind. He has nothing to gain from standing there like a stiff without his instrument. I also think he sings better with it than without it.