Thailand got talent ^__^
The hottest topic around town right now is certainly Channel 3’s "Thailand’s Got Talent" broadcast on Sunday, in which a female contestant was seen painting on a canvas with her bare breasts and then turning to face the audience with her body covered in paint.
The controversial performance immediately drew hundreds of comments on popular social media websites, mostly critical. Culture Minister Sukumol Khunploen joined in the chorus of disapproval. There was also praise for Duangjai’s performance, for her courage and artistry, but these posters were clearly in the minority.
The public uproar prompted the president of Workpoint Entertainment Plc which produces "Thailand’s Got Talent" to make an apology to the public. Panya Nirunkul promised there would be no repeat of such a thing and that Duangjai would not be seen on the show again.
Whether painting with bare breasts is a form of art or not can perhaps be best answered by artists themselves, who may have differing views. But as a layman who has little knowledge about art, I personally found the contestant’s performance in baring her breasts, although censored, to be inappropriate and out of place. It would be fine if it was performed in an art gallery, even in front of many people, but on television in front of an audience of millions is not the right place.
It is definitely a misjudgement on the part of those responsible for the controversial TV show. It is also a gross misinterpretation of the talent show’s aims as clearly manifested in the show’s slogan: "Daring is winning".
Forgive me if I am wrong. But is this a talent show, or a dare devil show in which the biggest quality required of contestants is to show some "guts"? If it is all about guts then the show itself should be renamed "Thailand’s Got Guts’’.
Even the judges themselves appear to be confused about the contest. I feel that several of the "talent" were given the nod by the judges out of sympathy, or compassion, rather than on the quality of contestants’ performances. No wonder more than 200 contestants have passed the test and moved on to the next round!