50-year old professor sues 'American Idol'

[monolith94]

It's a contest, not a job. With a contest, they can set limits like that.

[Drake Tungsten]

Not in any seriousness, as the context makes obvious.

It seemed serious at the time. Frankly, I was a bit taken aback.

[Flubber]

you can't contract out of human rights legislation. If they would have said that specific ethnic minorities were excluded nobody would say that this was ok just because it was in their rules.

Entertainment often "discriminates", but in ways that should not violate legislation. Whenever they cast characters, producers often set limits/parameters regarding age, race , sex and physical diabilities as it is necessary to play the role they have envisioned. You could consider the American Idol competition to be one big casting call for a role, that of an 18-24 year old singer. Could women complain if the competition were limited to men or vice versa?

[Drake Tungsten]

If they would have said that specific ethnic minorities were excluded nobody would say that this was ok just because it was in their rules.

Why not? The Miss Black America pageant does it...

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Not in any seriousness, as the context makes obvious.

It seemed serious at the time. Frankly, I was a bit taken aback.

Oh come on...the Hot Cross Buns joke didn't tip you off?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Flubber
Could women complain if the competition were limited to men or vice versa?

Think, Miss America Pageant.

Originally posted by monolith94
It's a contest, not a job. With a contest, they can set limits like that.

Mono, I agree. Otherwise, in cases where contest-holders merely award a prize and don't give all the contestants pay, they'd be in violation of minimum-wage laws and probably guilty of slavery as well.

[Boris Godunov]

The Miss America pageant unfairly excludes men!

[Drake Tungsten]

Oh come on...the Hot Cross Buns joke didn't tip you off?

Make all the excuses you want, but you still hurt my feelings, Boris...

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Oh come on...the Hot Cross Buns joke didn't tip you off?

Make all the excuses you want, but you still hurt my feelings, Boris...

Awwww, poor booboo! Just slather some first aid cream on the wound.


















That is, if your wrist isn't too goddamned limp to do it.

[Drake Tungsten]

That is, if your wrist isn't too goddamned limp to do it.

Now we're right back where we started. Pot, kettle and all that jazz...

[Boris Godunov]

My wrist is quite strong, thanks to plenty of exercise.

[Flubber]

You folks missed my point


You cannot set something up to discriminate and then say its ok because the rules say its ok. If I set up an apartment building and one of the rules is "no ( insert ethnic minority here)" I would get slammed. The RULES make no difference in justifying the action.

The second paragraph of my previous post went on to say that the entertainment industry seems almost immune from this since they are regularly searching for people of certain characteristics ( race/sex/age) which would be discrimination if applied in more regular occupations. Since Miss Black America is essentially auditiong/competing for a role as a black female spokesperson, this passes muster.

In Canada they used to refer to these as Bona fide Occupational qualifications or requirement. It seems pretty obvious that the age, sex and visible features of a character could be part of those rerquirements in entertainment.

[Willem]

Originally posted by MRT144
indeed, without community colleges a lot of under privlidged people wouldnt have an opportunity for higher education.

And a lot of people's computers, cars, etc. wouldn't get fixed because no one would be trained to the work. Not to mention dental assistants, chefs, television crews, on-screen personalities and technicians, web site designers, graphic artists, photographers etc. etc.

At least that's how it works here in Canada.

[Boris Godunov]

Flubber, then please explain the age limitations given in the Miss America Pageant.

[chequita guevara]

It's age discrimination. Considering that they put it out for the world to see, it's an open and shut case. It's illegal to discriminate on the basis of age.