I , and most people , have always considered the french as cult and intelligent people. I was ashamed when all people in my country was mesmerized by our local version of "star academy" , thinking that TV/music would be better in foreign countries. I can't explain how much I laughed when I started watching this show in french TV. It is even tackier than the Spanish version .They pitifully try to imitate Americans and the songs they sing sound almost identical to each other. There is no need to say that when the program ends the "artits" automatically become into stars and assault the boards with their awful albums("one hit wonder" expression was invented for these people).
Nevertheless , I'm a little worried about it all. Music has a new illness: Fake music , sung by non-talented people that rise high with the help of media. In USA it is almost acceptable because private tvs do it(and ,eventually, it can't be distinguished from the habitual American artists) whereas in Europe public tvs are the perpetrators!
PS: In Spain we don't have "Operacion triunfo" anymore. Something to imitate ,dear french.
