RE: What is your favorite Live Haley performance?
I forgot this one. "Free" is my second least favorite song on the album, but this was so beautiful.
Tom22, I think you've almost hit the nail on the head with why Haley was considered "unlikeable."
It wasn't that she was "her own judge." It's that she was a beautiful, talented, CONFIDENT, young WOMAN. Men are allowed to be confident. Men are allowed to stick up for themselves if they are being unfairly judged.
A beautiful (and not beautiful like Michelle Chamuel..aka..underneath the glasses, fifteen layers of clothing, awkwardness and shyness..where you see her without her glasses and you go "holy crap.." but objectionably beautiful and knows it..) sexy, talented young woman is not likeable. It translates into "slut" and "bitch." Both of which we've heard Haley called plenty of times by idol fans..(And then Jessica Sanchez was called the same a season later.)
I could write a book on how sexist the Idol and the viewing audience is. Haley is a case study. She was casted as the hot girl. She was objectified from the start. The hot girl exits about 9th. Except this hot girl was extremely talented.
Irony being that Idol's own sexism worked against them. Because they tried to get rid of her, Haley became a victim..and suddenly a lot easier to root for. (Although still polarizing because a woman is not allowed to show confidence. I can't tell you how many times a female contestant, picked on mercilessly by Simon..finally had enough and stuck up for herself. Only for that contestant to be eliminated the very next night. Too many times for it to be a coincidence.)
Now of course, the above is almost necessary to have in the music world. (Although still polarizing.)
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