| abstract | - Hopeless Auditionees are found on many a Talent Show. The first couple of shows will show the auditions process- and these will always turn up. They have no talent, a false belief that they do and may be subjected to some abuse from the judging panel before being sent home. Some have criticized these sorts of appearances as "cruelty to the mentally-ill". Actually examining the audition process, however, reveals that these people believe they are good enough because the people running the show have led them to believe they are. The auditions usually run on a three tier system, with the celebrity judges being the final tier. The first two tiers will approve people who are very good, people who are maybe good enough, and people who are awful for entertainment value - letting the awful ones believe that they're there because they're good. In short, it's a sadistic ritual wherein real people are humiliated in front of an audience of millions for the sake of a few giggles. Naturally, this is a subtrope of Expectation Lowerer; the audience feels better by watching people worse than them. Every once in a while, a Hopeless Auditionee will actually pass the auditions. If they get far enough, they may even become an Elimination Houdini. If a Hopeless Auditionee can't wrap their head around the idea that they might not be the most talented thing on two feet, they're Giftedly Bad. Compare Terrible Interviewees Montage. Contrast Failed Audition Plot, where a character who fails an audition early in the story decides to pursue their dreams regardless. Examples of Hopeless Auditionees include:
|
