On Monday, Dallas is to be one of the sites for the holy sing-off between some 100 would-be Christian pop stars. (I placed 102 in the original competition and would have come in much higher had I not chosen to perform "Hava Nagilah.") It's for a show called Gifted, which is scheduled to air on the Trinity Broadcasting Network sometime before the Rapture--which, judging from the press release, would be May, give or take. (This is from the same network that brings you JCTV, a Christian music-video show whose name suggests it's hosted by David Cross.) I post this press release for two reasons: One, I love the idea of scheduled "alone time," and two, who doesn't giggle at a Christian-music program hosted by a Backstreet Boy, who still wants it that way? Also, where's the TV show for us Chosen People, which is itself a swell name for a competition that pits faithful against faithful and winds up with one person cheering and 99 others crying into their kiddush cups. Oh, wait--we already got Hasidic reggae-rapper Matisyahu, whose name, when translated from the original Hebrew, means "Oy, this sucks." --Robert Wilonsky
MEDIA ADVISORY ! MEDIA ADVISORY ! MEDIA ADVISORY !
-MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2006-
GIFTED TALENT SEARCH CONTINUES IN DALLAS WITH SUPER REGIONAL AUDITIONS
Finals to be Hosted by Brian Littrell and Aired on TBN in May
WHAT: GIFTED, America's search for Christian music's brightest new star will hold Super Regional auditions in Dallas where 25 competitors will audition to be one of eight finalists.
After weeks of reviewing thousands of auditions from over 20 cities, GIFTED producers, including manager Johnny Wright (Janet Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Jonas Brothers and Justin Timberlake) have selected close to 100 competitors who will advance to the Super Regionals March 20-29 in Dallas, Nashville, Cleveland and Costa Mesa, CA and compete to be one of only eight finalists.Once chosen, the eight finalists will be flown to Los Angeles where they will compete on national television to secure their place as the nation's most gifted vocalist. The show is set to air on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) in May and will be hosted by Brian Littrell. Littrell was on his way to study for the ministry and to becoming a youth pastor when he was recruited as a founding member of the Backstreet Boys, so his return to Christian music is a return to his roots.
WHEN: MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2006
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM GIFTED Workshop with vocal coach
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Alone time to prepare for audition
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Final Auditions
