Yes – rather incredibly, Idols SA is still going.

Season 15 is now airing, and half the fun of the competition is marvelling at the contestants who don’t quite make the cut.

Even better if you happen to know somebody who tried out, although I don’t know what Ntando Shandu’s friends and family will make of his audition.

He is now going viral, and at the time of writing, the video below was trending at number two in South Africa on YouTube.

Before we pick it apart, let’s go straight to the video:

Please allow me to be honest here.

First of all, if you think this isn’t completely contrived, shem.

Worse still, many see it as exploitative:

I get that most of reality TV is just us cringing at the idiocy and awkwardness of others, which is exactly why shows like Love Island are so wildly successful, but is this now what we consider entertainment?

Also, I’m glad that person above mentioned Randall Abrahams. The Idols SA judge turns 50 in three days (congrats, old friend), Gareth Cliff reckons he is “a player”, and he really wouldn’t look out of place on any of Cape Town’s hipster-laden CBD streets.

Observe:

Quite a ‘do.

It’s just good to see him smiling, anyway.

Given that it’s already survived 14 seasons, I am sure that the show must (and will) go on. It would just be nice if South African TV producers didn’t try and take us for fools (or let their shows revolve around a fool) once in a while.

[source:youtube]