[PeppyGPhiB]

The first thing Simon said to him when he came in the door was, "Have you borrowed Randy's trousers?" commenting about his weight. I just think that's a terribly rude thing to say to some one, especially someone you've never even met or spoken with.

As for "pity" for people with disabilities, I'm well aware of the issues. I won't get into what I've experienced as a Special Olympics volunteer or around my aunt who was a paraplegic most of her life. I was not suggesting pity, I was suggesting some *decency* be shown to people who clearly have been encouraged by people who were probably well-intentioned to try out and "go for it." We love to tell people in this country that anything is possible, and a number of those people at the AI auditions probably would not be there if they hadn't been told by people that care about them that they were good singers, just because they didn't want to hurt their feelings. Also, all of the people we see on the TV have been passed on to the second round by producers who've already heard them...don't you think that gives some of them even more false hope? Their info./applications are also passed on to the judges, so the producers and judges are aware of their situation/issues/trivia, etc. Of course I'm only talking about the people who seem to have...issues...not people who are just cocky and obnoxious and know they can't sing.