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Review | Foul or Foul-up?
Written by: J.P.
Several bars in the Santa Clara County area are part of "Talent
Quest 2002," the "Second Annual National Singing and
Performance Contest." According to the banner at each club, there
is a "$10,000 minimum cash prize," "Progressive prize
pool," "$5,000 cash award possibility right here," and
"win a 1975 classic Jaguar Coup + cash prizes."
This contest is for karaoke singers. Where the music plays and you sing
as the words change color. Easy and fun to do. It has been running for a
few weeks and seems straightforward. The karaoke contestants are judged
by other locals each week. The weekly winners compete in a run-off and
go the regionals. Those that win in the regionals go to the national
show in Laughlin, Nevada. The prize at the regionals is a trip to the
national. There are no prizes at the local level. Each tavern has to pay
about $300 to be connect with the contest. What about the promises
printed on the banner? A visit to the website at talentqst.com makes
things clearer. There is a $10,000 total of cash prizes for the winners
at the national. The winner will get $5,000 and some will only get $50.
The Jaguar car and $5,000 are possible if you buy the lottery
tickets.
At the page: http://talentqst.com/prizes.php it says the raffel has a
first prize of $2,500. With a first prize of $2,500 you would have to
win all the prizes to get $5,000. Another page on the site says you can
win $5,000 on one ticket. There are no specifics about the prize of the
used car. The proceeds of the lottery go to Keepers of the Wild, a 501
(c)(3) non-profit organization near Kingman, Arizona.
The web site brings more questions than answers. Click on the page for
regional information (http://talentqst.com/contestsites.php) and it has
no regional listings. The page was last modified the morning of March
15, 2002, and has not been updated since.
Who is Talent Quest? The site gives contact information as: Phone:
928-565-9611, Talent Quest 2002, PO Box 278, Chloride, AZ 86431 which
seems a little odd since the phone number is for Golden Valley, Arizona.
Doing a search on the number reveals it belongs to Talent Quest, but no
address is listed. Checking the site listing we find the site is owned
by Talent Quest, 3470 Overland Drive, Lake Havasu, AZ 86403 listing John
Masden as the owner. The technical contact is a New Jersey address,
while the contents of the web page are credited to a company in Flordia.
That isn't uncommon in internet business.
A letter (http://www.karaokekids.com/talentquest/tqletter.html) from
Talent Quest is signed, "Bill Keller" who is listed as
"Producer." This is the second annual contest. What happened
at the first? Winning will get you recognition at the national level.
Except no one can remember who won last year. There is no listing of the
winners of last year. The site lists updates of achievements since
people have participated in the first national Talent Quest. But no
names or dates are given. Somewhat understandable. Some the updates are:
"2 Contestants auditioned for the lead role in the Broadway
adaption of "Pirates of Penzance." and "5 Contestants
auditioned for lead and other roles in a "Western" motion
picture scheduled to begin shooting in late August." Getting an
audition is nothing much to brag about. "32 Contestants have signed
talent agency contracts. (Talent Quest receives requests from agents on
a regular basis.) " Another "So what?" Being with a
talent agency does not get you work. It only assures you pay a fee when
you get work.
There is a rumor at the clubs that not all of last year's winners were
paid the prize at the national. According to Stephanie Devine who is
helping to organize the Regional Group #1, Group #2, and Group #3 events
in the Southern San Francisco Bay Area, the winners were eventually
paid. One of the sponsors had pulled out last year and left the
organization short on funds.
The locals say they are having fun in the contest. One person who was
entering just to get an extra turn to sing is now ready to go to the
national. It seems they allow individuals to sponsor themselves to the
national contest. For $250 you do not even have to place in the
regionals.
There are rules. Rule #2 (http://talentqst.com/contestrules.php) says no
professionals. More specifically, "Any person belonging to a
professional acting, theater or musical organization, such as SAG, are
not allowed to complete in any event connected with the Talent Quest -
National Karaoke Singing Contest. Persons who entertain, whether it be
their whole or part time income, are allowed to compete so long as that
person does not belong to any professional organization connected with
the entertainment industry." This loophole allows karaoke hosts to
enter. One has actually entered from at least three clubs. She will be
at all three regional events as a contestant.
Region group #3 was held in Pleasanton at Massé's, a local club.
Special judges were brought in to determine the winners. The other two
region events will be at Crowne Plaza Mid Peninsula in Foster City.
Dates are July 21 and July 28. There is a cover charge. At each event
you will hear about 45 entries sing their best. There are prizes at the
regional event. The winners get a bus ride to the national contest.
There is no air service to the national held in Laughlin, Nevada.
COMMENTS
Date/Time of Posting: Sep 12 2002 / 12:13:00
IP Address: 199.196.144.12
name = Susan Thomas
where = gaines@advant.com
replyemail = Talent Quest National Karaoke Contest, Laughlin, NV
comments = I won the contest at our local level and sent to Laughlin.
I think this whole thing is a farse and am planning on contacting
someone at the attorney general's office in NV. There was no
$10,000 prize. $1500 only for first place. People who helped
run the contest were contestents. Appeared that one of the judges
was Bill Keller's girlfriend. There was no car given away
supposidly due to low ticket sales. We have to write to Bill to
get our money back. I'm thoroughly disgusted. There's more.
Interested, contact me at [number blocked] or at my email address.
This thing smells!!!!
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