America's Got Talent... and NBC's Got You By The Balls

[Jim]

This .pdf was sent in by le pire...
http://www.performers.net/junk/agreement.pdf (It's 7megs)

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I'm not an attorney; so I can't exactly translate all of the legalese, but from a cursory glance at this 45 PAGE CONTRACT which the contestants on "America's Got Talent" must sign, I'm pretty certain this sums up what's wrong with America.

Holy F-ing Hell.

[Mr. Pitts]

I didn't read the entire thing, but it seems to be the standard contract used by the Devil in such matters. Check out the 'Forfeiture of Contestant's Soul' section that delineates the terms of your ultimate doom whether or not you win any prizes in this world. ..

Did you see the part in the contract where they get all the rights to promotional materials that you supply to the show? I didn't see anywhere that those rights revert to the artist at any time.. basically they hold all the cards and can do with us whatever they want if we sign this.

Actually, before I ever saw this horror of a contract, I had a bad feeling about this show. I don't think it's really going to be a good thing for most variety artists. I believe it will promote the most homogenous mainstream acts (heavily favoring musicians, maybe stand-ups, maaaybe, and this is a stretch, magicians) I believe the show will be cruel to most types of variety artists.. jugglers, clowns, ventriloquists. I'm not sure I see the potential benefit to participating in this (if you're not a hip-hop act). I hope I'm proved wrong, and I will be watching the show. Good luck to any of you brave enough to try this most dangerous pitch.

[martin ewen]

Even if you win you lose.

You wittingly forgo your ability to sue for anything that may be construed as what is legally termed your 'moral rights'
They reserve and (by you signing) own any material they might record, by hidden camera or other means that might, by your, or anyones elses definition be humiliating, embarrassing, distorted or misrepresented. They reserve the right to fictionalise your history.
If you misrepresent yourself (I'm not sure where legally the boundries lie with that) you agree that they have the right to recompense in the vicinity of 5 million and you furthermore agree that this could include forfiture of your property and assets.
(That would be an easy blunt object once the contract was signed)
You will refrain from privately using words like 'Clusterfuck' 'walking anus' 'bridge saleman' 'Reptilian stem pimp' when relating your experiences persuant to this contract.
Neither may you ever refer to NBC as an insidious tool of mass lobotomisation in addition to the sale of drugs and toothpaste.
Neither may you make any comparison between this television series and the medieval practice of locking people in public stocks to be abused by villagefolk.
Neither may you make any connection between this series and the marathon dance competions held during the depression, nor may you make reference to this series being simply a digitized psycological marathon where the audience gets to see a disproportunate number of people faltering, humiliated and failing, while deluding themselves that they are watching someone succeed.
In conclusion recognition is made by the signing of this contract, that you are nothing but a mirror image of your audiences thwarted dreams with lives stolen by circumstance and in order for them to feel sufficiently comfortable to purchase said toothpase and drugs you will be made to suffer accordingly.
We thank you for your selfless recognition that you are worth only what people more qualified in reality, as it is sold, than you, judge your worth to be.
We would certainly pity you if we didn't loath your single minded optimism.
Which we will publically shatter, with your signed permission.

[Frisbee]

Ownership rights on page six is an interesting one..
.it does seem like work of the devil when they mention they own the rights thru the entire universe...

[worldwidese]

Wannabe Quagmire

This abomination is for amateurs only. None of us should give it a second thought to enter. No pay, no play.
But it will be interesting to watch!

[pablo]

Thanks but no thanks.

I was scheduled to audition in Chicago in April. Then they e-mailed me this long contract that they expected me to sign which pretty much gave them ownership of my show, my life & my soul.

I decided not to show up for the audition.

Fame is a fickle mistress.

[scot]

martin;
now that's a contract I'll sign.

[Jim]

I was watching Last Comic Standing last night and saw the commercials for America's Got Talent. They're using footage of The Passing Zone, Jason Garfield and an unidentified person on a rola bola juggling machetes. (Then a bunch of singers and dog acts.)

Does anyone know anyone who's actually doing the show?

[Frisbee]

Do you think that Passing Zone and Jason Garfield agreed to have their footage used and if so, did they also have to give up the rights to that video footage?
or were they maybe paid to allow it for commercial promotional.

[Hunter]

They would have had to agree to the footage use, but as to whether they would get paid / legally screwed out of their souls or not is completely up to the negotiations.

If they have a good representation, usually a decent agent and an entertainment lawyer, then NBC might not even bother insulting you with that abortion of a contract. If you've got an act that's unique enough that they'll play ball, then you can probably work up a mutually beneficial agreement. If you juggle on a rolo bolo and there's 20 guys behind you doing the same, you don't have a leg to stand on in negotiations.

Some of my friends recently finised a low budget feature and were able to sell it to Troma - the first contract offered was a mess, but the film was hillarious and hit the market so they were able to negociate much better terms. It all boils down to the fact that you need cards to be able to play.