Why Did Sam Harris Fail So Miserably

Sissy.

Noted homosexual

Because he was an on-site basic Queen to anyone with eyes. His clothes and hairstyle look like they were from flashy boutiques at the local gay strip. The music seemed like it was made for club DJs with mustaches, and the videos seemed designed to be played in popular gay bars. He wasn’t just GAY, he was boring, basic gay. Sure, he could sing. But…

He did fine.

He was actually quite successful in his own way.

I love Scham

I’ve never heard of him before but watching his entrance twirling into the nightclub in the music video, I can see how he may have been too gay to be mainstream.

If Liza sang with him, that should earn him a free pass from the queens.

And he seems too Broadway trying to be edgy.

He ushered in the era of singers being judged by how loudly they can sing.

Any lack of success is pure and simple karma for his crimes

I love that Sam Harris was serving a song about lesbian cunnilingus to the middle American masses. "Going Down Makes Me Shiver" was written by Nona Hendryx and recorded by the group Labelle. Sam is basically imitating and emulating Patti Labelle.

Sang, Gurl!!!!

All I remember about him is his ridiculous version of Patti LaBelle's version of "Over the Rainbow." It had enough freak appeal to wow judges on Star Search, but the real world audience for that kind of thing is fringe at best.

Because she was an obvious queen who, because he rose to fame as middle America's darling on "Star Search", couldn't lean into his queeniness, unlike, say, Sylvester or Boy George. He was stuck trying pass his flaming ass off as straight, as in the above-linked video. You can see how well he pulled that off.

Also because he made the brilliant move of signing to a dying label for black artists, Motown.

Also because his debut single was unlistenable garbage, which he sung poorly, and which barely squeaked into the top 40. Nobody needed or wanted to hear anything from him after he unleashed that piece of shit onto the public.

Also because in the early/mid 80's, a syndicated TV show such as "Star Search", as popular as it was (and give Sam Harris credit for a lot of that initial popularity, his appearances were very exciting to watch) was still seen as a bit 2nd-rate. It was still a "3 Major Networks" world, and anything else on TV automatically had a bit of a low-rent stink on it.

I didn’t see the “Sam” part of your post and yet it still made sense.

He was in Grease on Bway. He could have had a brighter Bway career but it didn’t go anywhere

He did have the hit: Sugar don’t bite

He could have won American Idol . Great voice

[quote] He was in Grease on Bway

Did he play Sandy, Frenchie, Rizzo or Principal McGee?

Sam talking about the Minnelli/Gest nuptials.

I think the unlistenable garbage is just a tweak or two away from being Madonna’s number one hit Papa Don’t Preach.

But you listened to the whole thing, didn’t you now?

The question should be "Who is Sam Harris?" instead.

Who?

He was also a Tony nominee for "The Life."

His book Ham: Slices of Life was published several years back. It was an enjoyable, witty collection of stories.

Publisched by Schimon and Schushtersh.

maybe it was the atheism

Yeah, pretty obvious queen.

[quote]which he sung poorly

Oh, dear.

I have an autographed CD cover of his. I can't be bothered to dig it out and find out which one.

As to why he failed, I leave you with "Sugar Don't Bite."

I've seen him live three times in smaller venues. He puts on one hell of a show. Tastes differ, but he is a sensational showman and sings a wide variety of songs in different genres, and does them all wonderfully.

Can't wait to see him again. I think he's tremendous.

Because Motown had him recording material that was off brand for him. It was vaguely new-wavish/R&B-ish pop instead of R&B and big showy ballads.

It's funny looking back. As a HS kid I could not get enough of Sam Harris' uvulating. Never missed an episode of Star Search when he was on. Saw him live on tour where my friend and I slipped into his limo after the show and managed to say "Hi" before getting run off by security. Most of my theater friends and I eagerly anticipated and bought his album. I recall most of us were kind of disappointed in the material. It wasn't in line with the type of material he presented on Star Search week after week. Nonetheless, a group of us did an interpretive pantomime to "I Will Not Wait for You" in Theatre Arts. JFC.

I was prepared to be impressed that a Broadway singing star found the time to become a neuroscientist and the guts to be open about atheism. Then I realized it wasn’t the same person. You fooled me r26.

Sam in " Grease."

Always liked him, the voice and the persona. He was way too gay for his time though. It’s a shame, he had talent.

The “other” Sam Harris is also the son of Susan Harris, creator, writer producer of Soap and Golden Girls.

Saw him get naked in "Hair." Unfortunately, Marissa Jaret Winokur also got naked, and I've been blind ever since.

Sam in jail for buggery.

No actually Sam in Joseph and the Technicolor Crapcoat

Short gay Jewish guy who sang like a black woman

Also a bit of a prick at the beginning. (Got nicer)

[quote]Did he play Sandy, Frenchie, Rizzo or Principal McGee?

Well he wasn't butch enough to play Rizzo

r13

No poster, don't hold back, please tell us what you really think?

I don't see Harris as anymore "queeny" than George Michael in the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" video. Seriously did anyone watch that and then say 'Of course he's straight.'

I thought he was cute as a button,but his wailing got on my nerves very quickly. That being said,I have thought of him over the years .He was one of the first really blazing queens (though in the closet everyone knew) that I remember seeing on network tv. Liberace doesnt count.

R37 I saw him in that production. I also saw him at The Rainbow Room.

Jeremy Jordan (Smash, Newsies) was obviously influenced by Sam

He was an early VLOGGER from way back. It really was a new thing back then.

r38 Where did you get the idea he was Jewish? He's from OKLAHOMA, for God's sake.

He never learned how to roll with the punches and in this business they come left right and below the belt.

Because he sings with a HELIUM Voice!

Great jawline

Wow, very over-the-top. Great voice obviously but that song makes my ear bleed. And people complain about Patti, Whitney, Christina and Mariah being overwrought.

[quote] Because Motown had him recording material that was off brand for him. It was vaguely new-wavish/R&B-ish pop instead of R&B and big showy ballads.

Motown was a shadow of itself in the 1980s. They severely mishandled Teena Marie's career and also the career of Vanity.

[quote]Because he sings with a HELIUM Voice

Hey what's up with that?

Madonna probably did listen to this and used the melody for Papa Don't Preach. It sounds suspiciously similar. It's not like Madge ever had artistic integrity. Or maybe Brian Eliot composed them both? So many 80s and 90s pop songs sound identical that I'm surprised there weren't more plagiarism lawsuits.

[quote] He could sing

Like Ethel Merman, perhaps.

She's tremendous!

Great voice, but his personality was probably too queeny for that time to ever have any major mainstream success. The even sadder part is that he'd probably not be queeny or weird enough to make it these days.

His voice is good. The issue is the songs he was given on his solo career. Just terrible 80s shlock. He probably would have fared better in the 90s, doing those lite FM and adult contemporary ballads that Celine and Michael Bolton were doing.

He was the Billy Porter of his time. In fact, they were both in that 90's revival of Grease together. They both seem like bossy bottoms so I doubt they hooked up.

He played another queen-who-is-actually-straight in the short-lived CBS sitcom, "The Class", which starred John Bernthal, Jason Ritter, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. 2006/2007.

Maybe if he’d dolled up in outrageous gender-bending fashions and wore make-up he might have fared better as an obvious gay in the public’s eyes, a la Boy George, Pete Burns, Marilyn, etc. But that didn’t always work for every pop star.

Releasing pop music in the mid-80s also put him in competition for radio-video play against at their prime Michael Jackson, Madonna, etc.

I was also wondering why Sam Harris wasn't a bigger star after his winning steak on "Star Search." But after seeing the OP's video (I had never seen it before), it was pretty obvious why. There was no WAY MTV was going to play that. It was way too gay. Even though he's supposed to be coming on to some leggy woman at the bar, it's apparent from space that Harris is gay, gay, gay! Not that there's anything wrong with that. If he wanted Top 40 stardom, he needed to dial the queeniness way down.

If he had been around today he would have come out as nonbinary to stay relevant.

Since this thread has been bumped...

I happened to think about his rendition of 'I Can't Make You Love Me'., because of the many negative comments about him.

It's beautiful, for people that haven't already made up their minds about him. His live performance of this song is spectacular.

But then again, I like him.

Try it out.

R61 here. I actually like Sam Harris very much. I have several of his albums. I was just surprised at how queeny his video was. I bought his first album when it came out and always wondered why "Sugar Don't Bite" didn't catch on. Now I know. The video ruined any chances of that. It's too bad because there are several other really good songs on the album.

R64

If you haven't yet heard it, try 'Standard Time/Different Stages".

Spotify has it, but the CD is rare and when you can find it is upwards of $100.

He’s just not a very good singer. Rather plain looking.

When he opened his mouth, purses fell out. You could see it from space!

With that haircut, clothes, and face he really looks like an 80’s lesbian.

I think the bigger question would be "Why did someone bump this thread?"

Sam, was it you?

R65, thanks for the tip. Oddly enough, I did find an excellent copy of that double CD on Ebay recently. And thankfully, I got it at a much better price.

And no, Sam didn't bump this thread. I did. Why would he have bumped it anyway? Many of the responses are really negative.

I've seen him in Joseph, and at several cabaret-style places. He's wonderful singing standards.

Carole Cook introduced us at a STAGE benefit. He's nice enough, and apparently makes a decent living. Not everyone can be a superstar, or even wants to be.

He and his song choices were of a different era even then. It's not really fair considering his vocal chops, but people just don't like that park and bark style of Broadway singing anymore. He should have done more Broadway work, but I'm not sure if he's a good enough actor and he might be hard to cast.

He was very good in a supporting role in the Broadway cast of "The Life'. I think he also took over for a supporting role in "The Producers". I would have loved to have seen him, especially since he and the cast were nude for apparently a whole number and in pretty good lighting in "Hair" years ago. Marissa wasn't even a name back then, so I'm sure there were plenty of others to focus on, like Steven Webber and Sam.

He made an appearance on Star Search four years after he won it. He seems defeated in this clip.

Was he the first singer to do the "Star Search Finish?" That is holding the last night for like an hour and singing it really loud.

He may have been the first, R75. I just remember it was usually (if not always) the Patti Labelle version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." He stretched out the word "can't" for about a minute.

Still probably not as bad as Mandy Patinkin's effort at "Over the Rainbow". I can't even bring myself to find a link, as I feel like sparing you the agony.

Looked and sounded like some musical theatre hick from an I-state.

The legendary Sam Harris returns to his favorite New York intimate hub with a brand new show, featuring his definitive interpretations of pop, theatre, and standards, accompanied by his long-time musical director, Todd Schroeder. It’s an evening of celebration and reflection, filled with Harris’s singular comedic observations and soul-bearing introspection.

Why the tats, Sam? On one arm, maybe ok. Overkill, like some of his singing, I guess.

I fucked his Boston ex- boyfriend Marcus, who was twice as hot.

I fucked him good all summer in Beacon Hill!

Joan Rivers LOVED him.

He kind of reminds me of Rex Smith in that I kind of had heard of him but didn't really get familiar with his work. Like you might see him on an Entertainment Tonight profile piece and which put his name on your radar, but then you never really heard much about him again.

[quote]I was also wondering why Sam Harris wasn't a bigger star after his winning steak on "Star Search." But after seeing the OP's video (I had never seen it before), it was pretty obvious why. There was no WAY MTV was going to play that. It was way too gay

As opposed to Boy George or "Dead Or Alive" eh?

I think he lacked the mysterious cool factor of the British gay acts.

For some reason I thought he was dead. I guess I had him confused with his career.

Too gay acting for the time. He’d probably be able to find a niche today.

He's on tour with 'Openly Gray'. Check out his website for locations and tickets.

I've got mine. Can't wait to see him again!

He's spectacular live. You won't regret it.

(No, I'm not Sam Harris. Just a fan.)

He's a Sandite!! The pride and joy of Sand Springs, Oklahoma!

Star Search was syndicated and hardly the rating champ of say, American Idol. They vastly overestimated his popularity.

He looks pretty good with the gray hair.

tacky and kaweeeenie looking and no talent.

"As opposed to Boy George or "Dead Or Alive" eh?"

That's exactly the point. MTV played Culture Club videos when they were silly, sexless and nonconfrontational. MTV loved Culture Club until "The War Song," in which George had a more feminine look and the video was (vaguely) political. It was an ugly video, too, which didn't help.

Dead or Alive's two videos that were played in high rotation on MTV, "You Spin Me Round" and "Brand New Lover" suggested gayness but never went over the edge of campy queerness. Sam Harris was queeny, over-the-top theater camp gay from the get-go. You can see it in the "Sugar Don't Bite" video. There was no way that was going into high rotation. Likewise the video "Premonition" by Jack Wagner from the same time period, in which he was writhing on the floor like Madonna at her VMA performance. I have no idea if Jack is gay, but that was one gay, gay, gay video. MTV no likey gay videos.

He looks better now than he did 40 years ago.

I always cringe whenever I hear eldergays imitating black singers like Patti LaBelle. When Freddie Mercury would mimic an Aretha Franklin run at least he made it his own. Sam always sounded like an over the top drag performer. I agree with another poster who said he would’ve fared better in the 90s doing adult contemporary Diane Warren ballads.

Wasn’t Jermaine Stewart’s We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off played in heavy rotation on MTV around the same time as Sugar Don’t Bite?

No, R95. That was from 1986. The video may have been a bit queeny, but it suggested that Jermaine was singing to a girl and that makes all the difference. Plus, the song was getting huge radio play in the summer of 1986, even before it was played on MTV.

Ugly hillbilly looking fucker. Terrible voice. Couldn't sing.

handsome and pretty, even more so with the grey hair.. give him a body and he would be smoking (minus the negatives he has going on)....

My theory as to why MTV played Jermaine and not Sam was because "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" was a good pop song while "Sugar Don't Bite" was a laughably bad, cheesy, and cringe-worthy trifle and the video for it was even worse. Someone at MTV with good taste simply said hell no, we ain't playin' that and I can't say I blamed them.

That said, I do think Sam Harris is very cute, has a good voice, and deserved success about as much as anyone else out there. I'm glad to see he's still around, maintaining his career, and still has fans. Good for him.

Because winning Star Search was no big thang.

I was a big fan while he was on Star Search. I think that clip in R74 speaks volumes. Sam's career was not going well and the song he chose to sing reflects that. He was lost.

Later, he needed to get sober and he did. He has a channel on Youtube. There are some great scenes there, and his rehearsals with he pianist Todd are very funny. I'm still a fan.

I just love Sam Harris. I have most of his albums and think they're thoroughly enjoyable. I do think the earlier poster who said he should have gone the Diane Warren route was absolutely right. I think he could really have made a pop music career for himself if he had. That said, I think he has done very well for himself. He certainly didn't "fail miserably" at all. He had a hit album, continues to record, has a solid fan base, has appeared on Broadway and received a Drama Desk Award and some impressive theater nominations including a Tony nomination. I think he is very successful. I was surprised to learn that he was a co-creator of the first TBS scripted sitcom "Down to Earth." I wonder if he made much money from that? It ran for several years and more than 100 episodes. That show debuted on TBS in the spring of 1984, so it must have been in the works before he even started on Star Search. Anyway, he always seemed very sweet, was very cute (and is now quite handsome as an older man), and had a striking voice. I would love it if his current concert tour brings him down to the south Florida (Palm Beach) area. I would happily go to his show!

Fun fact: the other Sam Harris is the son of Susan Harris - yes that one.

Sam won Star Search singing show tunes and ballads. To come out with Sugar Don't Bite, an eighties pop song that should have gone to Sheena Easton was just the wrong package.

His voice is unpleasant.

I thought that he was dead! What a relief.

R106 = Sam Harris' agent

Tacky gay hick with a retro International Male catalogue client look and a squeaky voice.

Sugar Don't Bite would haven't done much for Sheena either.

[Quote] They severely mishandled Teena Marie's career and also the career of Vanity.

Not to mention the career of Charlene!