Reality Rocks

‘The Voice’ Pays Touching Tribute To Newtown Shooting Victims

By | Reality Rocks – Mon, Dec 17, 2012 8:42 PM EST

Following NBC's classy move to eschew "Saturday Night Live's" usual comedic opening skit, and instead have a children's choir dedicate "Silent Night" to the victims of last Friday's Sandy Hook school shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, this Monday the network opened "The Voice" in a similar but even more moving way.

Instead of "The Voice's" top three show kicking off with a wild number featuring Christina Aguilera in a bustier and hotpants or Cee Lo Green in a bushy Afro wig, on Monday this season's contestants--along with the four coaches, host Carson Daly, and social media correspondent Christina Milian--stood on a candlelit stage singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," while holding individual cards printed with the names (and, even more heartbreakingly, the ages) of each of the horrific shooting's victims.

It was probably the best version of "Hallelujah" that I'd ever seen on any singing competition (and I've seen a lot of them). This was an unusually dark and somber moment for a talent show's splashy finale week, for sure--but an entirely appropriate one.

Thank you, "The Voice."

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