Criticism was also levied for many years regarding another aspect, with the segment having a "popularity contest" feel as the audience varied their applause to those who had died by the subject's cultural impact; the applause has since been muted during the telecast, and the audience is discouraged from clapping during the segment and giving silent reflection instead.
kɹˈɪɾɪsˌɪzəm wʌz ˈɔːlsoʊ lˈɛvid fɔːɹ mˈɛni jˈɪɹz ɹᵻɡˈɑːɹdɪŋ ɐnˈʌðɚɹ ˈæspɛkt, wɪððə sˈɛɡmənt hˌævɪŋ ˈeɪ "pˌɑːpjʊlˈæɹᵻɾi kˈɑːntɛst" fˈiːl æz ðɪ ˈɔːdiəns vˈɛɹid ðɛɹ ɐplˈɔːz tə ðoʊz hˌuː hæd dˈaɪd baɪ ðə sˈʌbdʒɛkts kˈʌltʃɚɹəl ˈɪmpækt; ðɪ ɐplˈɔːz hɐz sˈɪns bˌɪn mjˈuːɾᵻd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə tˈɛlᵻkˌæst, ænd ðɪ ˈɔːdiəns ɪz dɪskˈɜːɹɪdʒd fɹʌm klˈæpɪŋ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə sˈɛɡmənt ænd ɡˈɪvɪŋ sˈaɪlənt ɹᵻflˈɛkʃən ɪnstˈɛd.