Why Are We Still Intrigued With American Idol?
Read more articles on Movies, visual media and Let Me Share With You.January 18, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
January 18, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
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Here it is, season six, and still over 35 million viewers a night tuned in to the American Idol TV shows this week. How can we continue to be fascinated, when it invariably seems to follow a pattern?
There is always an array of really young performers who are outstanding, several hard luck stories, and unbelievably horrendous singing. Oh-I guess that’s why we watch…we wish to commiserate with the underdogs; we hope to see the next superstar at age 16, and we like to know that others sound even worse than we do. That’s why it’s in the number one spot here in this country-we can relate.
Has anyone noticed that these first two nights have spent way too much time on the poor singers? In almost every case, the judges let the audition go about a minute and a half too long, placing the entire nation in agony as we watch their grimaces, whispers and giggles. That bothers me. They know darn well that the singer isn’t going to Hollywood, but they just let the torture go on and on for good TV, and are often rude in the process. I would rather the time be spent on seeing some of the others who are going on to the next round, instead of hearing that or seeing life stories of certain singers who have been hand picked.
I feel bad when some of those auditioning get rejected, since it’s clear those folks have been deluded for a long time. For the most part, I think the judges do try to let them down easy-except for Simon, of course-but to be honest, I usually agree with him when it comes to the final decision. What I cannot fathom is how so many actually can think they are on the same level as a Carrie or Taylor or Fantasia. I mean, have they starred in every high school musical, performed in community productions, and sung in a band for most of their lives? (Well, a few have…) Only then would I have the nerve to think I’d have a chance at superstardom, but even then I’d know it was a long shot.
The people who are a bit older, say over 25, are the ones that are the most surprising. By then one should have a good sense of reality. You can almost expect teens to think the world revolves around them, but the folks who have quit their jobs to pursue a singing career when somebody, somewhere, has to have told them that they’re tone deaf are the ones who amaze me.
And have you noticed that every season, invariably, the ones with the biggest egos are the ones who lose out, either at the first audition or in the early stages of weekly competition? The ones who claim “The show will be better with me in it” make me want to throw a pillow at the TV. Are they serious? Obviously I’ve never met the past 5 seasons’ winners-and never will, I’m sure-but they don’t appear to have that ego. Even the runners-up have not. I guess the energy that would have been misplaced in that sense of self has been put to better use working on technique and artistry.
Class always shows. I admired the 17 year old who auditioned separately from his sister, and was told by Simon that they liked him more than her. When Ryan Seacrest asked him, “Who did they like more, you or her?”, he wisely and compassionately answered, “I’m not saying” as he walked off, hugging his sister. They both made it to the next round in Hollywood, and I hope we see more of him. That’s the kind of Idol we need.
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