Dear Simon Cowell: I want my mother back.
Like millions of Americans, my mom has somehow been brainwashed by the Fox juggernaut, American Idol.
She watches it every week. When dreamy-eyed Constantine Maroulis was on the show in Season 4, she voted every week as many times as she could, hitting redial until my dad made her stop.
That's what I don't get. I mean, this is a talent show. Just a talent show.
People never went this gaga over Star Search. And yet, even in its fifth season, American Idol remains a ratings titan.
There's no question that watching people sing can be entertaining, especially those first few episodes where they make fun of the worst singers. But generally I wasn't wowed by competitors, even some winners.Carrie Underwood is a robot (albeit, one that can sing) and Taylor Hicks is a lounge act. Fun to watch, perhaps, but mostly in the way community theater is interesting. Certainly not what you would expect of a pop culture phenomenon.
I saw Clay Aiken in concert at the Toledo Zoo (for a story), and there were times I felt I was back in high school watching friends sing "Greased Lightning." Except tickets to see Aiken started at $39.50.
And doesn't it get old, watching judges who are often vapid and predictable, whether it's Randy Jackson talking to his "dogs" or Paula Abdul being blindly supportive or Simon finding yet another way to say, "You stink"?
He's mean, I get it.
Can I watch Scrubs now?
- Ryan E. Smith
Search
advertisement
