Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: American Idol is evil
I’ve been waiting to say this ever since the show started: “American Idol” is all trash and anyone who has placed in that bloody contest is a hack of the highest order.
I feel a whole lot better. For years I’ve had to endure endless conversations as people went on and on about some third tier singer and how he/she was rated by Paula Abdul, a ninth tier singer. Slight detour: am I the only one to find it ironic that Abdul, Miss MC Skat Kat, is a JUDGE for a singing contest?! That’s like putting me on the committee that decides the Pulitzer Prize.
I’ve had to sit around adults, grown adults, getting into arguments about which singer was better and if the announcements of some mean SOB from Britain were fair. These same people could never discuss with detail the freaking Iraq War, but they could go on about how clothes choice ruined a run to the final moment. And people, if you don’t trust me about that show’s evil nature, I submit this: “American Idol” introduced to the world the dank phenomenon called ClayManiacs.
Call me a snob, a bitter old fat queen who doesn’t understand pop culture, or a hater of vibrant talent. Say what you will, but that show has destroyed the American song book and the professional life of the singer. More people in this beautiful, lovely, fat, and contented country know Ruben Studdard but know nothing about Cassandra Wilson or Abbey Lincoln.
Unfortunately though, no one cares what I think so the show gets an audience and people foam over the results. I hear one of the finalists is Adam Lambert and his sexuality is up for question. Why his bed mate(s) is any one’s business confounds, but that is neither here nor there. I know for gay solidarity I’m supposed to be all about Lambert winning, but couldn’t care less. Win or lose, I’ll be utterly dismissive because he will have the whiff of that show all over him.
My rant is done. Now I’m plugging into my iPod and listening to someone who probably would not win an “American Idol” contest (Simon would despise her tone) but stands above anyone on stage tonight or any other Idol champ: Ella Fitzgerald. Go crazy with the Idols if you must. I got the First Lady of Song.
Just one more example of the dumbing down of American culture. And it seems that they’re putting a bunch of the losers on that stupid new celebrity torture show.
Basically this whole thing is a combination of “rags to riches” stories with reality TV. Neither are real.
Since when has there been a show on TV called American Idol. I didn’t know that it even was there. And isn’t the bible against idolatry.
Lighten up a little. Yes, it’s all rather commercialized and silly and overdone, with many of the flaws you mention. But it’s fun, some of them sing quite well, and it’s nice to see unknown folks rise to stardom, however fleeting. To turn away from everything that’s cheesey/overcommercialized these days will make you miss out on a lot of real talent and good performing. There’s good fun to be had with AI. Relax. Let them do their dumb Ford commercials or whatever. No harm done if you don’t take it so seriously.
(By the way, they can’t get real singers to be judges, because real singers spend their careers singing, not judging. Nothing wrong with having Paula in my view.)
“Call me a snob, a bitter old fat queen who doesn’t understand pop culture, or a hater of vibrant talent……”
Glad we got that out of the way. I’m sure Ella would be the first to admit there’s room for more than one artist on the planet, regardless of where or by whom they were discovered. In fact, if that is the beginning and end of your musical experience or knowledge I’m sorry for you.
That you seem proud of that kind of ignorance, and arrogance, says quite a lot about you as a person. I’m sure Ms. Fitzgerald is proud to know what a mental giant she has as a fan.
Finally someone else who thinks like I do. Idol started when I was in HS, and I hated it then too. Can you imagine being on the outside of that sort of phenomenon? The pinnacle of my anti-idol sentiments is that I have yet to ever watch a single episode, or part of a single episode, ever… =P
You’re welcome, James.
Well, Zeke and Pinhead, I think a contributing editor posting an article should be held to a higher degree of care where grammar is concerned than someone posting a comment. Other than you two, I don’t have a copy editor reading over my comments before I post.
Steven,
Error corrected. Thanks.
James
Well,LA DI DA James Withers !
In Response to the Grammar Police from”STEVEN SAID:”,you are absolutely correct about could/couldn’t care less and regardless/irregardless.I’ve always been a stickler about that too.However,I don’t feel the need to publicly correct another person’s word usage to make myself appear smarter or more educated.Brush-up on your social skills,Steven.
Wow, bitter much?
You realize that you don’t HAVE to watch the show or engage in conversations about it right?
I don’t watch American Idol, or Dancing with the Stars, or a lot of other shows that don’t appeal to me but I don’t get my panties in a twist because some people do.
Listen to Ella, watch what you want, don’t watch what you don’t want to and mind your own business and EVERYONE will be happy.
As a gay person I would think that you would understand the importance of that.
Steven, even though you are correct, you should be really careful about double checking the grammar in your own comment before hitting the “Submit” button; especially when your comment is pointing out someone else’s mistake.
There is a difference between there, their and they’re.
THERE’s a bit of irony when the grammar police get THEIR own grammar wrong when THEY’RE trying to point out the mistakes of others.
Ms. Ella Fitzgerald. What else is there to say? That name says it all. Thanks, Withers.
The expression is “couldn’t care less” not “could care less.” That’s right up their with “irregardless.”
How refreshing to find someone who agrees with my sentiments 100%. Singing is about conveying the meaning of the lyrics AND having a pleasing voice. It should not be about vocal gymnastics, which is what it seems AI is all about. It seems to have started with Whitney Houston (who happens to have a wonderful voice) and Mariah Carey (who, in my opinion, does not). How often have I heard a popular song on the radio over the last 15 years and thought about its singer, OK, pick a note and sustain it for more than a fraction of a second, please.