No, I am not tired of American Idol. I admit that this is only the second season I have regularly watched it but it is one of the few weekly shows I look forward to seeing. This year they made changes from last year by adding a new judge, putting the contestants up in a fancy mansion and other small changes in the rules. The real reason I enjoy American Idol is that of this type of "reality" show there is true talent, practiced skill and knowledge gained about performance that for someone like myself, who will never be up in front of an audience singing my heart out, find refreshing. I enjoy hearing about the challenges a performer must consider to be successful and I admire the tenacity of the singers who doggedly keeps trying week after week even when the judges openly and sometimes unanimously criticize their performance.
What I am tired of and never watch are those reality shows with pseudo created danger like Survivor or weight loss challenges, as if these people couldn't possibly loose weight unless all of America watched and there was money to be made for improving their own health. I fail to understand the fascination people have watching someone swallow gross items like crickets or crawl into an enclosed container and be covered in snakes in order to win money? What is it that draws audiences to watch a contestant have a panic attack due to her fear of heights as she clings to a post when told she must swing out on a trapeze elevated high above the ground?
If you watch American Idol with your children you will not tire of watching a show that repeatedly demonstrates life lessons we all want our kids to learn? Lessons about the need to practice something over and over even if it is an activity you are good at, taking risks by putting yourself out there to do something you believe in and the ability to listen to criticism, even when it is hard for you to hear can all be learned from watching American Idol.
I can watch Idol without fear that inappropriate sexual innuendo will constantly pop out of the mouths of the regular cast even though it is a show full of young people in their 20's. I have a teenage son and last season we watched each episode as a family, one of the few shows we all enjoyed watching together. We marveled as David Cook creatively transformed the Michael Jackson song "Billie Jean" and were spell bound listening to David Archuleta sing "Imagine" in his sweet clear voice of reason while the war in Iraq roared on.
I don't tire of watching people living their dream and deepest desire, reaching for the slim chance of making it in an industry that is overrun with talent. Even those who don't win can rise to stardom like Daughtry or Bo Bice. I admire those who push on despite health issues as shown the other night when Megan sang her country song mostly unpracticed because she had been in and out of the hospital all week with the flu. Or Scott McIntyre, a current contestant who is legally blind so sings most of his songs accompanied by a grand piano to give him a sense of grounding to a stage and an audience he can barely see.
Much like reading and rating Helium articles, it is interesting to hear the difference of perception the four judges have tempered by their own personality and experience. Simon is always the voice of the bottom line focused on what it takes to be successful in this cut throat industry. He often points out right away when a singer's performance or style is forgettable, unimpressive or just too karaoke. Paula is sweet and supportive; encouraging the singers to sing from their heart and get in touch with that inner artist. Randy is a musician himself and I tend to imagine him responding as if he were a member of the band supporting the singer and expressing how he felt the session went. Kara is the newcomer and is feisty, a bit less gentle than Paula but as a song writer brings her experience of what is required to work a song from beginning to end.
Without Idol, these young performers would just float along in the sea of other talented wanna-bees. The rest of us without such talent to reach our dreams must be satisfied buying lottery tickets which don't take any special skill other than having a spare buck. We don't put ourselves out for others to judge, spend years practicing a talent that requires a specific skill and we virtually do little to try and capture our far reaching goals other than reaching into our pocket. I don't hear people complaining that they are tired of listening to the lottery's mega million dollar rhetoric taking advantage of the American public's attention and money; hoping it would be over after the current jackpot is won.