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Here's what I think about American Idol. I've never seen a single episode in its 375 year history. I'm sure it's a decent show for the Jerry Springer set, which seems, according the A.C. Nielson ratings, to comprise the gargantuan majority of AI's viewership. Americans seem to desire watching fisticuffs between women from rivaling trailer park communities as much as they do watching a Brit on an American work visa crush the spirits of potential vocal performers, even though most of them - at least in the early stages of the competition - probably deserve the lambasting.

I love arts, and I love entertainment, but what I've come to loathe is very rich people, who've been blessed with being financially successful in their artistic endeavors, who have about three sixty nights per year to congratulate each other, and, maybe, develop an opportunity to earn even more cash. Louise Fletcher, the nurse from "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Next" is a notable exception among those whose careers fizzled after winning a major award. But we're talking about American Idol.

I don't have to watch it to know why it's so popular. Like the Jerry Springer Show, it caters to the lowest denomination of American intellect. The individuals who are members of that denomination really comprise the majority of Americans. How do you think that George W. Bush won a second term in office? He catered to that same demographic. He knew that the Springer set cared more about espousing their collective homophobia, than acknowledging that it existed, perhaps in their own midst.

Bottom line? Who of true importance really cares what happens on American Idol? How do the results really matter? It's an insipid, stupid show that gets so much attention because it gets ratings - much like a pit bull fight to the death show would, if it were legal to broadcast such a show. Thank God it's not. I wish it were the same way for American Idol, even though I've never seen the show. I don't have to see the show. I don't think that any intelligent person does have to see the show. It just doesn't matter.

Learn more about this author, Edward Neville.
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