|
Navigation |
|
|
|
Admitting to
a Secret “American Idol” Fascination
(By Stacy Jones, February 25, 2006) |
I
can’t hide it any longer. I watch “American Idol.”
There. I’ve said it. It’s out in the open.
For years now, I’ve scorned
reality television. I despise a show like “Fear Factor”
that exploits phobias just so gawking audiences can be grossed
out.
I have a friend who likes to watch
“Survivor,” the show that places a group of individuals
in a remote area and pits them against each other in competitions
with a million dollars at stake. One day when I went to his house
to visit, I discovered how devout he was about the show. He sat
quietly for a whole hour enthralled in the flickering glow of
"Survivor" TV.
I couldn’t believe this particular
friend, who was artistic and literary like me, would watch such
a show. To me, “Survivor” amounted to nothing more
than a petty, melodramatic, narcissistic hour of nothingness.
It is the equivalent of a soap opera, with the exception that
the inhabitants, who usually live on an island, sport fewer items
of clothing. Everything else—the bickering, the alliances,
and the greed—is the same.
These shows certainly run the gamut.
They range from deserted survivors all the way to people who
marry midgets or beautiful women who date so-called “average”
men, or, worst of the lot, a show called “Who’s Your
Daddy?” Adoption rights advocates were outraged at this
show, which involved a female contestant trying to select the
biological father of her child from amongst eight men. Seven
of the eight were imposters, each trying to convince the mother
he was the real father of her child.
Some of the afternoon court television
shows are filled with similar antics. My husband despises these
shows, especially “Divorce Court.” Occasionally, as
I sit flipping channels, trying to find something substantial
to watch, Mike harangues me when he catches me lingering over
such shows for more than a few seconds.
“Who would want to go on national
television and parade their private lives in front of everyone
like that?” he asks.
“Not me,” I say. But
sometimes I have to witness Judge Mablean Ephraim in action just
for a moment before I switch to another channel, simply so I
can see her do what she does best: rail against some poor husband
who views his wife as his inferior and expects her to jump at
his every whim. But after a minute or two, I get bored and move
on.
The ethics of other shows, such
as Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” might be said
to be a bit nobler. In this show candidates complete tasks, and
Trump’s job is to select the best man or woman to become
his apprentice. I’m sorry, but I cannot stomach an hour’s
worth of the Donald’s disheveled excuse for hair in “The
Apprentice.” He looks as though he's wearing a mop on his
head.
Others shows, such as “Skating
with Celebrities,” which follows “American Idol”
in the next time slot, just seem pointless to me. Todd Bridges
who played “Willis” on “Different Strokes”
skating with some former Olympic medallist? I fail to see the
importance.
Yet, a show such as “American
Idol,” even with its faults, is interesting in concept.
When I first heard of “American
Idol” a few years ago, I was at my mother’s house,
and the television set was fixed on Oprah, who was interviewing
some of the finalists. I thought, “How silly. A televised
singing contest.” I had visions of karaoke: talentless individuals
who harbored the illusion they could carry a tune as they sang
their hearts out on stage in front of millions of people.
For some reason, during the last
season of “American Idol,” I tuned in. The first few
shows, the multi-city audition segments, are pretty much what
I had imagined. Some of these poor folk are either grasping at
nothing to get on television or, worse, hold the illusion of
greatness.
But then it gets better. Once the
talentless are weeded out, some of the real talent shines. These
young people, who range in age from 16 to 28, have a real chance
of getting on the radar and making a name for themselves in the
recording industry. Most of them might never have had a chance
to do so without such a competition. This is what makes it so
interesting to me: the opportunity embodies the classic notion
of the American Dream.
Yes, unfortunately, some of the
hallmarks of reality television do abound. The edits showcase
drama between the contestants, particularly during the early
rounds of the competition when group work is involved. The show
likes to heighten conflict between the three celebrity judges,
especially any drama involving crusty Brit Simon Cowell.
And, yes, much of the music has
bland pop appeal. Alabamian rocker Bo Bice, the runner up last
season, was a notable exception. And this season, two more exceptions
come to mind: 17-year-old Paris Bennett of Georgia, who has been
compared to jazz great Ella Fitzgerald, and 29-year-old Taylor
Hicks of Alabama, who exhibits Joe Cocker-like stage moves and
a soulfulness critics have compared to the likes of Ray Charles.
But, overall, the show does has
the potential to make the dream of at least one young songster—if
not more—come true. Think back to Clay Aiken, the awkward
young man from North Carolina who was the first runner up during
the second season year before last. Without “American Idol,”
Aiken likely wouldn’t be touring and crooning for millions
today. You have to admire that.
For this reason, I’ve watched
“American Idol” this season. I look forward to seeing
who will win. And even my husband, who, as I noted, isn’t
at all a fan of reality television, has come around a bit. He
doesn’t watch the show except when he catches a glimpse
passing through the living room, but he’ll talk with me
about it. I think I’ve convinced him that whatever happens,
if we get the chance, we should go see Taylor Hicks, a Birmingham
native, in concert.
And, if nothing else, it sure beats
the heck out of “Skating with Celebrities.”
(Stacy Jones, a Southerner,
is a Master of Fine Arts student in fiction writing at The University
of Memphis. She is a native of Guys, Tenn., and her columns,
which appear on Saturdays, are archived at Southern-Drawl.com.) |
|
|
