It’s true; Ema and I are hooked, once again, on the contrived, insipid, and utterly-enjoyable drivel that is American Idol. This time around, Ema and I agree that the girls have got what it takes. As of last Wednesday, five divas, some still in their teens, dominated the competition, and swept the panel off of their feet - which for Paula usually isn’t all that difficult. Jordin Sparks, Melinda Doolittle, Lakisha Jones, Stephanie Edwards, and Gina Glocksen were our top picks for this past Wednesday’s show. As for the dudes, the only two who really worked for us were jokester, Chris Sligh, and beat-boxer, Blake Lewis – both of whom soared in vocal quality and performance above the rest. As for the panel of judges this season, we haven’t had nearly as many opportunities to crack wise about Paula’s inebriated antics, which started me thinking: was she ever truly intoxicated. . .medicated? Do the memories of previous seasons deceive me? Do we really care? Ema and I do find ourselves siding more and more with Simon’s opinions of the performers. The character of Simon, and that’s really what it is, has truly mastered the abuse and rudeness for which he has become infamous. It’s often uncomfortable to watch, sometimes a bit affected, but always potently-addictive. Randy – well, Randy is the most predictable of the three, and I mean that in a good way. Every successful character group needs a good straight man, and Randy pulls it off with confident dignity.
So that’s where we are left for this week. I may never write about American Idol again, but for some reason felt compelled to get this out of my system. It’s cathartic, you know, to admit to liking something that deep down you admit is silly. And American Idol is as silly and as meaningless as a TV show built around manufactured reality can possibly be. But there’s also the sub-plot, the part of the show which often gets upstaged by the fabricated drama and cacophony. I’m talking here folks about the hopes and dreams of the contestants. So to them I say Kudos to all of you, and best of luck for your bright futures.
