Thousands of people think they can be rock stars. American Idol gives them a chance to find out.
I like how news shows are devoting serious time to the question of whether American Idol is “too mean” this year.
No, it’s not too mean this year. Nor was it too mean last year — the last time you asked this question.
If anything, American Idol isn’t mean enough.
In the opening week of its sixth season, Idol rejected two weird-looking kids with no singing talent. One was Jonathan Jayne, who’s fat and autistic. The other was Kenneth Briggs, who Simon Cowell said looked like a “bush baby.” The media are all up in arms about this now. Every show from Today to Scarborough Country wants you to feel bad for how these two poor souls were treated.
It’s true Briggs and Jayne are human beings. And it’s true human beings deserve to be treated humanely. But there’s a time and a place to treat humans like humans, and that time and place is called everyday life.
American Idol is a show. More importantly, it’s a filter. Thousands of people stupidly think they can be rock stars. This show gives them a chance to find out.
What would you say if you saw two weird-looking kids with bad voices singing on TV one day? If it wasn’t on Idol, you would never see them. These kinds of people don’t get on TV.
This isn’t because their lives have no meaning. It’s because they can’t sing, and they aren’t nice to look at. They don’t belong on television, and they don’t belong in record stores.
You may think this is shallow, and you would be right. But you would also be missing the point of the entertainment industry. Pop music doesn’t exist to fulfill some deep human artistic need. It exists to make money by entertaining people. People are entertained by good singing. They are also entertained by people who look good.
No one wants to see ugly people who can’t sing on TV. TV’s an escape, and there are enough ugly people who can’t sing in our everyday lives.
If you’re ugly and can’t sing, and you want to be famous, you’ll have to be famous for something other than singing. If you insist on singing anyway, your only chance is American Idol. If you don’t want to be judged by the entertainment industry’s standards, don’t subject yourself to the entertainment industry’s judgment.
At least they’re giving you a chance.
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Read more articles by Jonathan David Morris
I really don't know who deserves more scorn, the talentless hacks that try to win the hearts of America by making jackasses out of themselves on national television, or the brainless throngs of morons who are perpetually entertained by some jerk with a British accent regurgitating the same denigrating insults at them for six consecutive years. They could just as easily play the first episode from the first season week after week after week. Nobody would know the difference.
And in a bit of irony, how is it that American Idol has been able to stay on the air for 6 seasons if Americans don't want to see fat, ugly, stupid, talentless people sing pop songs? :)
Comment by Patrick Mulligan | January 25, 2007
There is an arrogance is today's youth. "Attitude" is valued, self-promotion is expected, and a loud, aggressive presentation is considered a manifestation of confidence.
Talent, real talent, is low on the list.
Is there any wonder that the MTV generation comes on "Idol" full of themselves and are shocked that Simon glibly chops them down to size? No one in their lives is willing to tell them the truth. We don't want to hurt their fragile self-esteem. Telling someone about their flaws is not allowed. These kids are products of the public school system and 60s flower child parents. Why should we be surprised?
Maybe there is a sort of sick "entertainment value" to Simon's put downs, but I think there is a less obvious value in what he says. There is a real world out there where no one cares about your "attitude." And the music business is as cutthroat as it gets. Simon is doing these people a favor by telling it like it is. More young people need to hear the truth about themselves.
Hooray for Simon Cowell!
Comment by Mountain Man | January 25, 2007
Oh don't get me wrong, I don't have any problem with some jerk with a British accent denigrating people on national TV. Anybody that goes on there deserves everything they get and more. I just don't understand how seeing talentless hacks receive the same 5 insults can still be fresh to the viewers after 6 years.
Comment by Patrick Mulligan | January 25, 2007
Whining about the process which results in the blossoming of such incredibly talented singers, is a mirror of ones own abundance of self-esteem.
Few people thrive under the intense competition IDOL provides—and remember, it is quite diverse including solo's, duets, and ensembles with and without backup.
Cowell's personal comments are only a glimpse into the back-biting world of celebrity gossip; better to endure it here than in a fan mag.
The show has gotten a bit cliched, and I'm glad there are new faces in the judges box.
Everyone in American can be a star; but you have to climb a dangerous ladder to get there!
Comment by fjh | January 28, 2007