American Idol Phenomenon

It’s that time again. But not to watch young talented singers competing to win a contract with a record label- that’s why you watch the last 4 or 5 episodes. By the finals, the pool of would-be pop stars has been whittled down to those with at least some semblance of talent.

I understand that there are those who enter the competition knowing they are terrible singers, but are willing to pretend to be auditioning in earnest for a chance to be the next William Hung.

But if you watch these shows, it’s clear that some of these people honestly believed that they could sing before Simon Cowell, in a tone that denies hyperbole, declares that they have one of the worst voices he’s ever heard in his life.

How does this happen? Surely if one is trying out for what ultimately could become a career in singing, they at least took the time to figure out if they could sing, right?

These kids are all 16 or older- shouldn’t they have learned these lessons in junior high school talent shows? Haven’t they wondered why they are never given the solos in the school chorus? Is Randy Jackson’s giggling the first indication they’ve ever had that their voice may be a little more Ashlee than Jessica? Some dream-shattered contestants shed light on this phenomenon in their post-humiliation musings. I understand the need to support your children and try to build their self-confidence, but is it necessary to flat-out deceive? I know parents tend to think that their children are the most beautiful, smart and talented individuals alive, but must it blind you from reality?

One girl cried over the snickers of the judges, “What do you mean I can’t sing? All of my friends say I have a great voice!” They’re not your friends, I thought to myself. A good friend wouldn‘t lie to you like that. A great friend tells you that you have lots of talents, but singing isn’t one of them, that your clothes would look better if you just broke down and bought the next larger size, and that the face your making right now is not funny, it is just plain scary. It’s tough love, but in the long run it will be much appreciated, especially if it saves you some undue embarrassment.

So what comes next for the AI steamroller? Overexposure is a danger, but fans seem willing to take in as much as they can. Perhaps an even further audience awaits a venture called American Idol: Classic Edition. This is a new proposal to the generation of singers who missed their chance with the currently formatted AI. That is, for singers between the ages of 30 and 50, AI Classic is your road from obscurity to recognition. Let’s face it; these kids trying out for American Idol do not hold the last word on talent in America. There is a more seasoned element embedded in the fabric of this nation that has more going for it than pimple cream and cute body parts.

Anyway, this is why I decided that I don’t blame the contestants showing up to the American Idol tryouts with their ill-fated dreams in hand. It’s not their fault. Especially with something like singing, unless you’ve heard yourself on tape, it’s difficult to tell how you sound to other people.

After all, Ashlee Simpson hung a platinum album on her wall without having exhibited any discernable musical talent. Who could forget her priceless screw up on SNL? The blame is for the families and friends who don’t have the compassion to steer them away from occupational choices in which they have no chance of success. Under the guise of sparing feelings, they do their loved ones a disservice.

The harsh truth comes out sooner or later. It always does. And when it does, the formerly deluded will come looking for those that lied to them along the way. We all have the choice of being the great friend who breaks the news in a personal and controlled setting, or the bad friend who watches the misled crash and burn in a much more public and painful arena. All of this begs the question: how long will the Idol phenomenon continue? Can the American Idol brand remain fresh, continue to reinvent itself for years to come, or will it fade away like so many of yesterday’s top musical talent? It’s hard to say. While any popular culture icon is in danger of quickly becoming yesterday’s news, given the show’s track record, AI is still keeping up, for now at least. In the next few years viewers may be fed up with the American Idol craze and it will fall much like it's contestants. But if you’re the latter, you can only hope that the truth-unveiling won’t be on national television in front of 30 million people. Of course, it does make for great entertainment for the rest of us. Next bad friend exhibition airs on FOX at 8PM EST Tuesday, April 24th.