American Idol, idle waste of time?

Tonight we watched the entire show of American Idol. I'd never watched previous seasons, but when I was flipping channels and saw the show, I decided to devote some time to watching it. I have always wondered why this show makes some people so besotted that they'll hold all their calls until the show is over and they will even pay money to "vote" for their favorite contestants.

After watching, I'm confused. I still am not sure what it is that draws people. My husband got bored and started working on his computer, and I had to strain to stay focused when man after man got up, sang, and was criticized. You didn't even get to learn who the audience was voting for, or who Simon Cowell and the other judges think should go home. Mostly, all you could take away from this is a mixed message that out of all the talent in America (at least those willing to endure the audition process) this is the best of the best, and they're still just "so-so."

I am not sure what draws a crowd here. It is just "bread and circuses," the proverbial Christians being fed to the lions in a modern version? Do we just want a fired waiter, or a mechanic down on his luck, or a new father who wants his newborn baby to be proud of him, to "win" big so we can say that you really don't need just looks or money or brains to be something special?

What I do know is that both the 12 men and the 12 women selected for the finals look eerily like clones of themselves, and other "pop stars." The untucked shirts, the curls for girls, the scary-white smiles.

Something did stike me as odd: the supposedly-nasty Simon Cowell (and he was just nasty enough that if i were up there, my lip would at least tremble) kept saying that he didn't see anything special in the men in this group, even though they sung their hearts out. Actually, I agree (and I think his "honesty" is a bit much, but I liked it better than the faux flattery and artificial, goony audience reactions). But Simon...didn't you and your cohort-judges pick these people? So I'm not sure...not sure at all why out of literally thousands of people who tried out, the judges could only come up with a group of so-so contestants.

Most of the guys were nothing special, but at the very least, the show could redeem itself if it were a fair fight. I'm hoping that the songsters with the chemically whitened smiles, the good hair, and the buff bodies shape up their vocal chords and come up with something special that really entertains. Or, barring that, I hope that the ones with the better voices who aren't so cute or buff or slick (at least not yet) make it through and show that talent, really still does count and you can only get so far on your looks in this world. Show me something that hooks me instead of an endless round of bland songs by bland people with bland talent. Then I might have a reason to stick it out for more shows.


To be sure, I couldn't get up and sing as well as any of these people, although I do have perfect pitch and would make a decent judge. Simon Cowell said he didn't want to patronize the viewers at home, but isn't that just what this show does? I'm still not sure...not sure why I'd bother to watch the young, thin, predictably cute (with the exceptional of a few overweight, wacky singers) continue to strut their stuff, the SAME stuff...singing the same sort of sappy, unosphisticated songs I could hear in a bad piano bar, more than once? Worse, if Mr. Cowell doesn't want to patronize us, why not put together a show where the audience actually matters and where we can do more than just value celebrity, season after season, putting our hopes on strangers.

I am not sure about a lot of things, but I am certain that I will not be watching American Idol very often....ok....maybe the final, final, final round.

I was on NPR's FAith Game with Faith Saile last night but....

On Monday afternoon, I was invited to tape what was billed as a "Valentine's Day Segment" for the edgy, new NPR radio show "Fair Game" with host, Faith Salie. I didn't really have a lot of time to prepare, but I was told that all I had to do was answer some questions about relationships.

Since I've been writing about relationships for years and years, and love to be a guest on radio shows, how could I resist?

So, even though it was bitterly cold and I was busy, I paid a visit to the "studio" of Gideon Evans to tape my segment. Before the taping began, I told Gideon that I was aware Fair Game is heavy on political satire and commentary. I'd asked on the phone, but again, I asked if my segment was going to be a serious one, and if not, how did he need me to play it? I asked, because I had a sneaking suspicion that I wasn't getting the entire story and that's just the way Fair Game wanted it. Gideon had been a producer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The host, Faith Salie, wasn't there and wasn't going to interview me, but she has a thing for erudiate but oddball guests who do not indulge in "everyday" subjects I focus on, mainly life, love and career.

When Gideon assured me that all he wanted was for me to reply to the questions about relationship that he was going to ask, just as I normally would, in a straightforward, professional manner, I agreed to do the show. Actually, I thought his questions were thought-provoking and intelligent, as were my answers. We talked about differences in politics, what advice I might give politicians who want to date, and so forth. Gideon was charming. He said I was, too. The experience was actually, fun.

But it wasn't so much fun when I listened to the show last night. I didn't expect my entire interview (about 20 minutes) to be on the air, but what was on the show reminded me of how easily you can be maniupulated by the media. If you listen to Wednesdays show or download the podcast at precisely 22.30 minutes into the 50-minute+ show Black Holes, Neuroscience, and Michael Jackson you will hear a segment tucked into a discourse about the unlikely "love match" between Senator Joe Lieberman and President George W. Bush. In that tiny segment, my voice appears with one sound byte of my serious and sound advice (meant for romantic couples, of course). I am introduced only as "Advice Sister Alison" (hey guys, my legal name is Alison Blackman aka " Advice Sister Alison" .....couldn't you have at least used my real name?). I'm quoted as saying that anything couples do behind closed doors is their own business ...and there's something about ritual animal slaughter as well. My advice would have been witty and pithy in a relationship-oriented sense, but to hear it coyly attributed in a discussion about Joe and George, was at the very least, disconcerting. I guess I should look on the bright side. I had fun taping the show and every taping is good experience for the next time. And, at least the producers used one of my quotes (in an obviously innocently-silly context). No politicians, animals or an Advice Sisters were harmed in the process. But still, if I'd just been told the truth in the first place I could have decided not to participate, or to be my own, wacky self, my own way.

As to George and Joe, if you or you staff listened to the show last night, I had NOTHING to do with it (wan smile)