Idolized

Most in the United States has some sort of talent – singers, dancers, comedians, pianists, painters – and a majority of those would love to turn their talents into cash. They are determined to make it big and that is the motivation behind many of their career moves.

American Idol, a singing competition in its sixth season, was created to open the doors of opportunity for struggling performers. Many talented, and not-so-talented, Americans pour into stadiums around the country for a chance to audition for the title of America’s Idol. A panelist of celebrity judges – Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell – make the final decision with a simple yes or no. Yes, you’re going to Hollywood for the next round. No, you’re not good enough.

Performing songs each week to a different theme ranging from Motown to country to Latin music to rock and with the help of celebrity mentors such as Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, and Tony Bennett, the contestants then depend on America’s voting to keep them safe until the next round. Each week the one with the lowest votes goes home.

This season is different. The intended purpose of the show was to create the ultimate nationwide talent show for singers. What they have this year is a popularity contest. Contestants aren’t being voted on based on their talent, they’re being voted on by their media coverage and unintentional PR. A few scandalous photos on the internet propelled one undeserving contestant through several rounds of the competition, and an endorsement for being the worst singer of the group has kept one performer in the competition several weeks longer than they should have been.

For this to be our competition, Americans aren’t taking it very serious. Although with host Ryan Seacrest’s ridiculous homophobic banter with Simon, that’s probably next to impossible. The crude humor between the men has become offensive and inappropriate for younger viewers to watch.

Don’t think there isn’t any talent on this season, however, because there is. A few good ones to watch for, if you happen to be flipping the channels on Tuesday night, are Lakisha Jones – a diva whose performances have been flawless—and beat boxer Blake Lewis, who delivers a hip performance every week when he incorporates his flashy style to the songs each week.

Once all the weaker singers have been weeded out, there should be a good, fierce competition to watch. If you’ve never watched, you haven’t missed much so far. If you’re curious and want to watch – wait until the season finale with the top two, and ideally the best two, competitors battle it out for the title of the next American Idol.