I watched American Idol regularly for a few seasons. And the basic formula, in which only one singer is cut per week, is brillant because it invites rooting interests. That part of the formula still works.
But they lost me after the season Jordin Sparks. She was not the most talented singer that seaon. But she was the most marketable, and the not so subtle hands of the producers trying to get the winner they wanted, one year after having been stuck with a winner they hated in Taylor Hicks.
Honestly, that wasn't the main reason they lost me. I actually tried to watch the next season, and threw in the towel after half an hour. And I haven't been back. And the reason is on display right now.
In the Jordin season, there just wasn't as much fun throughout the season. And the reason was simple: the groundwork hadn't been laid. The opening episodes, in the tryouts, should be the establishment of the future stars. At that point, showing the tryouts of most of the contestants who make it, as well as a few who don't but just miss, would make for interesting television.
Then in the Hollywood sessions, the raw talent can start to shine, and the audience can develop its rooting interest. By the time the show is down to fan voting, the fans will know who they are voting for.
But we all know that is not what happens. Why do that when we can make fun of the pour untalented souls who dare to try out? There is a screening process to get to a televised tryout, so that make it even more ridiculous. They are sending through the weakest singers so America can point and laugh, and the judges can literally laugh.
This is high school behavior. The popular rich kids can sit on their butts and laugh at the others daring to gain their acceptance. So American Idol turns its first few episodes into insultfests, the real contestants get no airtime, and by the time the fan voting rolls around no one knows the majority of the contestants.
Well whatever, but I got tired of the bad taste in my mouth. And a funny thing happened when I stopped watching: I didn't miss it. I still don't. I'll probably never watch again.
USING OTHER AWARD SHOWS TO PREDICT OSCAR
Some analyses of the Oscar nominations have Golden Globe winners having an influence. Not really. They are not a true indicator. No one who votes for the Golden Globes is an Oscar voter. So why watch? Because most of the audience members at the event are Oscar voters. How the audience responds is the indicator.
So when Mo'Nique gets louder applause than her fellow nominees, that is an indicator the stories she isn't handling her campaign correctly are hogwash. She is still the heavy favorite to win supporting actress Oscar. The clear indicator from the evening was the standing ovation Jeff Bridges received. He is going to win the Oscar for best actor. That proved he is an absolute lock, and is also an indicator Crazy Heart could be a picture nominee.
However, there is crossover between the SAG awards and the Oscars. Like all guilds, they are an indication of strong candidates. The big news from last night was Sandra Bullock's win. I had her as barely in the actress race. Clearly, I was wrong. She will be nominated. I still don't think she will beat Streep, but for now, the nomination is the thing, and Bullock will get her first nomination this year. And this is also an indication The Blind Side is beloved, and has a shot at a picture nomination.
WHOOPS
I thought I had published this Sunday evening. I came back to my Dashboard to start preparing my Oscar prediction piece and saw it had not published yet. Sorry.
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