Thursday, 15 January 2009

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    American Idol Auditions

    I have not been what anyone would call an American Idol fan. But I started watching it last season with my fiancée and her family. Ok, I did like to watch the auditions before that. Who doesn’t like to watch a good slow-motion train-wreck now and then (of the metaphorical variety that is)?

    I also enjoy seeing the occasional truly surprising standout like the roughneck who auditioned in Phoenix this year or the welder who sang "Ain’t No Sunshine". But something is clearly wrong when an obviously mediocre singer can get through by wearing a bikini or begging as did the contestant who argued that his mother had flown out from Florida.

    There were singers who were rejected who were clearly better than those two singers. And many who were arguably just as good. Why should Beggar Boy get through when Cheerleader Guy didn’t? Why should Bikini Girl get through when the cute little cowgirl from back east couldn’t get through with her giant book of original songs and endearing naïveté?

    All I’m saying is the system is flawed and needs to be made more fair, or at the very least less arbitrary. No mulligans, no second songs, no vote changing, and instant disqualification for attempts to subvert the process through manipulative wardrobe choices or outright begging. If the judges’ discretion is going to be allowed, then it should be restricted to legitimate professional discretion, rather than the obvious motivation behind Randy and Simon voting for Bikini Girl.

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