What can you learn from watching American Idol?
Here are ten things I have learned by watching American Idol, albeit sporadically, for six seasons. It returns tonight on FOXTV.
1. I can never get that time back. I admit to wasting over 60 hours watching that show. But, hey, it was entertaining and here in Minnesota, what can you do when it is -3 degrees outside? It beats learning bridge and doing sudoku puzzles, but barely. I need to read more.
2. Some people have no shame and will do anything for a chance to get on TV. From time to time, they will show contestants who sing like me, ie, awful. It used to be funny, now these contestants like William Hung just make me cringe. I want to believe that people will watch a train wreck, but only so many times.
4. Cuteness and likeability wins votes, or fame. How else did Jordin Sparks win when Melissa Doolittle was obviously the best talent? Jordin had a winning personality and a Julia Roberts Smile. The really “cute” one, Kellie Pickler, see below, is doing great after finishing sixth.
5. Being famous makes you better looking. I know, I know, this is soooo superficial, but watch how the contestants tend to transform themselves as they continue to stay in the competition. This is due not to them, but the show producers who know what is appealing and how to stage the show. Charles Barkley explained this way, when he was asked once if Michael Jordan’s good looks got him the endorsements or his basketball playing abilities: “Have you noticed how people get better looking the richer they get?”
6. Ryan Seacrest wouldn’t last in most companies. I have worked with people like Simon, Paula and Randy. Simon, the overly critical, but honest employee who always tells the truth no matter what, with overwhelming confidence. Paula, the nice woman, who never says anything bad about anyone and Randy, the too-cool kid in the warehouse with the knock off Nike shoes. Ryan Seacrest is the shameless promoter, taking potshots at the more talented in the hopes of gaining his own recognition. (Last year, he paid to get his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.)
7. They don’t teach geography in school anymore. Kellie Pickler answering a question about “Hungry.”
8. Positive Attitudes Win. When confronted with negative criticisms, the winning contestants smiled, took it gracefully and moved onward and upward. Those who argued, got punished. It was enlightening to watch the power of a simple positive reaction.
9. It’s a great country when talent wins out. It is easy to believe sometimes that talent goes unrecognized in most of our daily lives. If true, why try to learn, get better, or achieve? Believe it or not, each American Idol finalist got there solely due to their entertaining abilities. No one lobbied for ‘fair treatment.’ This is a well-accepted-fact in entertainment, or in sports–the best get ahead. I think it is good to celebrate talent in any endeavor because it serves as motivation for all of us. The backstory of all the finalists would make a new set of Horatio Alger Award winners.
10. How thinking differently won big for FOX. It used to be that the winter months were full of re-runs, stupid specials and made-for-TV movies. Instead of buying into the stereotype, someone thought out of the box and won big. I mean, BIG. This show is in third place in TV land, after the Super Bowl and the Oscars. And it all happened because someone said…those magical words that have launched many a company and successful career—WHAT IF?
The American Idol winners, in season order, were: Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood,Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks.
1 user commented in " 10 Lessons From American Idol: It’s Baaaack. "
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