American Idol

Honestly, I don’t have any personal connection or feelings about American Idol. I remember being a viewer of the show when it first began, but gradually started to lose interest in it. The last guy I remember watching win on the show was the old guy or maybe not, but the one with the gray in his hair. Now, I don’t have a clue which season this guy won but it was when I realized I had enough. After the old guy, Taylor Hicks, the show seemed to be a joke. I thought this guy was like the age 40 or maybe he was 35 since that is the average age of American Idol viewers. I think my initial thoughts were that this guy is too old to win and then I began to lose interest. The aspect of the show the show led me to think about how pop culture is different among age groups.

Music that may be pop culture for my peers and me is not pop culture in general. Many of the songs that contestants sing are songs that were popular during the eras of the 35 year-old viewers who watch American Idol. With the assistance of American Idol these songs are being popularized again and therefore target older audiences and led to my disgust with the show after Taylor Hicks.

During my short lived indulgence of the show, I noticed how the judges would mold the contestants into what they thought made an American idol. Contestants would be ridiculed if they didn’t have a certain appearance or didn’t sing a song a certain way. The contestants would alter hairstyles, change style of clothing and melodies of songs to satisfy Simon, Paula, Randy, and America. What is the cost to be an American idol? How much of the contestants’ identities are negotiable? By the time the contestants finish conforming to the expectations of the judges, t there is not much authenticity left in what Americans viewers consume from the show. Runner-up Clay Aiken recently stuck it to American Idol when he grew out his locks. It seems as if this is his way of saying I am breaking my ties with you. I don’t need to be accepted by you. Frenchie Davis can back during the season of Antonella Barbra to challenge what Idol had decided as her fate when it was discovered she posed in nude pictures. Davis demanded that Idol punish Barbra in the same way they had punished her for nude pictures. Although Davis went back to stick it to American Idol, they did not comply with her demands but were made aware of the injustices they were doing to contestants. Finally, Jennifer Hudson stuck it to Simon when proved she was not out her league with her brand new Oscar award.

It seemed to me that the American Idol’s judges are the ones who need to be taught appropriate etiquette. The show is like watching a comedy show with some of the idiotic performances performed by the judges themselves. There is Paula who continues to show up to work drunk. Somebody needs to call Alcoholic Anonymous so she can give the rehab thing a try again. Paula might also want to reread the Idol’s work handbook about ethics in the workplace. Paula, it is unethical to date people who you work with- a conflict of interest. I wish Randy Jackson would stop using the word “YO” because it makes him sound stupid. Who told him that word makes him cool? He should really update his slang vocabulary. Lastly, there is Simon who must suffer from low-self esteem because he hardly ever has a positive word to say to the contestants. I can’t believe these are the people who are influencing and shaping pop culture/music and forming American identities. Viewers of American Idol should be hesitant and critical about whom they allow in their home to shape the American image.

How would American Idol be used as a lesson in the classroom? I would allow students to create their own version of American Idol with using their ideas about pop culture. They would choose a target audience and the kind of ideas they want to represent American culture. One group of students would be assigned to be judges and participants on the show that reflect what pop culture/music means to them. Another group would be assigned to roles of journalists and critics who would discuss the good vs. bad components of their idea of American Idol. The objective of this activity would be to encourage students to think about the ideas they consume from television and what it means for the identities they are forming for themselves.