American Idol definitely works. Why else would 55 million people be watching? Why else would I be watching?
First, let me say I appreciate vocal talent. I love singers. Maybe that’s why this show appeals to me. Or maybe I’m just like everyone else who watches this show: I’m a sucker for emotion.
The qualifying aired Tuesday night on Fox from Greensboro, N.C., really got me going. First there was the cute blond, Kelly Pickler. She was abandoned by her mother when she was 2. Her father is in prison. She lives with her grandfather. She’s 19. In other words, she’s a Travis Tritt country song waiting to happen.
The girl can sing.
So could another woman — whose name I did not write down. She was married at 16 and had three kids by the time she was 19. She had been in and out of more than 40 foster homes. But she got her GED and now she’s going to college.
The girl can also sing.
You can’t make this stuff up. It’s true, 100 percent Americana. And the producers of the show play up the heartbreak and misery masterfully.
The whole American Idol process, in which contestants are chosen and then whittled down, is perfect for TV. This is a must-see show for me. I’m hooked and it’s beyond my power to do anything about it.
One Comment
Bob,
My favorite was the 17 year old granddaughter of Anne Nesby. I believe her first name was Paris but when she broke out the Billie Holliday, man that was simply awesome! I, like you, am hooked and am well past the point of denying it. I love American Idol. There I said it and now I feel better.