Friday, March 30, 2007

American Idol

Now, I haven't seen a full season of American Idol since season 3. You know the one. The one were Fantasia won but more importantly featured future Best Supporting Actress winner Jennifer Hudson.

Even though I haven't watched a whole season of AI like I have watched all full seasons of the Amazing Race and Survivor, I still have managed to find out who has won in all subsequent seasons and their runners-up. So Season 4 we had Carrie Underwood besting rocker Bo Bice and Season 5 had Soul Patrol Taylor Hicks who beat Katherine McPhee.

But my problem with American Idol is that I don't think it really makes someone the music star it is supposed to. Except for Kelly Clarkson, who I think rocks, no winner has been the success that AI is supposed to bring the in world of pop. I stress that because Kelly Clarkson truly is an American Idol in the genre that the show is supposed to bring success. But have you heard from Ruben Studdard since he was the second winner? No, and because he was an R&B artist and not a "pop star." Same goes for Fantasia and it is country for Carrie Underwood that it almost seemed like she won Nashville Star and not American Idol and I don't exactly know the genre for Taylor Hicks but considering his moniker during his season was "Soul Patrol" one can assume it's soul music. I will grant that it gets all these young musicians a start.

And don't get me started on Canadian Idol. That is just a waste of summer air time. Not a single one of the winners have maintained longevity since winning. Ryan Malcom. where is he now? Same with Kalan Porter and Melissa O'Neil and the same fate will befall Eva Avila. So I too will avoid Canadian Idol like the plague.

Now to my point about this current season of AI. I am making a point to avoid all press about it. I don't want to know and I don't even know any of the names of the people in the top 12. Ok, I lie, I know some names and I was flipping through my Entertainment Weekly last night and came across the name something Doolittle and Chris Sligh. But my point is that this show is such a media juggernaught, I want to see if I can avoid knowing who got eliminated each week and who will be the winner and I don't even want to know what the contestants look like. So far, I have been able to avoid names and faces. I have heard one of the first people voted out on Regis and Kelly before I made this vow but now I can't even remember her name.

Wish me luck on that because a pop culture addict like me cannot avoid reading/hearing about American Idol.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course you Kalan just completed his 2nd album and that it will be out this summer? Of course you know that Kalan took a year off to be with his family when his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and his grandmother needed to undergo surgery? No Idol contestant has, or will ever come close to, the talent of Kalan Porter.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Kalan's Official page on Youtube.
Joined March 12 2007
He's updating with Video.
Here's the link

http://youtube.com/kalanporterofficial

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Joan said...

well said swamp :)
Kalan has always kept his fans updated on what was happening regarding his family, as well as work on his solo cd. It made me very proud to know that family was and is his #1 priority. If anything, I believe his fanbase has been growing over the past year.