The ‘Idol’ Singers

A close friend and colleague gave me a nudge e-mail last week: "How about a blog on American Idol's effect on people's perception of their own singing voice?" I had coincidently recently read in a NY newspaper days before that the show, in fact, has lost thousands of viewers this season. And I remember thinking that this was not surprising.

I am not a television viewer, but I do have friends and often hear of students who watch this show weekly. Certainly through the years, there have been more than a handful of singers who have made their mark on American Idol and graduated to fame and fortunate with dignity. Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Bo Bice, and Jennifer Hudson are reputable singers who took their start on the pop-show.

In the Performing Arts and in Fine Arts, as in Sports and virtually every field involving creating or utilizing aspects of showing ourselves, we, as human beings are prone to create opportunities or venues for competition. It further defines the art of who we are and what we aspire to be. Competition can extend the skill and dexterity, and the definition of expression within our talent. Competition also stimulates growth and development.

In every generation, we hear and see new styles and means of expressions which often forge the birth of a new idiom or way of playing. We hear this in Louis Armstrong, and the birth of Jazz. We hear this in the development of blues and rock and roll. I guess what comes to my mind when I think of competition and how we, as a society define, refine and expand our means of artistic development is striving for beauty, humor, integration and original expression.

I have seen American Idol one time and I felt that the show lacks integrity. Although many of the contestants do present talent, the way that the judges insult and fail to provide insight in their ratings takes away from the kind of venue that I would want to see our world watching. Clearly the show is about carving an 'idol' and the artistic quality of the music is not seemingly taken seriously. Furthermore, the singers' feelings are rarely spared. The feedback is often demeaning - this is no doubt purposeful, to entertain the viewing audience.

I remember watching competitive shows as a young child; figure skating, Miss America and The Gong Show, which was purposefully humored. Even later shows such as Star Search, were entertaining without being insulting, demeaning and crude.

To answer my colleague's question: I think American Idol has a discouraging effect on America's talent. I find their selection of talent to be constrained and rather contrived. I would like to know your thoughts. Maybe there is more to the show than meets the eye?