I almost never channel surf, and rarely watch anything unless it's premeditated. But I was flipping this evening, and I landed on American Idol, and it sucked me in.
Annoyed with myself, I started to think about what it was that people love about this show. I think it's the intensity that these people feel pursuing their dream. Even the people that get cut, for them to experience something like that... you have to admit it would make you feel very alive. Who can't connect with that?
I was impressed that the judges kept the "freaky girl" and the "fat kid," though I'm sure that going forward the voting public will toss them out on their asses. And that's a shame because they're both very good.
I like AI the first season, that it just kinda fell out for me. But I started watching it again tonight, and I thought the people that they turned away sounded a lot better then most of the people that made it though to the next round.
I will say that I liked that "fat kid" as you put it. I thought he sounded really good, but then that english dick had to tell me that he didn't sound that good, I thought he sounded WAY better then most of others that made it though. Just my thoughts.
Ugh...They didn't get Fantasia right, as she wasn't the best singer by far (IMO). Latoya London and the chick from Dream Girls was better.
As for last season, Taylor Hicks & Katherine McPhee's albums debuted very well, and Chris Daughtery has the fastest American Idol Album to reach platinum to date. Even Kelly and Carrie didn't do that. Oh, and Kelly Pickler is also doing great in country.
Looking at chart positions and sales all of the idols went platinum. Ruben's problem was that he's been focusing on losing weight and hasn't done much promotion.
I like the show because these are actually talented people, it isn't vulgar, violent, or immoral (for themost part, I won't get into the recording industry side, though ;) ), and it's fun.
But I like the actual competition part of it the best.