Monday, January 22, 2007

Another 15 minutes

American Idol is back with bumper ratings and more opportunities for people to be on television. But is it worth it? Especially if it takes the form of humiliation tv where Idol failed try-outs are featured complete with less than polite comments from the panel of judges. I'd like to say that no-one finds this behaviour funny but I don't believe that would be true. The Idol formula seems to call for at least one rude judge - and for them not to hold back. This is supposedly "entertainment" and for some it does seem to be. Even or perhaps especially, as Rosie "O'Donnell commented on the program The View earlier this week, when you are making fun of a person's physical appearance. But it behoves the question: if people know a joke will be made at their expense - and surely anyone who has seen the program knows that everyone is fair game - why would you do it? Why would you put yourself in that position? Does it all come back to the 15 minutes - or any minutes - of fame? Has this become the American Dream ... okay, to be fair - not just American?

1 comment:

Purple Sea Urchin said...

Oh God... there's the flip side too... Everytime I hear the auditions I think my ears die for the millionth time...