American Weirdoes (Idol)

This may not be the only American Idol post this year but it’s my first. Let me just say now that all the first auditions are done and 150+ people are heading to Hollywood, with one of them the next pop star, there are a few things that stand out among the auditions.

First, I am struck by the enormous numbers of weirdo’s. They seem to congregate when the camera is rolling. Which makes Andy Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame statement all the more significant today. Only these folks are scrambling for seconds not minutes. And, they’re so weird!

Secondly, whacko’s aside, the first level of people that try-out seem to fall into two categories. There are the people who believe they can sing and cannot, and then there are those who can sing but are honestly and sincerely wondering about their abilities. They don’t seem to know how good they are. There is actually a third group consisting of the quiet confident ones (I’ll expand on that in the next paragraph). The first group is usually loud. They brag, some are borderline weirdoes, sometimes they talk about all of their musical accomplishments or lessons, they talk about all of the things they are going to do when they make it. Then, they get into the audition and they stink, some more than others, some are “dreadful” as Simon says, and they are shocked they didn’t make it. Rarely any of this group makes it. The only ones that do I’m convinced are good TV for a few weeks (during the show where they show all of the bad auditions) and then they’re gone. The second group has a nervousness about them; they are scared. They get in the room and blow the judges away. Then, they are truly blown away that they said they were good.

OK, the third thing that stands out (this has to do with that third group mentioned above) is that I’ve looked back at the first four winners and there is a common thread. It is humility. Underneath, yes they are confident, but on the outside there is no bragging, no loud mouth, only a quiet confidence. I wonder why this is so? These end up being real people. Real and humble. They realize what life is all about. It seems like if you were to take the fame away they would still be doing really well at whatever they would be doing. I don’t know, I could be wrong, but I am glad the whacko’s and weirdo’s are gone for now. Let’s get on with the singing!

(this is the one my wife and daughter think will win)