So now there's three:
I'm referring to this current season....but perhaps the entire series as well. It's been 8 years and these manufactured pop stars are just getting tired. Besides I already think my favorite, Adam Lambert is not going to win. Not unless he tones down the "theatrical" which is code word for what? Oh there are so many things wrong with it. If as a performer you can't be your authentic self (musically, image-wise) then what are you? A manufactured pop star. Just pluck one off the assembly line and insert coin. Wind them up and let them go...until next year that is.
On the other hand our human interest in seeing the underdog win drives some of the enthusiasm for these genres. Talent contests will never go out of style. We see a little bit of ourselves in these contestants. So the Evangelicals have been voting for Gokey and Allen. Perhaps they'll cancel each other out. Allison Iraheta was voted off last week and I wanted her to get to the Final Two. Oh well, she'll be told to lose 20 lbs and dye her hair blond or ELSE. Just Watch. Any originality she had will be sucked out of her and she'll do interviews where she talks about losing her "baby fat" and will be sporting a push-up bra and high heels in no time. Forget her spunkiness and talent.
What's different this season from others is the front-runner is so off the beaten path for people that tend to enter these types of competitions. Lambert's been around and eligible to enter the contest its entire existence. I believe there's an underlying story as to why he hadn't done so until now. Since it's down to the wire we'll see how he strategizes to stay in the competition. For this is serious and it requires the skills of seasoned chess player. How palatable does Lambert want to be and how big of an audience does he want? Is he willing to shrink himself and round out the edginess for a wide appeal?
Why can't the majority of people accept him as an artist without taking offense to his lack of portraying an intentional hyper-masculine role? I think it's time to address our expectations of gender roles and why.
Update: Now Idol goes into the final week. Kris Allen & Adam Lambert are the finalists. We'll see if America votes safe or edgy.
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