Thursday, January 18, 2007
Soap Box
Enough is enough. I have been an American Idol watcher dating back to Kelly Clarkson. (People still ask me if I am her, by the way...for those of you that don't know...my first name is Kelly.) We have always watched it as a family and rooted our individual favorites on. However, last night I had my fill. I can no longer watch these kids, in most cases, be ridiculed, mocked and made fun of for a laugh from America any longer. I understand that they are going on their own free will and signing releases and so on, but in my heart, I believe that some of these kids are being hurt and damaged by the judges. The point of the show is to find the "diamond in the rough" who would not make it big in the music industry otherwise...not to make someone feel that they are worthless. I love the idea and the process and watching them compete and get the chances of a lifetime after it has been narrowed down to the final however-many. BUT, and I feel quite serious here, what I witnessed last night was painful and heartbreaking. There was one kid who had such a sweet spirit about him, who was genuine and kind (from what I could see) and one of the judges told him that he looked like a jungle animal. After he walked out of the room, all 3 judges proceeded to laugh at him hysterically. That was my breaking point. I will not sit by and entertain that. Now, I am aware that me no longer supporting American Idol is no skin off their backs, but I have to be honest and true to myself. I see no problem with telling them that they do not have the right voice for the competition, but to insult them to the core with cutting remarks that have no validity to the competition itself is wrong. Period. No one will convince me otherwise. We try hard to teach our kids how to treat people with kindness, and we sit back and wonder why bullying is so out of control in the schools, and why kids are committing suicide, and so many girls have eating disorders, and why our country is in the shape it is in. Well, I believe that becomming desensitized to stuff like this is part of some of our many problems. I can guarantee you this...NOTHING about the way that boy was treated last night pleased God on any level. Tonight, I looked at my own children and thought about how I would feel if I had to watch them being maliciously made fun of...one hurtful comment after the other...while they just stood there with tears welling in their eyes and realized that God must feel the same way when it happens to His children. I can tell you one thing...I would not take it if it were Colton, Chase or Aiden...and I'm not going to take it for anyone anymore. American Idol just lost a viewer.
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5 comments:
You go girl! I am with you.
Mom
Looks like you're not alone - check it out.
http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/rosie-odonnell-and-the-view-blast-idol-judges-and-producers-4583.php
My 2 cents:
I don't mind people being bashed for thier (lack of) vocal ability - they bring that on themselves. But I agree that there's no need to attack appearance etc.
However, I disagree that this season has been any different from others. The judges have been ridiculing since episode 1 - everyone knows this before they go to audition. They've seen it time and time again. This is the possible price you're going to pay for your shot at the big time.
What it really shows is the sad state of community and accountability we have in the US. If we really loved each other, we'd tell our 'no talent' friends that they really shouldn't go audition.
And I'm totally calling your bluff that you're not going to watch anymore. Really?? Are you really not going to watch one more minute of American Idol?? I don't believe it. I'll be checking with Chad on a periodic basis. Maybe we should get him to put a security code on your TV.
Like I said...it will be hard when it gets to the final part of the competition, because that is when we watched as a family, but Chad and I both agreed the other night that watching any of the show would be supporting all of it in a way. So to answer your question...No...my family and I will not be watching American Idol anymore. I realize people have been made fun of since season 1, and sadly I am just now sickedned to the point of saying enough is enough. I wish that I had the heart of Jesus enough to have not tolerated it then either. I'm not for sure, but I would be willing to bet that comments and ridicule have become a tad more extreme as the public has embraced it and supported it and even celebrated it. None of us, I would hope, would accept our own friends or family being treated in such a way, so why is it o.k. to accept that for anyone?
I agree! The name calling was rude, but the way that they laughed at that kid and others was childish and mean. Well, so was the name calling. Something else that bothered me was the way the shots were put together at the end to make those kids look as bad as possible. I know the show has always been this way but somehow it seemed worse, I think because all the judges were joining in and there was no one saying stop it.
So, I have actually never liked watching the beginning of American Idol, but only the end when it gets to the people who can actually sing really well. But I have never thought about boycotting the show as a whole. I will have to think more on that and make a decision. I am not an avid watcher ( I didn't even know it had started until last night - the babysitter informed me i had already missed the first 4 hours), so I don't know that this would be a big sacrifice. However, I agree, to think that my child could be made fun of like that is heartbreaking. And I certainly wouldn't tolerate my child bullying another child that way, either. You have given me something to ponder...
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