Wednesday, 09 June 2010
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American Idol and Our Culture
By Sam at Creating Culture[Editor's Note: This post contains spoilers. If you have not seen the American Idol finale and do not want to know who won, please consider skipping this post.]
I watched most of the latest season of American Idol. Of course, since I watched this one, I promptly missed the season finale. In case you are wondering…Lee won.
Here are a couple thoughts on the American Idol phenomenon:
Americans want to be famous:- The allure of American Idol is that you don’t have to do much work, and you can come out of the experience with a tour and record label.
- People really really really want to be on TV. I wonder when the reality television phase will pass and celebrity-status doesn’t matter. My guess is, sadly, never.
- Putting in the hours playing small gigs, building a reputation and establishing a local, regional, and then maybe a national platform seems so 1999. Gimme national now. I’ll wait five minutes for international fame, but I want Tokyo on Tuesday and Dublin over the weekend.
Americans want to be told a story:- Despite my criticism of what Idol represents in our society, it is clear that Americans, for the most part, want to be told a good story
- Lee, the winner, was a paint salesman from Chicago
- Crystal, the favorite for most of the competition, was the rough-around-the-edges and young mom wanting to provide a better (i.e. more wealthy) life for her kid.
- Many of the shows began and ended with telling part of the contestant’s story. It’s great marketing because it works. I want to know why you insist on me texting in to vote. And you better believe when I see their past, you have me sucked in.
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About the Author
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- From: SamMahlstadt
- Name: Sam
- About Me: I am a graduate of the University of Iowa, where I studied English and Religious Studies. I am passionate about seeing the local church living in genuine relationship and maintaining a global mindset.
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Comments (6)
Eh, lee is a nice guy. im glad he got the boost he needed.
...im nost just saying that either. i know him, which is more than most can say about him.
what it says about our culture is that we love mean british guys, seeing lots of drama unfold, and having a say in what happens next (voting).
^_^ love this post.
LOVE. We Americans huff status like fume addicts.
celebrity has always existed, just with different indicators. and as someone with experience in the entertainment industry, it makes me roll my eyes to hear someone say that even a contestant on American Idol doesn't do "too much work." i used to practice 4-5 hours a day, on top of being a full-time student and working 30 hours a week. you don't have to break a sweat, or have an occupation that's more physical, to work hard.
This season was perfect evidence for why tweenagers shouldn't be allowed to vote. But I digress. It's become more about who has the better sob story than who has the better voice.
I agree that the reasons for winning are sometimes more about popularity that they should be. However, I do think the show produces some good artists who have a lot of talent and may never get the platform to display it otherwise. For instance, Miley Cyrus has a good voice, yes- but she was also practically born in the music industry. She probably had to work a lot less than any Idol contestants to get someone in the music industry to listen to her- her own dad could do that for her! In the case of Lee and Crystal, you are looking at ordinary people with good voices who would never have been able to afford the opportunities Miley gets handed to her. The music industry is so much about the right connections, the right place, the right time, being in the right family. To see someone being given a chance because of their talent and not because they're a Cyrus or Jackson is refreshing, in my opinion.
It seems like the tone of your post is sarcastic, that you don't approve of American Idol.
It looks like you've done a lot of generalizing, too, but I'm not sure.
I, personally, as a singer, do not look at the show and see a get-rich-quick opportunity. I see a chance for people to fulfill their dreams. Even if American Idol may be a quicker route than the "old-fashioned 1990's" way, why fault someone for taking advantage of such an opportunity? And American Idol is NOT a quick and easy way. The auditions are very emotional, and it is so, so difficult to get even as far as the Top 24. Quick and easy indeed.
I think the personal stories represent what American Idol is all about: achieving one's dreams. It is touching to see where people stand, and though it probably is a tried and true way to earn sympathy for the contestants, therefore gaining more fame and money, there's nothing wrong with it.