What's So Great About American Idol?

I expect to get a lot of feedback on this one. Please excuse my ignorance, but I just don't see what the big attraction is for this show. I have tried to watch it once or twice and always end up turning it to another channel. Too boring. Also, I find the judges are "twits" and behave childish at times. As far as the singing goes, well, most of them can't....sorry. Hope I am not offending anyone's taste here.

Just curious. By the way, I did not tune in to Canadian Idol either - for the same reasons.

Ya know, that's a good question

Last year I found myself hooked because of Clay. I love his voice & I looked forward to hearing him each week.

This year I wasn't really planning on watching AI past the auditions (which I usually find amusing), but my parents wanted to keep watching AI. The only way to describe why I've been watching it, is to compare it w/ a ghastly sight that I just can't help staring at ... I actually find it quite amusing at times... I know some people like some of the contestants, but there's just no one I care for this year...

Becca84:

Well, at least you have a reason for watching! thanks for the reply.

I think its a rather dull premise for a show... the first one was kind of interesting... but I dont see how it is remaining so popular in the subsequent seasons.

I do tune in on certain nights depending on the theme, but I'm usually not impressed with their cover's of songs I enjoy. I think it has a young target audience, I enjoy a lot of reality shows (the bachellor/bachellorette, apprentice, survivor) but I definately think american idol is for the 12-24 demographic.

I imagine also that it's popular because the audience is the one who decides who stays and who goes so they feel that kind of power when the one they picked gets to stay a least one more week.

I used to watch mostly the auditions because they are funny, last season I watched the auditions and then I didn't watch anything until Ruben, Clay and Kimberly (was that her name? sorry I get all the time confused) remained and I watched until the end, by that I was really spoiled on the results since I got to see it like months of months later, this season they are showing it with one week of difference from US but I'm not that excited of the group that has stayed so I stopped watching a long time ago, especially because this time, it seems IMO that audience is really not voting the one who sings the best but the one they liked better (by that I don't mean that the one remaining can't sing, because they can and very good but they have kick a least a couple who sang very good), at least last season Clay and Ruben were very likeable people but also they sang very well (I still have in my head Clay singing Bridge over troubled water...amazing!!)

What's so great about it? I think it is what the show is about -- music, and great voices. Diana's IMO is one of those.

It's better than the Apprentice?

I'm from the days when I used to watch "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour". I love talent shows. I watched "Star Search" faithfully back when Ed McMahon hosted, and now watch the new version as well. I didn't start watching AI until midway last season and was blown away by Clay's voice. I was excited about this year, thinking (silly me) that another Clay would be produced. Also, there's nothing else on at this time of the year except E.R. and the Garden Channel.............. 42

Asking what's great about American Idol is like asking what's great about any show. I could start a thread about 'What's so great about 'ER', etc, etc. It's all a matter of personal taste.

The things that make American Idol fun are a) Simon Cowell--No matter if anyone thinks he's a jerk or not, people respect his honesty. Seeing him trash people on live TV is like getting a look at what happens during regular studio auditions. b) The audience gets the chance to have a say in the outcome. c) Watching ordinary people become household names is fascinating.

I won't watch it. I am pretty much anti-reality show/contest. Too hokey and (fake)drama-filled.

mike79 said:

Asking what's great about American Idol is like asking what's great about any show. I could start a thread about 'What's so great about 'ER', etc, etc. It's all a matter of personal taste.

The things that make American Idol fun are a) Simon Cowell--No matter if anyone thinks he's a jerk or not, people respect his honesty. Seeing him trash people on live TV is like getting a look at what happens during regular studio auditions. b) The audience gets the chance to have a say in the outcome. c) Watching ordinary people become household names is fascinating.

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ITA

With my family we're not reality TV show fans... AT ALL... I grew up watching star search and I liked it... hate the new version because all they do is trash AI (which is funny, because most of the singers are rejects from AI ) so it's not the same as it was...

American Idol is CLEAN... yes the girls are showing their belly buttons, but you can get that anywhere... you're not going to get the censor beeps every five seconds because the judges(not including Quentin Tarrentino who had several words that they had to "reshoot" or "cut out") are smart enough and gracious enough to keep it a family show

the only "drama" is when Simon, Paula, and Randy get to arguing...

this year I think the judges are off... but I thought they were off last year too... I think with you hating the judges opinions so much you don't have time to insult the singers (then again maybe you agree with the judges )

I don't get the smut filled Survivor... and the very shallow Bachelor type shows.... I guess I'm just not *adult* enough (if that's the case my 50+ aged parents don't either)

I think a big part of the appeal for me is that I actually don't like most of the songs that these people are singing! I get involved in the competition part of it, I used to sing so I love the talent portion, and I definitely have my favorites, but ultimately I don't have a huge investment because I do not expect anyone from AI to put out a record that I would ever want to own (although K. Lo may have just changed my mind, based on her single).

I watch a lot of reality shows (not really the dating ones, and never the makeover ones), and I love the sense of competition in them. I can't tell you how often I yell at my tv when the person or team *I* like gets the boot - or, like Survivor All-Stars, when no one in the game has enough sense to get rid of the biggest threat, over and over . So, the idea that the AI contestants' fates are in the hand (and phones) of the audience is a major draw.

But I think the main draw for me to AI is the Cheese Factor. The first season, I couldn't believe how cheap and tacky everything looked, from the opening credits to the stage. Now, they've made everything bigger, but the opening is still ridicuously lame, and the hoops thay make these poor kids jump through just to sing their songs are hilarious (I'm thinking of the car commercials and high school musical-calibre group numbers here). I mean, I don't care for Diana's singing voice or style at all, but she fits right in with the production values on this show! What's exciting about it is that each season there are some participants whose talent is some much huger than the rinky-dink trappings around them that I have to keep watching - and voting!

guinevere

ps Toni - there's smut on Survivor? I'm being serious.....there was the incident with Rich this season, but I don't think the show presented that in any sort of gratuitous way at all. In fact, I think the only reason they aired it (in as non-graphic a way as they could) was because Sue dropped out directly because of it. There are tons of reality shows with nasty behaviour on them that I wouldn't want to watch either, but Survivor is one reality show that just doesn't come to mind when I think "smut". Now, Big Brother is a different story..... :lol:

There is nothing else on at that time that I would rather watch. I usually am doing something else while I watch TV . I love Simon and think that he says what most of us think. I doubt if I would watch if Simon were not on. Hearing "Dawg" and "I'm so proud of you" doesn't entertain me. I am usually disappointed in the music choices and country night is always hard to take, LOL. Why do I watch?

Well the only time I have ever seen the show has been when I was at someone's home and it was on their tv set. I can't imagine why anyone one would want to be a famous entertainer. I will say is that they all have pleasant voices, (anyone will tell you that they all sing way better than I do,) and the songs they sing are not offensive. They are mostly balads are are pleasant.
Daniel and Little Lulu

I'm thinking of the car commercials and high school musical-calibre group numbers here

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they do that because ford wanted more for their money... so that's how they got Ford's sponsership

just like teh judges drink from coke glasses

and now herbal essences got their own music video

and Old Navy is the fasion center

re: Survivor

I'm sorry but the first one the guy dropped his drawers and while it was censored it still made him a hero(after all he ended up winning) in the years following girls have been on camera (always in a "censored" way with nothing on... and then of course you can always order the uncensored version

I'm sure there's great things about it... but I would much rather watch someone with their clothes on...

I don't pay enough attention to survivor I'll admit it... but the commercials always show me reasons why not to watch

It's not exactly "great"...

...but I watch anyway. I resisted reality shows until last year, when my Spawn got me hooked on "America's Next Top Model". The cheese factor, the cat fights, it was hysterical! Then I found myself watching the girls jump through some really nasty hoops and wondering, "Is there aftercare for these girls? What is the judging doing to their fragile eggshell minds?" And suddenly, I cared - not so much who won, but about the girls themselves. Kinda creepy, but basically harmless.
I guess it's a slippery slope once you start watching these shows...One day last fall, the Spawn and her b/f were giggling on the couch at some very bad singing coming from the TV. I put my book down, went into the living room and asked, "What on earth are you watching?" Amazon Princess blushed and mumbled, "American Idol". My eyes started to roll, but her boyfriend said, "You don't want to watch it after the audition rounds, then it gets lame. But the first couple episodes are hilarious!"
Well, because I get up really early, I needed something to keep me awake until "Top Model" started, so I started watching the first part of "Idol", once the finalists had been chosen. And yep! I find myself wondering if there's aftercare available for these kids - and I don't mean talking to Ryan Seacrest the next day! I care. How embarrassing.
Rave

THANK YOU for starting this post. I thought I was the only one here that didn't watch American Idol because I don't really see much appeal to it either. Except for the beginning when they are doing talent searches, because the people who are bad are amusing I even forgot to watch when Quentin Tarantino hosted, and I love him Seems like national obsession, huh?

With my family we're not reality TV show fans... AT ALL... I grew up watching star search and I liked it... hate the new version because all they do is trash AI (which is funny, because most of the singers are rejects from AI ) so it's not the same as it was...

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I beg to differ. I watched Star Search this year, and the three adult singers in the finals have more talent that anyone I have heard at AI in the last three years with the exception of Kelly, Clay, and LaToya. Just my opinion, of course.........42

actually last season Star Search bragged that a few of the singers had "recently been rejected from that OTHER show" to which the audience of course booed... that OTHER show has always been American Idol

Arsenio, whom I've always liked, went on a talk show later on and basically just bashed the heck out of Clay... he did say that Ruben had a decent voice... but I was very upset... CBS is normally a class act network... but Star Search just does NOT do it for me

Lucy25 said:

I won't watch it. I am pretty much anti-reality show/contest. Too hokey and (fake)drama-filled.

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My friend refuses to watch American Idol because he thinks it's a mean concept--seeing people with dreams getting publically slammed on TV.

I watch it for the bad singers in the beginning; most of them are put in for ratings and amusement. In the later stages I watch because there will be one or two people I really like. It also gives me an idea of what separates a very good singer from a great singer.