Not A Peak Year

"It's a singing contest, not a talent contest", you'll hear the judges on American Idol say. But what they should tell you is that it's also a personality contest. And this year's crop were sorely lacking. I still like the show, and it's dip in the ratings doesn't mean that it's on the wane. But another year of these type's on personalities and the show will slip even more. Melinda and Lakisha were the best singers, but had no charisma. But I'm looking forward to what they can put on record. I'm looking less forward to Idol winner Jordin Sparks. Too Disney for me. But with the right songs she could surprise, like Carrie Underwood did. As for Blake Lewis, he was one note all right, but there was something bad-boyish about his behavior. You look at him singing that horrible final number and you know he wants to break out laughing. So, the 2007 edition included only one name with any sort of national interest: Sanjaya. Who at least laughed at himself. Who's to blame for the lame crowd on finalists this year. How about the judges who pick the final 24. From there it's up to the audience, but the judges are putting forth mediocre names for us to vote on. In the annals of Guilty Pleasures, American Idol still looms large, but it's a television show, and when was the last time you tuned into a show that had drab characters?