Idol America

Tonight for the first time I watched “American Idol”. I have avoided it (and the rest of the reality TV universe) with extreme prejudice for quite some time. Unfortunately tonight was a perfect storm. There was very little else on the tube (see the March 14th blog on Network TV) and I needed to get some writing done so I left Fox on after Seinfeld ended. So on comes “Idol America” excuse me, I mean “American Idol”. I couldn’t be bothered to turn the channel so I let it play.

I have one question and one question only.

Do these people have no shame?
Clearly the answer is no,

Now I am not comparing them to the Jerry Springer crowd (though there is clearly some cross over). These people are worse than horrible. I hade to mute the TV for a number of these freaks. It’s one thing to get up at a Karaoke bar when you are polluted on margaritas and belt out “Lady Marmaleide” but it is something completely different to do it on National TV and then get angry when Simon tell you that you sing like crap and should get out of the business.

Everybody rags on Simon for being a prick, well you know what? The man is right on the money. These people suck and the music business just like the film business doesn’t cut anyone slack. He is just doing what any record company A&R exec would do. He’s just doing it on TV.

The funny thing is, the worse these people are, the more outraged they are when they don’t’ make the cut. They blame the judges. “The judges don’t know what they are talking about.” “The judges don’t know talent when they see it.” The trouble is they are not seeing it. There was one freak on tonight who was so sure he was going to win the whole thing that when he came in to sing he boasted how he can sing on 3 different levels. He was so bad you couldn’t even say he sang poorly, because that would do an injustice to people who sing poorly. They actually gave him a second chance (which I didn’t understand, other than it made for good TV) and when he came back he actually sang the bawdy Frat song from “Trading Places” of course none of the judges knew that (it just shows how poorly they are schooled on pop culture) and he did it so poorly that it was embarrassing. When he walked out of the room the second time he still didn’t get the fact that he really should never be allowed to sing anywhere at anytime ever again.

My assumption is that at the end of this blight on Network TV they actually pick somebody who has what the marshmallow fluff pop music industry is trying to shove down the public gullet. But at what cost? Thousands of people with no talent line up for days to audition for something they have no shot at getting and this is considered “Must See TV”. It’s almost more embarrassing for the folks who invest so much in this show and who they are going to “vote” for. All of these folks need to get a life.

Or a Karaoke machine….

The Book of Daniel - At least for now...

Did anyone watch the inaugural episode of "The Book of Daniel"? Well I did.
I liked it. Really liked it. Which of course means it won't last five episodes.
And why won't it last five episodes you ask?
Well there are a number of reasons.
1. It is well written.
2. It has a great cast (really really top quality)
3. It is funny yet serious.
4. The humor is intelligent and requires a little effort.
5. It co-stars Jesus, an adulterous bishop and a vicodin popping priest who has a gay son, a dope dealing daughter, an alcoholic wife (who has a lesbian sister) and an over-sexed adopted son of Asian descent.

All the makings for a TV show with a conservative bullseye on it's back. There hasn't been a show with this kind of quality character development and risk taking story line since "Soap" (which by the way had the 1st primetime gay character, faithfully portrayed by Billy Crystal).

This past Monday night I am sure there were conservative heads exploding all over this country.
I can hear them popping ...
At least for the next couple of weeks ....

And a happy new year to all.

I realize I have been away awhile and I am sure there is no one reading this blog anymore, but as I really only write for myself anyway I shall continue to waste people's time with my observations.

Observation #1: The New Year came very early this year ...

Observation #2: I really miss reruns of "The Odd Couple" "The Honeymooners" and "Hogans Heros".

Observation #3: After 5 days of MTA strike hubub on every TV channel, radio staion and newspaper during X-Mas week, it is now as if it never happened. Either New Yorkers have very short memories or are very forgiving (I would suggest the former). I myself am still pissed off and hope our less than useless Governer sticks by his guns and presses every person that walked off the job, the union leaders, and the union for the millions of dollars of fines levied by the courts.

Observation #4: Toilet training of a 3 year old girl is only enjoyable in that it is the only road to the end of diapers.

Observation #5: The film buisness still sucks, but I don't care, my last film is just about finished.

Observation #6: I am enjoying watching the current administration and the Republican party single handedly tear itself apart with no help from the spineless Democrats.

Observation #7: Even though I am no big fan of sub zero weather, NYC just isn't NYC when it is 54 degrees in January.

Observation #8: Coke Zero is addictive.

Observation #9: Being married for 9 years has been easier than I ever thought it could have been (clearly I chose the right person).

Observation #10: I hope 2006 is better than 2005 (and 2005 wasn't as bad as it could have been ....)