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The magic of American Idol
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Host of "American Idol," Ryan Seacrest
When I first began writing for Examiner.com, I wrote about embracing your Idol addiction. But just what is about American Idol that, come January, helps it to dominate over the rest of television shows in the ratings? It most likely wasn’t Paula Abdul’s oh-so enlightening critiques, Ryan Seacrest’s skinny ties, Simon Cowell’s seemingly never-ending supply of bland tees, Kara DioGuardi's bikini bod, or Randy Jackson’s “dawgisms.” So just what is it? One can only guess that the major networks competing with FOX on Tuesdays and Wednesdays have repeatedly tried to find the reason. The answer seems to elude them, season after season, as they cling to the mistaken notion that people will tire of the singing competition.
As someone who has spent a huge amount of time discussing the show in online communities for a living, there seems to be many reasons. From what has been posted on the blogs and boards during the season, the biggest of them seems to be the fact that viewers can relate to the kids on the show, and therefore they find it easy to root for them. While it might be hard for them to relate to someone who has been handed their chances in life, AI fans seem to like the idea of the underdog. It’s most likely why fans got so up in arms during season seven when people like Carly Smithson started showing up, as Carly (and Michael Johns, for that matter) had a chance at fame before the show even started. What the people seem to want based on what they express online is an Average Joe (or Josephina!) off the street who hits that stage and sings his or her way to the top. One month the person is slinging burgers at the local joint, and the next he or she is getting mentored by the best of the best in the music industry. It would be hard for anyone to deny how truly amazing that is. There is also a fierce loyalty towards these people that forms as the season progresses. As the Americanidol.com blogger, it was a common occurrence to see the online users get into arduous internet turf wars as the hooks of each fan’s favorite seem to truly take hold.
It was a fairly novel show when it first began, so its uniqueness might be what initially got the audience. But once the show starting seeing big numbers, it hasn’t seemed to have lost any of its momentum. Although the show dips here and there in the ratings, it still comes out ahead of the competition just about every week. While it’s difficult to peg the reasoning behind its longevity, one can speculate that the producers help their cause by keeping the content fresh. Although fans often express hesitation about changes online, the show only seems to come out on top because of its ability to seem new.
Coming in as the number one television show in the ratings, season after season, has allowed for these producers to have their pick of mentors and performers. Who would have thought when the show first started we’d see Stevie Wonder perform a medley of hits, or even someone like Gwen Stefani, who wouldn’t normally be caught dead on a reality show? The show still manages to surprise us in this realm as well, even giving us Jamie Foxx as a mentor this year. Who would’a thunk? In fact, my first impression when I saw him on there was “REALLY???” But those behind the scenes obviously know what they are doing, as Jamie was one of the best mentors on the show.
It’s not to say that the show hasn’t had its ups and downs. When the show began this past season, Nigel Lythgoe’s absence could be felt, as mistakes were being made on camera right and left. However, the show picked itself up by its boot straps, and got better with each episode. It helps to have workaholics like Ryan Seacrest, as it’s easy to see the kind of dedication this guy puts in, week after week. Then there are the oh-so-controversial judges. Not many people even knew who Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson were when the show began, and now they are household names, with Simon having become the judge America loves to hate. And, although Paula Abdul has had her share of bad press, she also has avid fans who undoubtedly were up in arms over her departure this season. But, once again, the masterminds at American Idol have shocked the pants off us viewers by adding someone who made us scratch our heads at first – Ellen DeGeneres. The more one sits with this decision, however, the easier it is to see that this will most likely be another smart move on their part. It wouldn’t even surprise me if they actually managed to pick up some new viewers this year due to the unique addition. Whatever the recipe those at Idol have come up with for that particular season, it always seems to be just the right elements to reel us in and keep us longing for more.
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