American Idol: No More Jokers

By Jason Snell – February 12, 2008

You know, I like American Idol. Like most American TV viewers, it seems. I try to fight it, but I can’t. I can’t look away.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve become increasingly dissatisfied with Idol’s freakshow phase, when we’re supposed to laugh at a parade of seriously deluded or desperate-to-be-on-TV type of people. I don’t want to see those people. They’re the dregs of the reality TV whore community, the types of people most self-respecting reality shows screen out before they ever get in front of a camera.

Not American Idol, though. If you can wait in line and you’re sufficiently freaky, Idol’s screeners will put you through so that the judges can roll their eyes and we can all have a good chuckle.

So I don’t bother with the first few weeks of American Idol anymore. Instead, I wait for the show’s “Hollywood Week,” in which potential singers get out of the audition room and onto the stage. It’s much more interesting. The jokers are all gone — okay, almost gone, since some weirdos inexplicably get passed through — and what we’re left with is a collection of vaguely-to-extremely talented singers, some of whom handle the spotlight with aplomb and others of whom dissolve in a pile of tears.

Every year I keep telling myself that I’m finished with American Idol, but there’s a reason it’s the black hole of television, sucking in viewers from all directions. It’s a great premise and it mixes the usual reality strategy drama with interesting (and not-so-interesting) musical styles. Lots of great nostalgic moments with old songs that I’d forgotten I loved. And yes, laugh-out-loud moments.

Crap. I’m going to watch this show again this year, aren’t I?

Okay, new promise to myself. No jokers, no voting. I can keep myself from voting, can’t I? Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.