I'm Disappointed in America: American Idol

I'm Disappointed in America: American Idol

Labels: I'm Disappointed in America

“Jumping the shark” is an idion used in Hollywood used to describe when a show has gone too far in an attempt to keep viewers interested or attract a new audience. Its usage stems from an episode of “Happy Days” when Fonzie leaps over a shark rocking his leather jacket and water skies. With the departure of creator Simon Cowell a season removed from Paula Abdul’s leaving, “American Idol” has “jumped the shark” with the additions of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez.

I’ll skip the “Where are they now?” moment for former Idol winners and concentrate on this weak attempt to capitalize on American’s incessant need to feel as if they’re part of creating a superstar, instead of watering down the music industry. The addition of Interscope head Jimmy Iovine makes sense because he runs one of the most productive and powerful record companies around, but Tyler and Lopez left me wondering, what were they thinking?

I know Aerosmith are legends in Rock & Roll, but Steven Tyler can’t sing or dance and J-Lo, well, she has a nice ass. As a matter of fact, both of them owe a huge debt to Hip-Hop because Aerosmith had a foot in the grave when Rick Rubin convinced Run and D to make “Walk This Way” and Diddy should still be claiming Jenny from the block as a dependent. Both of their careers are behind them (no pun intended), but they hammered out multi-million dollar deals because...well, that I don’t know.

I’m not sure how two people with questionable talent are supposed to judge the talent of others, but I guess that’s what critics do. What I do know is that millions of Americans will tune in tonight to see the lowlights of the auditions and continue right on through Hollywood as another American Idol is crowned and then disappears, just like many of the previous 9 years...I’m really disappointed in America!