Shades of Uncle Miltie....

[stevebody]

I didnt' watch season 1 of "Idol", either, assuming it would be just one more banal exercise in canned mediocrity. But Judye decided to watch season 2 and I sorta fell into it. It was wonderful. Aside from the fact that the final four contestants actually could sing beautifully - and not just in the way that passes for beautiful in pop music - the show padded itself out with what I'm sure the producers thought were filler segments about the personal lives of the kids. That, for me, turned out to be the most significant and satisfying part of the show.

Idol, if done right, is about personal growth. The evolution of these kids, from day one of regional try-outs to the finals, was astonishing. Their growing confidence was beautiful to watch and their performances showed a spirit that was truly inspiring. Add to that the fact that the kids, who were forced to live in the same house, responded by bonding and caring for each other in a way that totally gives lie to the usual perception of today's young adults being all about Me.

Finally, the real benefit of Idol, IMHO, is that it shows in the most graphic and impactful way - to every kid in America - that your dreams are not stupid, you can and should reach beyond yourself, and honest effort imbued with generosity and spirit, CAN pay off, when everything else in our society is telling them it won't. The competition was won by a huge, fat, black kid from Alabama, nobody's physical ideal of an "American Idol", but someone whose titanic spirit and undeniable talent overcame his address and his appearance. I think "Idol" is what TV can be about when it works properly. Yeah, it's fluffy but it's also fun, fast, and even occasionally profound, in a small way. Good advice, whomever it was who gave it: don't judge it until you've tried it.