American I-DULL

I have to get some thoughts about American Idol off my chest. (Karen, we have got to talk this over face-to-face!)

You all know how I feel about American Idol. LOVE IT. I was excited when we got down to the Top 24 because there was so much talent and potential. Everyone was talking about how much talent this season had to offer, and I agreed. Surely by the time we got to the Top 12, someone would start to emerge that I would fall in love with, that I could get excited about, that I would become emotionally involved with, that I would passionately support by hitting the redial button on the phone for hours after the show ended.

But here we are, down to the Top 9, and I got nothin. I am incredibly underwhelmed with what I have seen so far. There are FIVE (yes, five!) contestants that at any minute could break open and become THE ONE for me: David Archuleta, David Cook, Michael Johns, Carly Smithson, and Brooke White. All of these singers are very talented and have personality and potential. So why do I find myself not caring? Why did the second Beatles week show seem like an eternity, and I was wishing for it to be over? And why, oh why, were there so many karaoke song choices for last night?!?!?!? We Will Rock you? Come on. Michael, do you not remember a certain contestant named Ace Young who sang that? Don't you think you should distance yourself from that greasy young man as much as possible? You have twice the charisma (not to mention looks) that he had--you don't need to stoop to his level. And Carly. Total Eclipse of the Heart? Really? Is that all you could come up with? Yeah, it sounded decent, but I think Jessica Sierra sang that one, and we all know what happened to her.

I think it comes down to song choice, as the judges always say. You can't do something that has been done before, but on the other hand, you can't do something we've NEVER heard of, David Archuleta. Are you kidding me? What is up with this You are the Voice business? I don't care how much you love the song or the singer...this is American Idol, not your senior high school choir performance. I think "Up With People" sang that song in this video:

Anyway, I guess that's enough ranting for now. I just love American Idol so much and by now I have a Constantine or Chris Daughtry or Blake Lewis to love as well. Come on, guys! My fingers are itching to dial those numbers! I don't want to settle for just feeling passionate about how unpassionate I feel.