Oh My God, Alabama!

I knew Birmingham, Alabama was going to be different from Seattle, Minneapolis and Memphis. But I was slightly disappointed. Afterall, is this not the home of Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks and Ruden Studdard?
The crop of potential American Idol winners was mighty small this time around. As with the other cities, Birmingham, Alabama has its share of voices-that-should-not-be-heard.
It never ceases to shock me how many people actually thought they could sing, until they have been heard by all of us. Sometimes in the barren ground of excellent singers, there comes one or two who clearly stand heads and shoulders above all the others who came before them.
Like I say, one or two. Usually there are about 20 from each audition city who qualify for that trip to Hollywood. Holding that yellow ticket to Hollywood doesn't mean that they are great singers.
It just means that they have a fighting chance. Yes, by the time they hit that Hollywood stretch, there will be about 120-130 of them in one big hall.
This time around in Alabama, I was more impressed with the 11,000-strong crowd who showed up to put forth their vocal best.
Alabama generally has one thing to show the other cities that have taken part and that is good manners. Even Simon Cowell was most impressed by the extraordinary show of good manners by the contestants even after they have been shown the door!
Well, there's no harm being civil, especially after you have been told you can't sing to save your own life.
I like those who when they walk into the room, gave the impression that they would soon make a quick exit, then they proceed to impress the three judges as well as the majority of us at home.
It is always nice to find out that behind that very ordinary-looking face is a great voice. And there were a handful who showed they have a special talent that will carry them far.
Of course, out of a huge turnout of 11,000, there will be a few who won't accept defeat and they make sure their views are heard, out loud! I am sorry they didn't make it but that's the way, the cookie crumbles, like they say.
Last night in Alabama, Cowell wasn't as nasty as he was back in Memphis and Seattle. I guess the producers of the show must have advised him to tone it down. No point in stomping on the loser's head after he has fallen down, face first.
Nasty and insensitive remarks can only add the detriment of the show's ratings. I was hoping there would be at least one whom I could place my bet on. Alas, none of that calibre showed up in Birmingham, Alabama.
Before we proceed any further in the American Idol 2007, I wish to state categorically that it doesn't have to be another Alabaman, it would be a guy from Kentucky or Alaska.
I don't really care if he's black, white or brown. It is his voice that counts. If he or she is a deserving winner than that's all that matters.
American Idol contest has had an excellent run for the past four years. It would be a terrible shame if it becomes a victim of its own success. Lest not forget, that this is a singing contest and that's how all the contestants should be judged.
If this deteriorates into a popularity contest, it will just be a matter of time before someone pulls the rug from under the network producers.
But one thing's for sure, it is never dull when American Idol is on. The laughs at home are usually accompanied by tears outside the audition room where family members and friends await with much apprehension.
I know it must be difficult at times to console the failed singers. Look, this contest does not forgive poor singers, nor does it lend a helping hand to the weaker voices.
It is a cut-throat business in a way. If a person can't sing, it is best he or she is told immediately. Rather let the person labour the illusion that he has a most marvellous voice, the judges can bring him to the ground immediatel, so that he can pursuit other professions.
That person may very well excel in another chosen path. Why continue to grope in the dark when you can easily step into the sunshine of another profession.
Tonight American Idol goes to Los Angeles and New York. I wonder if those candidates over that are any different from their counterparts in the other cities.
Let their voices be heard, I say. And may God have mercy on our ears.

Memphis and New York

You have got to admire the tens of thousands who showed up in these two cities for the American Idol auditions.
Naturally, we have some potential winners among them. The majority of which were average. A fair number was really vocally challenged. I guess that's one way to put it.
A small number shouldn't really have turned up. They dressed in strange costumes and probably wanted to impress their friends who were waiting at homse to see what they were up to.
Then, there must have been a few who took up the audition challenge as a dare by their friends. Overall, home viewers had their fun, Fox Network had their high ratings, and the three judges had some headaches.
There must have been some moments there when one or even all of them, Paula, Randy and Simon were wondering if it was all worth their time and money. This American Idol show has been going on for a better part of six years.
I guess the auditions are the most gruelling for the judges. Imagine, you have to sit through this compulsory chore for weeks and weeks and it involves a lot of travelling.
I can see the frustration on Simon Cowell's face. He's was really peeved at certain stages. Randy is an old pro. He would just pull a face and tried to be civil about the whole thing, especially when a particular candidate has forgotten the lyrics to the song.
Paula is surely one of the kindest people in front of the American Idol cameras. Hurting those who auditioned with insensitive and unnecessary remarks is certainly not her style.
The participants in generally are quite appreciative of Paula's kindness and understanding, as are most of us. All in all, the three judges are a good balance. Simon probably volunteered to play the bad guy role from the beginning.
I thought I heard Simon said: "This guy has just blew Taylor right out of the ballpark." Simon was referring to a male singer who was surprisingly good.
On this remark, some of us must presume that Simon is still not pleased about the results of the last American Idol contest where Taylor Hicks took the grand prize.
In this heart, Simon probably thought Katharine McFee was a much better singer.
Frankly,I agree with Simon Cowell but then this is American television entertainment. So when you "pass the buck" to the millions who sit in front of the TV with their mobile phones in hand, you are actually giving up the right to determine who will be the winner.
The other day, I caught Taylor Hicks on Larry King Live. Taylor candidly remarked that Simong never really liked him throughout the entire American Idol show. But Taylor being the gentleman he is, sugar-coated his remarks about his impression of Simon.
This is the spectacle as well as the unpredictability of reality programmes. The best does not always win. So being the eventual winner does not make that person the best person in the game. It simply means the winner had a bit of luck on his or her side.
Some skills cannot be denied and a whole lot of other factors that cannot be gauged by a ruler and a calculator.
Anyway, New York wasn't very impressive with its supply of willing singers and Memphis, despite being Elvis Presley's home, could do better, but it didn't.
This coming week, I was told, it's going to be Alabama where most of the American Idols come from. Is it something to do with the food and climate down in the South?
Perhaps it's their way of life that makes their voices better or maybe even the genes of those staying there. Who knows? I bet it's going to be interesting.
Meanwhile, after these years, those producing the show are gradually running out of ideas of how to capture the audience's attention. They have not re-invented the wheel, so to speak.
They don't really need to. People everywhere enjoying watching people from somewhere singing and dancing in their own homegrown styles. Of course, these vocalists are not world standard but they sure make our evenings entertaining and lively.
Hmmm... does that indicate a deep psychological need among the masses to get a reassurance that there are many people out there worse off than them. I really wonder.

Life's no longer on the slow track this past week, now that the American Idol 2007 has got off to a roaring start.
Minnespolis and Seattle have sung. The judges have judged and some of us are still stunned by the sea of mediocrity that seemed to have swarmed homes on a global basis.
I know it's not nice to criticise others but this is afterall a reality show. We don't want to remain unemotional about the whole thing. There were a few I thought would make it to the last 24.
But it's really too early to tell. After two days of televised auditioning, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell seemed obviously unimpressed by the majority. I totally agree with them.
It is amazing that there are so many who just went to shock audiences at home. You and I must agree that the minority of deaf-toned people know very well they don't have a ghost of a chance. But that 120 seconds of fame must have been too tempting.
I believe some have actually gone to the audition, believing that they are great singers. It must have been a terrible wake-up call to find out that your own voice is not worth a nickel.
Anyway, that's the American Idol for you. You who sit at home and snigger are obviously having a great time laughing at others. I can't help but sympathise with those who sang their hearts out and got kicked out just the same in the end.
That's life. Better get out first then get humiliated at a later stage. The wonderful think about this very lucrative reality show is that it manages to pull in millions of viewers every year.
I believe Fox Network is milking every second of it. It is a gold mine that simply refuses to be depleted. In the end, only one voice will rule them all.
Since Kelly Clarkson was crowned Queen about six years ago, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Hicks have also ascended the throne. We are all glad for them. It had been one heavenly journey for all the No. 1s.
Tens of millions of votes later, the show still has not slowed down. In fact, it has picked up speed. The pull of the American Idol show is the illusion it creates for all of us at home.
We mentally put ourselves in the shoes of the also-rans and the near-winners. What if we were like so-and-so? What if we were the one who really made it? Life is full of possibilities.
Next week, the show goes on to Memphis and then make pit-stops in several other US cities as well before it all comes together in Hollywood.
We see the tears, the whoops, the joys and the hugs. But it's only the beginning, folks. Never mind the goal post is still very far away. The successful ones with the golden tickets have just had their first taste of success, and what a heady experience it was for them too.
We shared their joy and partook in their celebration. There's hope for them and somehow somewhere inside our hearts, we think there's also some hope for us. Perhaps we too have some hidden talents, even we ourselves do not know about.
American Idol's miracle is this - the eternal spring of hope. It gives hope and a ghost of a chance to everybody, regardless of status and age.
God help us all. The Idol show is back on the road. Just let me grab my cool drink first.