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.