Kind of agree. These kids must have some talent and a lot of people are very interested in their voices and songs. OTOH, would I "put my hand in my pocket" and pay to phone in and boost their career chances and propel them on to millionaire status? Not a chance! I'm willing to listen to them and rout for my favourite, but if they want to make it, they can do it on their own merits and not from my subsidy.

>40 million or so twice a week, yeah.
>
>Such a lot of elitism in this thread. (At least you have the excuse of being a classically trained musician). To me it's a fun show, with the interesting horse race angle. I watch very little TV but enjoy Idol. No, it's not advancing western civilization, but so what?
>
>Next week I'll be watching the finale while you work on your human potential ;-)
>
>
>>High five, bro. I've never seen any point to the whole idol thing, but "waste of human potential" covers most of what's on TV. <g>
>>
>>The winner from last season's Idol was on the Today show this morning. (No, I don't know why.) She said she was going to be on this season's finale to "pass the torch". People care?
>>
>>
>>>Mike,
>>>
>>>> a show that is watched by 30 to 40 million viewers per episode.... Out of a claimed 50 million votes
>>>
>>>40 million person hours to watch the show, and maybe 100 million person minutes spent voting.. what a waste of human potential.
>>>
>>>>Thoughts? Predictions?
>>>
>>>Who of any of these people involved will be respected musicians 50 years from now? I doubt that any of these "manufactured by the industry" performers will be around in even 10 years. The whole concept of this show has really irked me from the inception. .. trying to decide which of my CDs originally recorded in the 60's I'll pop in the player... or what band I might go downtown to see play at a club or festival this weekend. hmmm Ruthie Foster is playing a free show tonight at Unplugged at the Grove might just have to start the weekend early.