American Idol: How Would You React If Someone Came to Interview for Your Profession?

There has been a lot of back and forth on the appropriateness of this season's American Idol. The judges seem to be extra cruel to people whose mental states are questionable. The first thing to remember is that most of the first few rounds are for entertainment. Look at how many thousands of people are in the stadiums. No one can possibly believe that the few who see the judges are the best of the bunch. Clearly they take the best, the worst and the bizarre.

I've heard many arguments in favor of the Idol judges. Anyone who goes on that show should know, especially by season six, that they are going to mocked and humiliated. On the contrary, there are those who genuinely believe they can sing, are giving it their all and truly are shocked at the response of the judges.

I want to preface that I do not condone the behavior of the Idol judges for the most part. Mocking physical appearance for entertainment value is nothing more than a parade of disgusting American ideas of "reality" entertainment.

I'd like to, however, make a defense on the part of the response from the judges. If you were working at a corporate law firm in Manhattan and were conducting interviews for a high-paying, high profile position how would you react to a potential employer if they displayed half of what we see strutting into the Idol audition room? If someone came in dressed inappropriate and acting like a buffoon, wouldn't you be angry? Would you not feel like your time was being wasted? Would you not cite your criticism to the interviewee?

I have a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in theatre. Although I am not in the same industry as the Idol business, I am under the larger umbrella industry of the performing arts. We expect interview candidates who are applying to be lawyers and doctors to come to the interview room as professional and prepared and qualified as possible. Why then do people think that the Idol auditions can be treated as a joke? I am sick of seeing contestant after contestant making a mockery out of my chosen industry. It's no wonder people in the arts get no respect.

Overall, I think the judges need to do a better job assessing the difference between those who genuinely think they can sing, and those who are just looking for their fifteen minutes of fame by acting like idiots. Quite frankly, it is a shame on the producers for even giving some of those people the time of day on camera. We should be seeing the best of the best. How insulting it is that many amazing singers are not even put through to Randy, Simon and Paula, but these attention-seekers are allowed to make fools of themselves, of the industry as a whole, and quite frankly they are making fools of the people who actually think public ridicule is entertaining. At what point did America wake-up and decide that mocking another person on national tv was funny?

There are plenty of shows to watch for those who enjoy peer ridicule. Every Saturday night we are graced with the likes of MADtv and Saturday Night Live just to name a few. Those shows are comprised of actors who can offer similar senses of humor, without the actual deprecating of another human being. So my argument is two-fold. If you audition for Idol and insult my field of work with your pathetic excuse of an audition, then you deserve some criticism. On the contrary, let's show some humanity and stop subjecting these people to the wrath of the judges. They should never be allowed in to see Simon. The producers should be just as ashamed as the person auditioning.

The first few weeks are painful to watch, and although I support the show for other reasons, I prefer to watch the later weeks, when we can see real talent being constructively criticized. I support the show overall, because anyone in this business knows that it is not always about doing good work, but about getting the opportunity to do good work. Idol gives voice to many singing artists that otherwise may never stand a chance in this competitive industry. Overall, that is the real merit of the show. In spite of the flack it receives as being too commercial, it still gives struggling artists a chance, and credit should be given where credit is due.