Can Monkeys Sing: American Idol Television Show

published in Storytime Tapestry and gather.com

The new season of American Idol started on January 16th, 2007 and most of you know I love the show. I have already written how much I look forward to it and how I love to see young talent prosper. Some of these kids are really good and really do deserve a break in such a cut throat industry.

It has always astounded me how some really talented people never get discovered while other totally untalented people make it really big. But then the music industry can be like writing, you need to know how to market. Madonna is a prime example of that, she admits she isn't a great singer but she can market herself. She is a real business woman. I read once that Stephen King also mentioned he did not write all that well but he knows how to market.

It has been said that you need connections to get ahead in the music industry, or just about any major industry these days.

So many careers have been launched by Puff Daddy and so on. I read that J. K. Rawlings tried for 5 years to get her million dollar series "Harry Potter" published and only after she found a friend in the big publishing house did she get a chance to publish her work. Having said all that, most people don't know anyone remotely connected to their aspired profession or craft.

Therefore, when I hear stories of a Texas waitress or a poor single mom from North Carolina making it to the big times it makes me happy.

What doesn't make me happy is the recent attitude of Simon Cowell. The man has always been down right rude and nasty but this season he has gone over the top. He sat there in the judges seat all night slumped over with a scowl on his face; clearly reflecting his vile mood. He was totally unprofessional in his demeanor.

As usual his comments were not called for. There is one thing telling someone they can't sing and quite another to personally attack them. Albeit, this year there are some very strange looking contestants, a few of them looked like they were mentally ill and to that I say,

"so what. "

I revel in their courage to try out for such a tough competition.

One young man had large bulgy eyes and Simon told him he looked like a monkey. Now tell me, how can anyone said to be a professional say such a thing, let alone be allowed to say it on public TV.

The young man was terribly hurt, and who could blame him? My personal opinion is that if Simon doesn't shape up then he should step down and give someone else a chance who cares about the job and the kids he/she will be judging. I am surprised that nobody has sued him yet.