Poor America. They played it safe. Choose them the good ole country boy, church-lovin', easy-listening, vanilla pudding, Kris Allen for their next idol. Despite his mediocre talent and his "awe, shucks" attitude absolutely devoid of star power, Kris won. Am I bitter? Yes.
Somehow I got completely sucked into AI, in its eighth year mind you, and have taken the final decision personally. And why shouldn't I? I even voted! Not once, but twice! If you would have asked me five years ago if I would give a rats ass about some dumb reality show, I would have scoffed, snorted and turned my nose up at the idea. Look at me today. Sigh.
In my earlier post, I alluded to our family's current idol obsession and attribute it to my kids' desire to sing for their school. Maybe we just have too much time on our hands at night?? Either way, I'm going to try and skip Season Nine all together. I simply cannot make such an emotional and time commitment, to have it carelessly tossed aside because millions of teen and tweeny-boppers find Kris the boy-next-door Allen more dreamy and attainable than Adam the ambiguously gay single. Seriously.
I guess I should have known that America isn't ready to openly crown such a flamboyant king. I'm thinking maybe the past decade or so of moral-based politics and fear-driven policies have done some serious damage to the free-spirited souls who used to worship bands like KISS and Queen, who embraced androgyny-clad rockers like Bowie or Alice Cooper. Man, the 70s kicked some ass, didn't it? Even if you don't like those artists, you have to admire their spirit and willingness to be different.
It's a shame that Adam Lambert spent the entire season dodging questions about his sexuality, always responding with "I'm just me." What is wrong with that America??? Will it take every cotton-pickin state to be OK with gays before we can openly appreciate a reality tv star? I guess we just aren't ready to roll with a glamazon. Not yet, anyhow.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
A Clark Sweep
I'm not sure if it's the American Idol mania that has taken over our house, but my kids are totally psyched about singing these days. Not just singing in the shower singing (which they do a lot of), but singing at the table, singing while they do homework, singing on the toilet... a lot of singing. I do my share of singing too, only it's usually while I'm alone at home. Kev of course sings while on stage, but never at home. I guess there's only so much singing one family can do. Or is there...
A couple of weeks ago both kids entered their school talent competition, Paideia Idol. And, won! Yup, both of them!!! It was a Clark sweep. Keller did a solo song/dance number to "We Will Rock You", while Cyre entered a group competition and won for "That's What You Get", a tween favorite by "Twilight" contributors, Paramore. Even I won something, a door prize. Ironically, my prize was a bunch of beauty products and a free facial courtesy of Modern Salon. Go figure.
Anyhow, there was so much Clark love in the house at the show, some kids started a rumor that the whole thing was fixed. With Kevin in charge of the soundboard, it would be easy to see why some sour grapes would make such unethical charges. We do live in times of recent wire-tapping scandals and secret torture memos...Anyhow, let me just set the record straight; we did not cheat. Our kids sang their hearts out and were rewarded for their efforts.
Does this mean the Disney channel will be knocking on our door anytime soon? Probably not. But it means that our kids got a major boost of confidence and Kev and I boasting rights. And, some great memories to laugh over for years to come. Keller's breakout break dance during the instrumental part of the song had everyone in tears. His energy and efforts just can't go unrecognized. As one teacher said "I just love his little white self!" Though he didn't exactly inherit the funk gene, his fearlessness to put himself out there is inspiring.
Cyre, on the other hand, does get extreme stage fright but has decided it's better to face her fears than just live with them. Couldn't we all just have a little of that? Please? Her tiny but powerful stage swagger is awesome. She's just got it. I know, it sounds like a typical mother, but it's not. So many people have commented on how comfortable she seems on stage. And how crazy photogenic she is. She's not a diva or a glamazon, just a regular kid who loves to perform. Did Miley "Radiohead better acknowledge me or else" Cyrus start off that way? I sure hope not!
It's good to let kids go for their dreams. Not in a crazed baseball-mugging-dad kind of way, but in a "give it your best; winning isn't everything" kind of way. Shoot - I like to pretend to turn up the stereo to 11, rock out to Guitar Hero, and imagine I'm Kurt Cobain. (Definitely don't pretend I'm Courtney Love; don't want to play rehab) Does it mean I'm ever going to tour the country in a cruddy van? Nope. Just means I pay tribute to my musical dreams. And sometimes they can come true. Just ask my kids.
A couple of weeks ago both kids entered their school talent competition, Paideia Idol. And, won! Yup, both of them!!! It was a Clark sweep. Keller did a solo song/dance number to "We Will Rock You", while Cyre entered a group competition and won for "That's What You Get", a tween favorite by "Twilight" contributors, Paramore. Even I won something, a door prize. Ironically, my prize was a bunch of beauty products and a free facial courtesy of Modern Salon. Go figure.
Anyhow, there was so much Clark love in the house at the show, some kids started a rumor that the whole thing was fixed. With Kevin in charge of the soundboard, it would be easy to see why some sour grapes would make such unethical charges. We do live in times of recent wire-tapping scandals and secret torture memos...Anyhow, let me just set the record straight; we did not cheat. Our kids sang their hearts out and were rewarded for their efforts.
Does this mean the Disney channel will be knocking on our door anytime soon? Probably not. But it means that our kids got a major boost of confidence and Kev and I boasting rights. And, some great memories to laugh over for years to come. Keller's breakout break dance during the instrumental part of the song had everyone in tears. His energy and efforts just can't go unrecognized. As one teacher said "I just love his little white self!" Though he didn't exactly inherit the funk gene, his fearlessness to put himself out there is inspiring.
Cyre, on the other hand, does get extreme stage fright but has decided it's better to face her fears than just live with them. Couldn't we all just have a little of that? Please? Her tiny but powerful stage swagger is awesome. She's just got it. I know, it sounds like a typical mother, but it's not. So many people have commented on how comfortable she seems on stage. And how crazy photogenic she is. She's not a diva or a glamazon, just a regular kid who loves to perform. Did Miley "Radiohead better acknowledge me or else" Cyrus start off that way? I sure hope not!
It's good to let kids go for their dreams. Not in a crazed baseball-mugging-dad kind of way, but in a "give it your best; winning isn't everything" kind of way. Shoot - I like to pretend to turn up the stereo to 11, rock out to Guitar Hero, and imagine I'm Kurt Cobain. (Definitely don't pretend I'm Courtney Love; don't want to play rehab) Does it mean I'm ever going to tour the country in a cruddy van? Nope. Just means I pay tribute to my musical dreams. And sometimes they can come true. Just ask my kids.
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