The Idol Bum

Yes, I watch American Idol. To be honest there have been many times that I do enjoy the show, but I probably wouldn’t watch it as much if my wife didn’t love it. That being said tonight was the season nine season finale and the last show for Simon Cowell. The producers of the finale tried to put together a star studded music fest full of emotional goodbyes to Simon, as well as a huge amount of returning contestants including 7 out of the 8 past winners. There were duets with the contestants and performances by Bret Michaels, The Bee Gees, Janet Jackson, Chicago (sans Peter Cetera), Christina Aguilera, Hall and Oates, Alanis Morrisette, Michael McDonald, and Joe Cocker. Any other time I probably would have said that this was a fun two hours of music, but this time the producers were able to turn the season nine finale into a complete bore fest.

Simon Cowell has always been loved and hated for his straight forward thinking, and overall rudeness, or honesty, depending on how you looked at it. I always thought he was the smartest guy on the show, and after seeing the finale, let alone the whole season, Simon is just proving that he is still the smartest guy in the room, by leaving. Next year Simon will be on the American version of his UK talent show The X-Factor.

There was not one exciting or musically enjoyable moment in the entire two hours. Sure, it was cool seeing all the past winners together on stage (all but David Cook was there), and it was great seeing Bret Michaels up and around singing “Every Rose Has It Thorn”. Also, Janet looked great, as always, but still the show was still awkward and lackluster.

The biggest joke of the night was a big version of the infamous song from the auditions called “Pants on the Ground”, not only did it feature the songs creator Larry Platt, but many of the notorious audition round rejects like William Hung. The whole thing was completely laughable.

When the big announcement was coming up I really didn’t care much. Then when Lee Dewyze was named the winner over Crystal Bowersox, I cared even less. Crystal should have been the clear-cut winner, and was a week-to-week consistent Janis-like joy to watch. She is an original talent, and even though she didn’t win it all, she will, with out a doubt, be a more commercially successful artist then Lee Dewyze. It just goes to show that as American Idol’s ratings decline over the years, it has become mostly teenage girls that are doing the voting. Over the last 3 years it has been young guys that have won, David Cook, Kris Allen, and now Lee Dewyze, all with the same sound.

American Idol will always be a success, but just like this years season finale it has become increasingly boring, and will never be the powerhouse it once was. The one thing that might bring it back its former glory is the person they pick to fill Simon’s chair, but even then it will always come down to the talent.