American Idol

I don’t know about your family, but my family is addicted to American Idol.

It’s become similar to a family who has to cheer for their favorite sports team. We all plan our schedules around what time the show starts and whether or not we have enough blank tapes to tape it if we are going to be out for the evening.

We even know which friends of ours also like the show and we sometimes call and exchange our opinions about the contestants. When we were in FL with my family, we raced over to my brother’s house to watch the show with their family. My parents were watching something else and we COULDN”T miss the show!

I especially love the judges. I like the mix of them and how they all have their own personalities when critiquing the contestants. I like it that Paula is always a motivator and that Randy struggles for words. He’s very sensory though and knows what he likes. I also love the comments that Simon makes and the fact that he is SO English!

Right now, I have some very strong opinions about the contestants. I like the ones who are true to themselves. I like the ones who don’t have to try too hard. And I like the ones who know who they are.

Kind of like in real life.

My favorite contestant from day one has been Carrie Underwood. She’s beautiful without trying too hard and she’s sweet and pure. She’s got an unbelievable voice and I love the country sound without the twang. Tonight she looked like she was staring in a “soap commercial” from the 1950’s according to Simon. I thought that was dead on!

I think Constintine tries to hard. Even though Paula is falling in love with him and Simon gave him a 9 for his “pout” tonight, I want to shake him when he looks lovingly in the camera like he’s trying to seduce someone. He’s sending out these I’m HOT under the covers look and trying to get the young girls gushing over him. What it appears to me is that he’s trying TOO hard to be sexy and that’s a negative. Once when he sang a David Cassidy song, Paula made the comment that he was trying to have fun and playful with the song. Instead of saying that he just wanted to TRY it to see if he could update it, he went along exactly with Paula and said he was playing a joke.

OH PLEASE! Have a backbone!

I really like Bo Bice even though I’m not a rock fan. He’s authentic and fun.

And Anthony! What a voice and what a doll. He’s a bit on the sweet side but he’ll have a good career as a musician somewhere. His voice is really good. Simon slams him every time but I really love his voice. Nadia is talented and pretty and memorable. Vonzelle, while a wonderful singer just doesn’t have that IT factor in my opinion. She is very sweet, but I don’t feel she gives of herself in her performances.

Scott is going to get the boot soon I think. He has had a “checkered past” and although he is now living his dream and has had a hard life .. he still has a shaky voice in many of his performances. And I don’t know why, but Nikko drives me nuts. I don’t like his glasses or something. He just seems a bit “off” to me. I don’t feel like I can trust him.

I really love Anwar Robinson. Finally tonight he swung his beautiful dread locks around and got into the music. I want him to get more passionate on stage and really go for it. His voice is gorgeous, but he seems so shy on stage and I really want him to just loosen up and have fun!

Simon was right about Jessica. He said she didn’t have a “likeability” factor. I wish I could have worked with her. I would have helped her determine where her spark was and present that to the world. She just was like a sweet puppy. She’d be run over in the music world without the gumption to stand up for herself.

I love the story about Clay Aiken. Simon wanted him to name his first album CLAY AIKEN but Clay didn’t want to. Simon tried to force him to but Clay didn’t want his name on an album that wasn’t his music. He had the guts to stand up to his producer and named it what he wanted to which was Measure of a Man. With or without his name attached to it, Clay had the innocence that America loves, with the talent and the drive to back it up. He was a star and he knew it. Even before he got second place in the show.

I was sure that Michalia (spelling? ) would be knocked out of the competition early. Her voice couldn’t’ hold a candle to the other women. But her personality is completely over the top and completely unique. I am guessing that MANY people didn’t like her. But I predict that she will have a very long career as an actor. She’ll probably get her own sit com. That girl is hysterical! She’s loud! She’s abrasive! She’s arrogant! But she is funny! She’ll appeal to a certain type of older group. And she’ll appeal to people to are creative and free to be outrageous themselves. She’s different, and different IS what stands out.

So many people have NO idea who they are. They go through their whole life willing to be whoever other people want them to be. They mold to the times. They change with the wind. They seem a bit spineless at times although they may possess great skill or talent or intelligence.

I believe that this is one of the hardest things to know about yourself is WHO you really are. It’s more than your morals, your values and your beliefs. It’s how you LIVE your life every day. It’s whether you walk the talk. Do you keep to your word. Do you try your very best in your job and in your life. Do you suffer in silence or do you let the whole world know?

I find that knowing that each of us was created by God for a reason helps. I find that remembering that the journey isn’t a destination but that the lessons along the way will shape and mold us into the person we are meant to become.

I just hope we enjoy the journey! If not, we can always watch the American Idols enjoying theirs.