Thursday, January 18, 2007

Wednesday's Faves and Flops--a day late

A bit late, yes, but umm... motherhood has been calling. And my computer game. And burning DVD's of the 28 (you should see the stack) mini DV's we have made over the years. I've burned about 4 so far, I think. Using Pinnacle Studio 9 on my laptop here--quicker than our PC downstairs, but still takes at least 2-3 hours per DVD. That's my winter project. So, burning DVD's in the morning while Meg's in preschool, then playing my computer game in the afternoon while they're asleep. I've got a full day! I actually have managed to be productive today. I washed some laundry, exercised, dressed a chicken for supper (you should see his tux--haha!), and burned a DVD. I even managed to fix my hair and brush my teeth before I picked up the kids from preschool. Attempted to burn another DVD this afternoon, but it froze up, so now I'm gracing you with this post.


My fave and flop of the day (or yesterday) is American Idol. Out of the countless reality shows on TV, this is the only one I keep up with. I love to hear the diversity of the contestants and the first week, they show all the preliminary auditions from across the country. Listening ranges from goose-bumpy to absurd as they move on from one contestant to the next. That's my fave--never knowing what talent ,or lack thereof, may come next. My flop this year though--the judging is really getting harsh. Yes, Simon Cowell has always been a jerk, but this time around Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson are dishing it out too. I'm sure it's a ploy to beef up ratings, but putting a 16 year old boy down so hard that he's literally weeping on his mother's shoulder--now that's just mean. I'm concerned about all the impressionable pre-teens and teens out there that watch the show too, thinking their self-worth may be tied up to whether they can be famous or not, whether they have celebrity talent. Heck, even I daydream when I watch it. I can only imagine how a 16 year old girl must feel. And these kids the judges are bashing (if it's not staged)--what impact will that have in their life? I can totally respect the bashing of the crazies who come on there just to be seen. There was a guy dressed up as "Apollo Creed" from the Rocky movies, all decked out in red/white/blue boxing shorts and crazy top hat--singing OPERA! A girl who sang like the growling lion in the Wizard of Oz. And a red-haired 27 year old software engineer that tortured everyone's ears with the worst "Unchained Melody" I've ever heard. Go ahead and bash those people, but give the 16 year old kids--yes, even the kid who juggled while he sang--a little slack.
A few people I did see were very promising and had great stories. One was a 16 year old girl who had been a "crack baby" and had a great voice. Another (*see above pic) had left Colombia, South America with only a couple back packs and a teddy bear when she was 15 and went from periods of being homeless, sleeping in her car, to this audition, where she won a spot for the Hollywood trials. She sounds amazingly like Shakira, who happens to hail from Brazil. I'll keep watching. Let me know if you watch too.

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