You're going to Hollywood!

I watched American Idol a couple of weeks ago when the four remaining "idols" got to return to their hometown for a visit.  It was amazing to me the turnout, the tears, the quivering teens with their cardboard declarations of love, and the "star quality" that can suddenly earn you the love of an entire town or city, if not the nation.

The final four

And while I "kind of" get that, I still have to wonder, where were all the swooning fans when Scotty was ringing up groceries at the local market or singing at a school function?  Where were all the screaming "We love you Lauryns" when she was singing at her church - why is it  that we only garner that kind of loyalty and blind "I want to marry you" kind of attention when everyone else is paying attention?  Is it some kind of deep intrinsic belief that if everyone else loves you then you must be lovable? Or desirable? Or worthy?  Is it our monkey see, monkey do mentality or is it more simple than that.  Is it simply a matter of money? 

We are not only a celebrity obsessed society, and I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but a nation obsessed with money.  If you have it, we idolize you.  Why do you think the "celebrities", and I use that term loosely, like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Dennis Rodman, Robert Downey Jr,  and Charlie Sheen, just to name few, can not only commit criminal acts, receive a mere slap on the wrist, but come back to open arms, an even brighter celebrity spotlight and possibly an offer to host their own new daytime talk show, write a book or star in a new blockbuster movie?  If any of us "everyday folk", the masses so to speak, even attempted to try that one on, we would live forever with that "bad boy/girl" label, possibly lose not only our jobs but our families as well and severely endanger our "God given" right to be loved.

I have never been the competitive type. I feel that we are all winners in one way or another, or to someone or another.  I think that is why competitive sports always bothered me.  Yes, you are the winner.  But at someone elses' loser expense.  When People magazine declares the most sexy or most beautiful person in the world on their cover, all I can think is, "really, in the world"?  Maybe I take things to literal.  But there is no way that People magazine has seen every person in the world.  So that title loses all credibility for me.  Same with American Idol or these types of shows.  The best singer?  I don't know, I think better singers were voted off much earlier in the game.

street musicians and their "tip" bowl

But again, I'm "just sayin" that until someone is recognizable, reaches some level of fame, their talent, beauty, intellect, offerings, aren't really noted or considered worthy.  And it's sad really, because so much of the best talent, the greatest writers, musicians, creators, people, are still out there somewhere.  And we will probably never take notice of them unless we put the computer on snooze and turn off the TV.

 

From one of my lifetime Canadian Idols, Joni Mitchell, expressing my thoughts exactly.

FOR FREE

I slept last night in a good hotel

I went shopping today for jewels

The wind rushed around in the dirty town

And the children let out from the schools

I was standing on a noisy corner

Waiting for the walking green

Across the street he stood

And he played real good

On his clarinet for free

Now me I play for fortunes

And those velvet curtain calls

I've got a black limousine

And two gentlemen

Escorting me to the halls

And I play if you have the money

Or if you're a friend to me

But the one man band

By the quick lunch stand

He was playing real good for free

Nobody stopped to hear him

Though he played so sweet and high

They knew he had never

Been on their T.V.

So they passed his music by

I meant to go over and ask for a song

Maybe put on a harmony

I heard his refrain

As the signal changed

He was playing real good for free