Judges? No - American Idol Must Focus on Contestants

For the last two weeks or so, entertainment websites have been buzzing about the judges table on American Idol. We knew all along Simon would be gone. Then suddenly, Ellen gracefully bows out after her lackluster season. And nobody knows what's up with Kara DioGuardi - she's in TV limbo somewhere. So all of the attention is going toward the replacements.

Celebrity names have come and gone through various sources. Harry Connick Jr., Shania Twain, and Jessica Simpson are all out of the picture. Elton John, a potentially awesome choice, reportedly wanted too much money. Steven Tyler is spewing his own rumors though nothing has been confirmed. The one possibility that almost seemed certain was Jennifer Lopez, but her diva demands seem to be getting in the way of anything final.

This is all well and good. Keeps Idol in the news. And Nigel Lythgoe is smart enough to know whoever the judges are, they must have great chemistry. It's the crucial element to any good series, whether scripted or "reality." But Idol is in dire need of some fixin'. Okay, dire may be a stretch. After all, it still roped in millions of viewers during primetime on a network; a rarity, indeed. But I'm going to be honest with you. I did not watch this last season of American Idol. And that's kind of a big deal.

I've been an avid fan since the end of season 2. I watched it all - auditions, Hollywood week, semi-final rounds, the big 10... all the way up to the grand finale. I remember when Carrie Underwood won over Bo Bice, when Fantasia dropped to the floor (by the way, I feel very sorry for Fantasia, I really do), David Cook's genius takes on the Beatles and Mariah Carey, and, well, everything Adam Lambert did. I could not, however, tell you any of the contestants names this year, not even the guy who won (it was a guy, right?). I did watch some of the auditions and most of Hollywood week, but completely lost interest after that. And sure, apart of me missed Paula but it was more than that. It was the contestants. I couldn't care less about them.

I'm not entirely sure what the problem is but I'm willing to take a guess. This will be Idol's tenth season. The kids who are auditioning now were only 5 or 6 when the show started. They literally grew up with it and within the whole "reality/competition" television trend. Anyone who is serious about getting on the show can do their homework. They know how to play the game - what gets camera time, what gets Ryan Seacrest's attention, what pitchy means. It's now all an act. Which, to be fair, is what a lot of reality TV really is: an act. BUT - let's remember Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson or even Allison Iraheta. They were genuine. They struggled. They made honest mistakes and tried to fix them - all while staying true to themselves (for the most part).


While it may be darn near impossible to find contestants who don't know the game, it might be wise for Idol to put its efforts into finding interesting, real contestants. That way, no matter who the judges are, the audience will care enough to form their own opinions and fight about them in the "comments" section of recaps. Isn't that what competition shows are all about?

(Photo Credit: FOX)

Toy Story 3: Not Just a Child's Play Thing

Since 1995, I've seen every Pixar film in theaters with only one exception: A Bug's Life. I waited for the VHS on that one. So excluding one, that's ten films. Starting with Monsters Inc., I've seen every film more than once in theaters. That's because I was finally at age where I didn't need a parent to drive me to the movie theater. Let's see...

Monsters Inc. - 3 times
Finding Nemo - 3 times
The Incredibles - 2 times
Cars - 3 times
Ratatouille - 2 times
Wall-E - at least 5 times
Up - 2 times
Toy Story 3 - once

Okay, now keep in mind there are a lot of different factors as to why I saw some more than others. Clearly, Wall-E was just my favorite. I wish that film was in theaters permanently. But I've only seen Toy Story 3 once. And it's not for a lack of loving the movie. I loved it. Genius. Not for a lack of money or time, either. It's because ... it hurts.

Most Pixar movies have major emotional moments. Whenever Andrew Stanton writes and/or directs, you know death isn't far behind. And why not? It's part of what makes these movies more than kids fare. Up hits me very hard - I sob through the entire opening and then again at the end of the second act. I still saw that one twice.

But I cannot seem to bring myself to watch Toy Story 3 again, no matter how good it is. The mere thought of watching those toys, the ones my friends and I spent recess mimicking in the 5th grade, hold hands as they accept their fate... it breaks my heart.

My love of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang helped me define myself. Toy Story 2 came out in 1999. I was a freshman in high school. My two best friends and I planned to see the movie opening night. While at our friend's house, we were playing on her computer. Suddenly a boy we liked IMed her. He asked what we were doing that night. The three of us looked at each other. Do we lie? Say "hanging out at the mall duh. u?"  Or maybe there was a more teen-appropriate movie we could say we're seeing. No. Collectively we agreed to tell him the truth, and let his judgements fall where they may. Anyone who's been a 14-year-old knows how difficult it is to risk sounding uncool. We had every opportunity to change our story. But we didn't. The boy made fun of us, of course. But the moral of the story? We stayed true to who we were. It wasn't easy. But it was the beginning of a long lesson in staying true to yourself.

So how could I watch Andy struggle with his decision? I wanted to yell at the screen "Take them to college! Who cares?" Andy's final decision was brave and selfless. Admirable traits. Great ending. Doesn't matter. It's a coming of age story that hits too close to home. I live through it. Why must I watch Woody and Buzz go through it, too?

I am hoping to see Toy Story 3 one more time before it goes out of theaters. But it's taken me six weeks. And I'm still not fully recovered. I just hope that little girl loves those toys as much as I do.

(Image Credit: Pixar)