Yes, we have been watching American Idol. [Say what you will, but remember that the first step is admitting that you have a problem!]

Anyway, here is what I just don’t get. The contestants are supposed to be the next pop music star. Videos, record sales, awards. [okay, never mind that there has really only been one commercially successful “find” so far.] Rules are you have to be under 30 (before it was like under 24 but they ran out of talented yungins. I guess). I digress again. FOCUS!

Okay, so the contestants are young, talented, and attractive to the appropriate demographic of other young people. People who might actually vote for them. So they drag out these ghosts and corpses and nipped and tucked versions of formerly famous entertainers to help give advice. Remember

♠ Barry Manilow?
♥ Kenny Rogers?
♦ Music by the band QUEEN? (right out of a bad movie)
♣ Rod Stewart? (doing his best tony bennet)

Its a wonder half of them are still alive, and pathetic that they are trotted out as icons to the people who were not even born when they had a hit on the radio.

Even dumber, this week they made them all sing Queen songs. Note to Idol producers: Queen isn’t POP music. There isn’t actually 8 songs with a signable melody.

Gawd!