Idol is a British show that’s been made deeply American. This year’s finale caught all that’s weird and yet endearing about our own popular culture in its marraige of convenience between the rhetoric of cell phone driven democracy and amateur singers with back stories. Somehow too, it reminds me of that night with Don McLean after midnight in the Mojave.
What can I say but, “Soul Patrol, Soul Patrol.â€
Article comments
1 - Bliffle
You might be happier if you watch the "Live From Lincoln Center" 30th anniversary program on PBS. Two hours of great music by great performers. Nothing obscure and no unknowns: songs like "Bring in the clowns" and "St' James Infirmary" and performers you can count on, like Pavarotti, Wynton Marsalis, etc.
Try it. You'll like it.
2 - Rita C
Clay disappeared from public view 5 months ago, with periodic teases to his fanclub that we should "open our minds" and that "big things were coming". The fanclub wondered about an AI appearance, but it seemed unlikely because would they have the best selling runner-up sing on a show where they frequently tout that winning is everything? When the news came that he would appear, the rumors were rampant about a duet -- with one of the contestants, with another famous singer -- not a duet with a Clay Aiken impersonator.
It was potentially a cringe-worthy appearance on international television, this young man who likely played up a resemblance to Clay to get himself on TV. It was so astonishing that this young man so loved the real thing, that he allowed his emotion to be shown on TV. Not scripted, not planned, not contrived. A real moment on reality TV. What a lucky stroke for AI. I have a feeling they'll submit this episode for an Emmy.
Clay's bearing on stage comes from 6 tours in 3 years, where he also invites the public to participate in his concerts. He's quite adept at handling all sorts of people in all sorts of impromptu situations. He was also a special needs worker who would not be put-off by anyone who doesn't look/act Hollywood, unlike say Ryan Seacrest. His fans have seen the confident savvy performer for quite awhile; the television audience got its first glimpse on Wednesday. He's worn those clothes before, he's behaved/sang that way before; the hair was different, but consider that everyone in the media always referred to him as a spiky-haired crooner and dismissed him without taking a closer look. Funny that his hair seemed to define him; funny that his hair now has stolen the spotlight away from the winner and even Prince.
3 - chancelucky
Bliffle,
thanks for letting me know about the Lincoln Center Show. To be clear, I very much enjoy watching Idol, though not always for the music. I'm also very fond of watching unkown performers and off the beaten path songs.
Rita, thanks for the Clay Aiken details. I thought he sounded very good (what I could hear over Michael Sandecki) and I also thought Clay was both gracious and showed an ability to laugh at himself.
It was really good Reality Tv.
4 - Elaine McCracken
I've been to a Clay Aiken concert. He is a very talented young man. I will go again if I get a chance.
5 - VALERIE
I PERSONALLY LOVE TAYLOR HICKS!!! I AM FROM BIRMINGHAM AND I'VE SEEN HIM PERFORM BEFORE. WHAT AMERICA DID NOT SEE WAS "HOW TALENTED" HE REALLY IS. HE RELATES TO EVERYONE. HE HAS SHOWMANSHIP. HE IS ENTERTAINING! ISNT THAT WHAT ENTERTAINERS SUPPOSED TO DO?????? ENTERTAIN? MY 5 YEAR OLD CAN STAND UP AND SING, BUT TAYLOR GIVES YOU A REASON TO WANT TO SEE HIM BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOURE GONNA GET, BUT YOU WILL BE ENTERTAINED!!! I LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE DOESNT HAVE TO SHOW HIS CHEST AND HAVE SEXUAL MOVEMENTS (I LIKE HIS MOVES...THEY JUST MAKE YOU WANT TO GRAB HIM & HOLD HIM CLOSE, THAT IS IF YOU CAN CATCH HIM!)
WHAT'S ALL THE SMACK ABOUT THE PURPLE JACKET??? IT LOOKED GOOD!! NOBODY ELSE COULD PULL THAT OFF BUT TAYLOR. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAYLOR'S PURPLE JACKET AND ELVIS' BLUE SUEDE SHOES???
LETS NOT FORGET THAT GRAY HAIR!! IT JUST BRINGS OUT HIS DEEP EYES. BESIDES THAT, PEOPLE SPEND SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY TRYING TO LOOK YOUNG AND TAYLOR PROVED THAT YOU CAN HAVE GRAY HAIR AND IT DOESNT MAKE YOU "OLD" IT MAKES YOU NOTICABLE. (I WONDER HOW MANY MORE MEN ARE GONNA KEEP INVESTING IN THAT "JUST FOR MEN" HAIR COLORING???) AT 49 YEARS OLD, I WISH MY GRAY HAIR WAS AS PRETTY AS HIS!!
I CANT WAIT TO SEE HIM WHEN HE GETS BACK HOME BECAUSE TAYLOR IS..... JUST TAYLOR! AND HE IS MY "WHITE SOUL BROTHER".
6 - kfc
Of all the semi-stars who have emerged from the Idol machine, the one who couldn't have gotten America's attention without Idol is Clay Aiken. Aiken also happens to be the most sexually ambiguous of all Idol finalists.
Thank you, Chancelucky, for a very well-written article; it was handled fairly, intelligently, facetiously and with a positive frame of reference. You covered all the important musical eras, and ,of course, I was able to remember most of them...lol
In all honesty, American Idol is just a few steps away from being the modern-day version of the Ed Sullivan Show or the Andy Williams Hour etc. etc...via which, the up-and-comming and sexually-ambiguous stars of the day, got to display their talent to the huge audiences of that time.As no blogs were available at that time, no negative or hurtful innuendoes received as widespread attention as they do today. Thank goodness.
Elvis was definitely considered an oddity when he first appeared on the scene; but,in spite of the rumours about him, he made it..and made it big. If Clay told the public today, that a fourteen year old girl in his back bedroom was intended as his future wife once she grew up..and, that nothing was going on,now...who would believe him? Elvis didn't s...around. He was faithful to his 'intended'. I mean..here was a guy who was so blatantly sexual in his performances...and hot looks....and everyone believed his story.
Clay writes a book completely baring his soul about his dysfunctional upbringing..his almost 'total dependance' on the main women in his life, his daily interaction with bullies, his love for disabled children...he rises to fame with little time for a personal life....(no wife-to-be- in the picture..as he's still only 24 years old) and..all of a sudden, some 'bully' from his own home town decides he's going to assasinate Clay's character and get even with him for all the hurt, he, himself, has suffered. All of a sudden, Clay becomes 'sexually ambiguous'...and smeared all over the headlines.
The difference between Elvis and Clay??? It's called 'Anonymous' and it blogs all over the universe. It spreads hate and destroys everything it touches. Truth has become a thing of the past.
I suspect I watch the show because I want to believe in music, any shared music, in a time where discord or even apocalypse is always just below the surface in America--chancelucky
Yes, we had the cold war going on then; music was a way to forget our worries. Then we had the Vietnam War and now the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We still have our music; we still have our Taylor Hicks to give our lives the appearance of normalcy; and we still have our wonderful Clay Aiken to give our world that jolt of excitement and joie de vivre that enables us to accept the current condition of the world.
I hope American Idol never changes; I hope the Taylor Hicks, Kellie Picklers, Katherine McPhees and Kevin Corvais et all never stop trying to change the world or to lighten it with song. And I certainly hope that Clay Aiken never allows the naysayers of the world to stop his joy and beauty and good works from turning our world into a better and more exciting place to live. Clay is the only singer today who can connect the dots between the long list of wonderful singers we've enjoyed in the past with the hope of more beautiful music to come. Thank you, Clay Aiken.
Red Deer Alberta Canada
7 - chancelucky
Red Deer,
thanks for the long-thoughtful comment. One of my earlier reviews compared the cultural impact of Idol to Ed Sullivan, so yes I agree. People often forget how "unuusual" a lot of musical icons personal lives were Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc. I'm not sure what would have happened to any of them were they to try to make it in the post-blog mp3 entertainment world.
I do want to say quite clearly that I have no idea what Clay's private life is like. I was commenting mostly about the way the producers appeared to b handling the whole image thing.
I hope he continues to be a success musically.
8 - TJ Allen
You should have kept your article very short.
9 - chancelucky
IfTJ, if it's too long for you, don't read it.
10 - bkmc
I'm running behind...loved the article. Also adore Clay and Taylor and hope for their continued success.
11 - chancelucky
bkmc,
thanks for your kind comment. That's the great thing about the internet, at least so far. You find things when you're ready to find them unless of course you're desperate to find something then it simply becomes unfindable.