I am feeling 100% better today!!! I will NOT say “one-hundred-million-percent” because I DESPISE it when the judges on American Idol say that. So cheesy. But I do feel like I was never sick.
But I still say it was NEVER heartburn.
Anyway, speaking of American Idol, I’m not one to blog about TV shows much, but something about last night’s show made me thoughtful. And QUITE uncomfortable.
Namely, a couple of the “bad” contestants. I usually enjoy the bad ones as much as the next AI fan – It’s great (and terrible) entertainment.
However.
Two of them last night were 17 years old. Still in High School.
The yellow haired boy and the half red, half blue haired girl (obviously, both of them could have used some schooling about hair dye as well as singing).
You could tell that they were both extraordinarily awkward teens as it was, and I’m sure that they get made fun of in school already.
American Idol went out of their way (as they do with all “bad” contestants) to show their awkwardness and complete unawareness of their own lack of talent.
And all I could think about was “what is going to happen when they go to school tomorrow?”
As if they weren’t already teased enough. Practically every kid saw them on TV last night. Today is a rough day for them.
The thing is, I’m not going to say “don’t make fun of anyone”, because most of the terrible singers that come on AI are TRYING to make it on TV, and sure – it’s good entertainment.
And truth be told, the two teenagers in question may have been also.
However, I think that American Idol should have an “over 21 years old” rule for completely tearing people apart.
Why? Because most adults learn to “be nice” and “not make fun of” people that are different than them (at least ones down here in the South do).
However, most teenagers typically have no concept of this. Teenagers are brutal. Ruthless.
AND teenagers being made fun of are much more affected by the criticism and teasing from others than adults are.
I’m just afraid that something tragic is going to happen at some point.
Any thoughts? Am I being too “politically correct”?
I’m certainly very un-P.C. as a rule – I just think there needs to be an extra layer of protection for teenagers who choose to use the national stage to embarrass themselves.
I agree. It is so sad, and you are right. Kids are already SO cruel…Now they have one more reason to make fun of them.
I always feel horribly sorry for those teens who truly think they are good, and then they just turn out to be terrible. Why is it always the socially awkward kids whose parents or families tell them how good they are, and then let them go embarass themselves instead of gently telling them the truth?
The age should be at least 18, if not 21.
I agree with the you in that something terrible will happen one day because of the way the teens are treated. I also agree the age for AI should be changed, probably to 20 – 29. The kids still get a chance later if that is really wahat they want to do. I know this is supposed to be entertainment but, making fun of people and humiliating them at any level is wrong. Ask Jesus!! LYB, k
Actually, I wasn’t really proposing that they change the minimum age of the whole competition – just to have minimum age of 21 for making fun of the bad contestants. A lot of the teenagers are awesome singers, and I wouldn’t want to disclude them to solve the problem.
I’m sure some people would say that they are ‘just asking for it,’ but what about those kids that truly, deeply, believe (and have been told by their family members–they need to be beaten) they are good at singing? I agree with you. Just leave the teens out of it. If they are 20-years-old and still making fools of themselves in college or what-have-you, then by all means, fry ’em. LOL I am very sensitive to teens, too. I always played favorites when it came to the underdog in high school. I would turn my back on all my grunge, cheerleader, or nerdy friends if they were picking on someone.