'Idol' host shouldn't be blamed

By: Zach Wingerter

Posted: 1/31/07

"American Idol" host Simon Cowell's remarks have landed him in the news again, with some media arguing that his comments in season six of the show are "too mean."

The real cruelty isn't what Cowell and co-hosts Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul say - it's that the editors and producers choose the worst auditions out of thousands given and single those people out.

Viewers don't tune in to "American Idol" only to see people sing badly. That's probably 75 percent of the reason, but if Cowell didn't rip on the people and basically say what each viewer is thinking, "American Idol" wouldn't have the audience and success it has now.

Many people show up at auditions just to act stupid and try to get on television. Only a handful of people who make it into the audition room are berated by Cowell and the others without expecting it, and those are the people who get put on TV.

The bad singers are put on TV for two reasons, and people tune in for those two reasons: They are put there to be mocked and for us to feel better about ourselves. That is more cruel than anything Cowell has said.

What's worse is that two of this season's loveable losers, Kenneth Briggs and Jonathan Jayne (the bug-eyed boy who Cowell said resembled a monkey and the portly fellow who sang "God Bless America," respectively), have appeared on the "Today" show, "Access Hollywood" and as guest correspondents on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

If I was holding a serious competition for something and twit after twit gave purposely sub-par performances to try to get on TV instead of focusing on the task at hand, it would annoy me and I would probably react similarly to Cowell. There is no problem with Cowell doing his job and telling it like it is as a human instead of a politically-correct corporate machine.

As it turns out, Jayne is a Special Olympics participant. In response to cruelty allegations, the Special Olympics said in a statement on its Web site: "While polite isn't a word one would normally associate with Cowell and company, a viewing of the episode in question shows that the judges were in fact gracious and very encouraging to Jayne during his rendition of 'God Bless America.'"

There's nothing wrong with laughing at people on "American Idol." There's also nothing wrong with a judge telling someone who sucks that he or she sucks.

It crosses the line, however, when people begin profiting off of generally unknowing people who are labeled victims and given mini-celebrity status.

One of the most famous "Idol" rejects, William Hung, was given a record deal. He now has three CDs out. Hung is taking his "Idol" rejection all the way to the bank, but at what price? It is one thing to be laughed at on national TV, but continuing the charade and extending it to a career of being made fun of is much worse than some Brit's harsh words.

Not one person who has ever bought a William Hung CD has ever done it because they thought Hung was a talented vocalist. His CDs are purchased by people who want to laugh at him. Instead of giving him a record deal and laughing along with the rest of America, Cowell instead told it like it was and went on with the search for talent.

Simon Cowell is not being "too mean" this season. The people who are guilty of that are the networks who are making a buck by putting "Idol" rejects such as Briggs and Jayne on their shows, babying people who are only "victims" because that's what the networks turned them into.

"American Idol" is on Fox Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. and Wednesdays at 8 p.m.