Radixhound

I watched Canadian Idol last night. I hadn’t seen it since the first one in 2003 and I have to say I quite enjoyed watching it. This morning I found myself reflecting on the show and what I can learn from it.

The short version? Be grateful and generous and grab your truth strainer!

Idols Don’t Get Respect from the Music Industry

The first thing I was reflecting on was how Idols generally don’t get much respect from people in the music industry. What they say is that they don’t have a lot of credibility. I wonder how much of it has to do with envy?

I can imagine that someone who has fought their way to the top from the cheap clubs of the world up to the international stage being a bit envious of someone who has it ‘handed’ to them by some reality TV show. At the very least, it’s up to the idol to prove that they have what it takes once the show is over. Even if they do become the next Kelly Clarkson, I wonder how much resentment and envy is out there. Of course, in the case of Canadian Idol, it’s seems less likely to launch someone into stardom than American Idol would, and the idol is more likely to be left in something like superstar limbo.

On the other hand, everyone desires deep inside to be ‘discovered’. This is part of what gives the show it’s appeal. We all want someone to just say “Hey, you are a star, where have you been hiding?”. Wouldn’t it be a nice feeling to be able to do that for someone else? In a sense, that’s what the voters are doing—when you vote for someone on the show, you are participating in giving someone that. I bet there are many people who have made it to the international stage that love the Idol series because they have that attitude.

So what did I take away from this reflection? I need to be grateful for the gifts I have been given and have an attitude of generosity. It’s much better to try to give people that experience of being discovered, than to knock them down for not having fought their way up the ladder. I can do this for every kind of success I experience and I don’t need to be an international star to start.

What I Like and Don’t Like

The other thing that I can’t help but think about is how much time the show dedicates to the bad auditions. First I wonder if they planned it this way, or if they just stumbled upon it when they were producing the first show. Maybe someone in the editing room was shocked at the number of terrible auditions and so entertained that they felt they just had to include it on the show. You have to admit, it makes for some good (if somewhat negative) entertainment.

What I don’t like is that they spend so much time showing the negative auditions that it comes across as mocking. Let’s face it, there is some outright mocking that goes on from the judges. (But would the show be a hit without it?)

What I do like is the way that they are pretty gentle with the people who obviously just don’t know any better. They generally thank them for their audition and just say they didn’t make it. They do this quite a bit actually, and it makes me wonder why they pick certain people to make fun of. Let’s face it, some people just don’t get it and are so caught up in themselves they can’t tell how bad they are! This doesn’t mean they deserve to be mocked, but they can be said to bring it upon themselves. After all, it’s not a secret that the audition assumes the possibility of getting mocked.

What do I take away from thinking about this? For Idol hopefuls, they really should really put themselves through some kind of truth strainer about whether they should audition or not. This could involve recording themselves on video and watching it, performing in front of strangers, and talking to professional singers. I think that more than just idols can follow that same line of thinking. There are many areas of our lives that we can and should put ourselves through a truth strainer before we begin some undertaking. Here are some:

- Before you date someone, before you get married - Before you start a business - Before you choose a career - Before you make a big purchase

So.. grab your truth strainers and keep them handy people!

Peace! -C