I guess I was right–Paris Bennett said goodbye to American Idol last night. She’s an amazing performer, and can sing up a storm. I felt like she could potentially have the best pop career of anybody there. But alas, she didn’t get the votes.
Next week Elliott will go. Then it’ll get real, real hard. I heard a Vegas oddsmaker say they have Chris at 2-1, Kathryn at 3-1, and Taylor at 4-1. Interesting. Interesting that I should give a rip what a Vegas oddsmaker says.
This being Wednesday, it’s time for me to divulge my pick for leaving American Idol tonight. In the process, I feel morally compelled to inject self-deprecating comments about my utterly shallow infatuation with this icon of pop culture, recognizing that no truly God-fearing creature would enjoy seeing an unabashed emissary of Satan like Simon Cowell verbally pummel hapless twenty-somethings on national TV, summing up their sorry existence with a devastating soundbite.
Anyway, Paris will probably exit tonight, but my choice to go home is Elliott, who actually sang a song which wistfully said, “I wanna go home.” This weekend, my sister-in-law Dorene, a music teacher, told me she likes Elliott’s voice, but his appearance wrecks it for her. He is, indeed, Mr. Tumnus from “Chronicles of Narnia.” To compensate, Dorene closes her eyes when he sings, and then, she says, you catch the rich tone of his voice.
So last night, during Elliott’s first song, Pam suggested I try that. I closed my eyes, and sure enough‚Äîman, his image just won’t go away! But yes, I did appreciate his voice more.
Since I play ping pong on Tuesday nights, Pam tapes “American Idol” and we watch it when I get home. Makes a late night, but hey, we gotta see it. Last night, the contestants had to pick a song from the year they were born. Taylor Hicks did “Play that Funky Music,” by Wild Cherry, from 1976 (Taylor’s the oldest). It was incredible. I rewound the tape to watch it again. Of the people left, Taylor’s the only one I would travel some distance to see perform, because I know it would be fun.
Okay, let’s wrap this up with some more self-deprecation. I’m a culturally unsophisticated worm, a fallen Christian enraptured with worldliness, a compromised specimen of humanity totally unworthy of bearing the label “Huntington University graduate,” an institution of such transcendent refinement that, I’ve heard once or twice (or untold zillions of times), US News ranks it way way up there in whatever category it fits. Enough. Confession’s over.
I’m so shallow.
I think Kelly may get the boot tomorrow. She probably deserves to get it. Paris may get it instead, but only because she doesn’t seem to have a big fan following. Singing the love songs of Andrea Bocelli–geesh, who thunk up that theme? Paula Abdul is a flake, in case you hadn’t noticed.
Nothing is more spiritually edifying for my readers than for me to pontificate about American Idol. And so, here is my weekly devotional.
As predicted, Ace said adieu to American Idol tonight. They’re at the point now where a really good performer must be cut every week. Ace was good, but you got the impression that not only Simon, but the “show” in general, had it in for Ace. The way the show is produced definitely spotlights certain people in more favorable ways. So while the results are not technically “fixed,” they are definitely influenced by the big bad omnipotent string-pulling producers, whoever they are. I hate lowering myself to grasp proofless conspiracy theories, but I just can’t help myself here.
The counterpart to my conspiratorialism is that I felt the producers were jacking up interest in Chris…and yet he had the second-lowest number of votes this week. So I really don’t know what I’m talking about.
Next week Chris, the rocker, has to do something from Andrea Bocelli. Right. That’ll be a hoot. He and Kelly are in trouble. Everyone else should do okay. Yes, Freddie Mercury sang the remarkable “Barcelona” album with Spanish opera diva Montserrat Caballe, but Chris ain’t no Freddie Mercury.
To show how much this show has be-fevered me: I downloaded clips of performances from previous seasons. The best ones were from Bo Bice, last year’s runner-up. As much as I like this year’s rocker, Chris, Bo Bice was far superior. That guy was good!
It’s interesting how much, at church, we talk about TV shows. Today I talked with Jon about “Battlestar Galactica”‘s finale, which took a highly unexpected twist and leaves us wondering where the show will head next. Joe and Jon and Rob and I talked about “Lost,” which is also popular among the worship team members (at practice on Thursday night, we often debrief about the previous night’s episode). There was some talk about “American Idol,” and, of course, about the NCAA playoffs (go UCLA!). I talked with Terry and Joe and Tim about “24.” Terry and Joe (father and son) are watching the first four seasons on DVD, having never watched them live; they are now well into the 4th season. Meanwhile, Tim and I are engrossed in season 5.
I have this idea for “24.” Jack Bauer has amazing bladder control. In five years, he has never once stopped, amidst that day’s frenetic issues with assassins and terrorists and otherwise deeply evil guys, to relieve himself. And yet–hey, everyone has to go to the bathroom now and then. Even a superman like Jack, who no doubt received top-level CIA training in Advanced Bladder Control. So in an upcoming episode, with some catastrophe looming, I’d like to see Jack say, “Hey, guys, you take care of this one. I really need to go to the bathroom.” Then he picks up a novel, something you wouldn’t expect from Jack–a chick book by Anne Tyler or Sue Miller, or anything from the Oprah Book Club–and heads into the men’s room. And in the final shot, where they show four plot threads in split-screen view, one of the shots would be of the men’s room door.
I think that’d be great.
Back to our congregational obsession with TV. Is that good, bad, or what? I don’t know. Less redeeming than talking about what we discovered in our personal devotions, obviously. It probably wasn’t all that different for my parents’ generation, the first TV generation. They just had only three channels’ worth of shows to talk about (which means there was a greater chance of common viewing habits). It is kinda fun to talk about, to compare notes on that week’s shows. But is it healthy? Beats me.
Does anyone disagree that it’s Bucky’s turn to hit the streets next on American Idol? It doesn’t matter how well he performs tonight. He’s on deck to exit. I guess we’ll find out for sure Wednesday night. I’m just putting in my bets now. And next week it’ll be Lisa. Then Elliott. Then it starts getting really really hard, so I’m not going to predict any further.
Okay, I admit it: I’m hooked on American Idol. I started watching in January when they were doing the tryouts. I just wanted to enjoy the “gag” acts, and the performances by people who thought they were good but are actually terrible, the type of act which is what brought fame to William Hung a couple years ago. I’d never watched American Idol before.
In general, I detest reality shows. I watched the first two seasons of Survivor, and then the All-Star Survivor, but that’s the extent of it. I considered myself far too sophisticated to watch American Idol (as if watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer doesn’t, by itself, squelch all claims to sophistication).
But it didn’t take much to get me hooked on American Idol. I read somewhere that the show had been a guilty pleasure, but now, in its fifth season, it has gone more mainstream and people aren’t afraid to admit that they are fans. Well, I’m not exactly bragging that I’m a fan. I’m just humbly admitting that, by letting myself get addicted to AI, I have some deep flaw in my character which merits closer scrutiny.
Pam and I have watched the TV show “Alias” since it began. Now the show is wrapping up its final season. But with only a few more bites to eat, I can’t do it. I’m full of Sidney Bristow. Because I think this show has played very unfairly with us viewers.
Time and again, people get killed off–CLEARLY killed off–and yet they return, alive and well. Now, I read that a number of people who have been dispatched–Vaughn, Francie, Anna Espinosa, Irena, and others–will be making a comeback. Somehow, they’re actually alive. We saw Vaughn riddled with bullets…but he’s ALIVE.
Sorry, but this isn’t fair. The latter years of X-Files were the same way. The writers jerked us around while they tried to figure out where in the world they wanted to take the show. My fear is that “Lost” will go a similar route. So I’m done with Alias. Only a few more shows to go and I’ll have seen the series. But no, I’m quitting here.
I trust you have been spiritually edified by this post.
As my denomination’s Communications Director, I field calls from organizations wanting to promote themselves to our member congregations. Call me Gatekeeper. A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from ABC’s publicity department telling me about an upcoming Barbara Walters special called “Heaven.” I was told that Babs had interviewed Ted Haggard, and that our member churches would probably be very interested in the special. I told the lady to send me info by email or regular mail, and I would decide what to do with it. Though mentally, I had already deep-sixed it. They made it sound like the whole program would give an evangelical view of heaven, thus the mention of Ted Haggard, but I knew that wouldn’t be the case. Been around the block enough. And my master’s in Public Relations counts for something.
Yesterday, I finally received an email about the program. The show is airing next Tuesday. My suspicions were right. The email doesn’t even mention Ted Haggard. The piece is titled: “Heaven: Where it It? How do we get there? The answers may surprise you.”
The part “The answers may surprise you” just slays me. Yes, certainly, I’m totally excited about hearing Barbara Walters, theologian extraordinaire, reveal to the world the mysteries of heaven. I’ve heard low-lifes of the calibre of Billy Graham talk about heaven, but now, finally, I’m gonna be treated to real answers that may surprise me.
The piece continues, “Is heaven simply a myth dreamed up to give lives meaning, or is it a real place? Anchored by Barbara Walters, ‘Heaven. Where Is It? How Do We Get There?’ explores the meaning of heaven with religious leaders of the major faiths, scientists, people who say they believe in heaven because they’ve been there, celebrities who are vocal about their beliefs, and even with terrorists.”
Oh joy–celebrities get to tell me about heaven. Celebrities always display superior knowledge. And terrorists. Finally, some insight into the whole 72 virgins thing. I’m sure we’ll hear some New Age gurus telling us that heaven is all around us, and scientists who will say, “There’s nothing beyond. This is it.”
Sorry, Barbara, I’m really not interested in your theological revelations. But it’s nice that you included Ted Haggard as a token evangelical. You’re so balanced.
My nephew, Curt, went to Chicago to audition for Fear Factor back in June. He works for a credit union, so he look pretty normal during the day. But for the audition, he spiked his hair and otherwise donned the full punk “uniform.” And the Fear Factor people loved it. He got a call in September (I think it was) saying they wanted to use him on the show. Earlier this afternoon, my Mom called to say he had sent in a 45-page contract (in which he basically admitted that he could get killed, maimed, or otherwise severely abused).
So, it looks like a Dennie will be doing the reality-show thing. And if he makes $50,000 in the process, I guess we won’t be so quick to denounce the bain of reality TV.
Curt is very active at Fellowship Missionary Church here in Fort Wayne. He’s been involved in some very cutting edge evangelistic outreaches to the city’s rave and punk community, and finds himself meeting to discuss his faith with people who are into witchcraft, homosexuality, and much more. I don’t know of anything like it in the UB church.
The Missionary Church, like the UB church, has a strong traditional element. But at the same time, they have an exciting cutting edge element. That’s one of the things the UB church lacks.
I was quoted in an article about the non-joining of the UB church and the Missionary Church that appeared in yesterday’s Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. Today, I talked to reporters from both the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (the afternoon paper, which Pam and I take) and the Huntington Herald-Press. UBHope people were severely critical of the article which the News-Sentinel did last spring, and in particular of quotes provided by the bishop. The link on the UBHope website calls it, “When Interviews Go Bad,” with a description mockingly saying, “Who said any publicity is good publicity?” That irks me. I was heavily involved in helping the reporter with that article, and felt the writer did a conscientious job. I don’t know if they’ll get on my case about these articles or not.
After the Huntington Herald-Press did an article about the merger talks last fall, the Bishop received an official letter from the New Hope UB church’s board criticizing us for “allowing” the newspaper to do an article, even though it was public knowledge and we had been debating it actively on a discussion board. News flash: We don’t control the media. When they decide to do a story, all you can do is try to be helpful and make the most of it. If you try to control or censor them, you’re just asking for trouble. But I’ve been extremely pleased with the reporters I’ve worked with.
I was pleased to learn today that a mistake was made in counting votes for national conference delegates in Central Conference. Denny Miller, pastor of Emmanuel Community Church, had been listed as the first alternate (7th highest vote-getter). I was disgusted that, for the third time, he was apparently not elected by the conference as a delegate, even though he pastors the second-largest church in the denomination, has held various denominational leadership positions, and is probably our denomination’s premier, proven church-builder. But, to my joy, it turns out some votes were overlooked, and Denny actually ended up third. Ah, something right for a change!
Pam and I continue our fascination with the TV show “Lost,” which we watched again last night. I guess it won’t be on for several weeks now. They keep dropping little tidbits that you know will be elaborated on at some future date. It’s a great show.
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