Of course, I had to ask Kenny if they'd watched it this season. Yes, they'd seen the Finale, and he informed me that there had been 64 million votes. 64 million. Holy Schnikes. Hi, my name is Average Joe American and pop culture is the opiate of my people.
To put things in perspective, let's look at the 2004 presidential election statistics. In the 2004 elections, a total of 122 million people voted. Bush received 62 million and Kerry received 59 million. This means that more people voted for an American Idol than voted for Bush. *tsk tsk*
Ok, sure, there are differences between a Presidential Election and American Idol...
1. The AI serves a one-year term whereas the President serves for four years.
2. The goal of the presidential election is usually the selection of the lesser of two or three evils, whereas AI has a more interesting and diverse mixture of decent contestants.
3. Many AI contestants actually have talent.
4. The AI is under the reign of Fox whereas the President is under the reign of the House and Cognress (or his wife, depending on whom we're referring to).
5. The AI wins a recording contract whereas the president wins an office suite in the stuffy White House and has to take loads of heat from the media and random miscreants who think they understand world politics and feel a need to express their "freedom of speech" in rather annoying ways.
... but there are also similarities between the AI and the President...
1. They reflect and represent, to a certain crude extent, the people who voted for them.
2. The election/voting process is arguably rigged.
3. In light of eternity, it really doesn't matter who wins.
In order to increase participation in future presidential elections, I suggest Congress take the necessary steps to engage and excite the American public. For example, maybe Ryan Seacrest could moderate the 2008 presidential debates. Or Simon Cowell could be the post-debate commentator. In addition to debate and communication coaching, maybe the candidates should receive voice coaching and music lessons. Music is often a crucial and controversial means of communication*, and I see no reason why Bush, Condy, Blair and even Angie shouldn't resort to pop music and reality television to express their political goals and interests. If anything will spark an interest in politics, this is it.
Seriously, folks... of the following contestants, for whom would you be more likely to vote?
I shouldn't publically admit this... but... I didn't actually vote in the last presidential election. Had popular votes been counted (and had the contestants staged a singing contest in lieu of debating), I certainly would have voted... but because of the electoral system, I knew that Bush would win Texas. Plus, semester finals were pending and I didn't have time to drive back to Austin to vote.
And now for the clincher... I *gasp* did vote on American Idol during Season 4. But only once, and for one contestant. The secret's out!! Pop culture (specifically, Constantine) is my opiate! *hangs her head in shame*
Maybe Congress and I can learn a lesson from Fox Television after all.
Lyric of the day: "I think I love you, but what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for..." (Thanks to Constantine covering a Partridge Family song)
*some have argued that the Beatles' music was the primary cause of the fall of communism in Russia. Pardon?
1 comment:
Another difference: American Idol winners typically have a better grasp of foreign policy.
Great entry.
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