American Idol

I just watched American Idol. I haven’t watched since the second season because I never like the winners and the whole concept just annoys me, but occasionally I watch the auditions, with the ridiculous losers who actually think that they have a chance. My mom always says that they must have some kind of mental illness, but I’m not so sure. Some of them do, probably, but I think for the most part they think they’re good because that’s what others tell them. I mean, if I know someone who’s really bad at something, I usually tell him or her they’re good anyway because I don’t have the heart to tell them the truth. Once you hear something enough, you start to believe it. If these talentless people eventually believe the good feedback they get, are we, their flattering friends, responsible when they burst into tears on national television? What’s more important, honesty or protecting somebody’s feelings? Is it even our place to protect someone else’s feelings, to stop them from learning from their own life experiences? It’s really easy to say honesty is more important, but I definitely could not tell someone, “You suck, do NOT audition for American Idol.” Maybe in most situations, honesty is best, but because American Idol is so widely televised and the judges can be really harsh, stopping the lunatics dressed as Big Bird from singing Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” from humiliation might be worth watching their disappointed face as you tell them that maybe they should stay away from the entertainment industry.