A bad name I play

I'd previously always dismissed American Idol as boring, trite, and repetitive. I saw a bit of the first season when it was a rage, and decided I didn't like the warbly pop nonsense and formulaic repetition. (although Beautiful DIsaster is one of the better ballads I've ever heard) So naturally I gave the other seasons a miss. To this day I've never heard Taylor Hicks sing.

A few weeks ago I chanced to be in the living room whilst my mom was watching Idol. She was a big fan and had been following the show while I'd sort of went 'oh hey Idol.' and sauntered past, drink safely in hand. I saw Jon Bon Jovi on the screen and my brain went 'hang on, they do theme weeks don't they? You love Bon Jovi!' and I lingered about to see what they would perform. (True story: My mom asks 'Who's that?' 'That's Bon Jovi, mom.' She says 'Who?' My right hand to god.)

I watched many performances that day. I endured Chris butchering Wanted Dead or Alive, found out that Jordin Sparks could carry a tune (I honestly got shivers down my spine when she hit the chorus on Living on a Prayer), and discovered what to this day is my favorite reinvention of a song of all time.



I sort of followed, transfixed, as the contestants were whittled away. Sanjaya had been knocked off the week before (thank god) and as we wound down to Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, and Blake 'I think I'll throw this competition on its head' Lewis, I found myself thinking... This is marvellous entertainment.

I kept trying to explain that it wasn't a problem, that I could stop any time I wanted to. My friends turned their heads, and whispered to one another... and I could see it in their eyes.