American Idol Jumps the Shark

You’d be wrong if you think American Idol had its largest TV audience of the season last night because it was the finale or because it was Simon Cowell’s farewell show. Because the only reason for this spike in viewership (in what has been a season of plummeting ratings) was the duly hyped special appearance by former judge Paula Abdul.

But you can be forgiven for having no clue in this respect. Because when Paula was unceremoniously dumped a year ago, almost every TV critic said that the show would not only survive but thrive without her distracting and seemingly drug-induced ramblings.

By contrast, here, in part, was my prescient admonition:

I know conventional wisdom has it that most people tune in to watch Simon rip untalented fools masquerading as wannabe idols to shreds with his nasty, acerbic comments. But hasn’t his shtick become a bit trite and predictable?

On the other hand, I’ve seen enough episodes of this show to assert that just as many people probably tune in to watch Paula.  And that they do so for the same reason so many people tuned in to watch the human train wreck that was The Anna Nicole Show; namely, because her seemingly drug-induced ramblings made for perversely suspenseful and entertaining TV.

Not to mention the side drama of wondering which new talent might end up being the object of her Mrs. Robinson-style mentoring… It’s undeniable: Paula was good for ratings.  And her absence is bound to result in significantly lower ratings for “Idol” next season.

(“Paula Abdul quitting American Idol,” The iPINIONS Journal, August 9, 2009)

Enough said.

And now Simon’s leaving?! Clearly there can be no greater indication that American Idol has jumped the shark. (Maybe Simon read what I wrote about his shtick becoming trite and predictable….)

For the record, though,  Lee DyWze was crowned this season’s American Idol. But I have no doubt that he will soon fade into entertainment oblivion like so many previous winners.

“The biggest loser” in this respect is Ruben Studdard who is barely recognizable now, having lost almost half of the 400 pounds he weighed during his Idol days. More to the point, except for Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, the rest of them have had as much success getting performing gigs as winners of The Bachelor have had getting married.

Apropos of success, Ellen DeGeneres is having even less of it in prime time than Jay Leno.  Frankly, the folks at FOX must have been taking advice from the geniuses at NBC. For only this explains why they thought Ellen’s folksy humor, which only appeals to the vanilla, stay-at-home moms who tune in to her daytime show, would appeal to the diverse people who tune in to Idol during primetime. 

For the sake of her career, I urge Ellen to stick to daytime.

That’s a wrap!

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