American Idol is the best talent reality show on television. If you don't believe me, check their ratings. They're blowing their competition away. I think the only real flaw on Idol is the voting process. As is stated many times on the show, this isn't supposed to be a popularity competition, it is a singing competition. Every year on Idol, viewers are urged to call in for their favorite performer. That's fine, but allowing each person to call in as many times as they want for their favorite is a little over the top. I know the calls produce revenue for the show, but it also allows people to call in 20 times to vote for one person because they know them, because they think the person is cute, etc. It's not always about the voice, and it should be. It is my personal opinion that the show, although they would lose revenue, should allow only one vote per phone. Yes, there would still be those people calling in for their friend, family member, etc., but you would also have a more accurate count for those individuals who truly deserve to remain in the competition. I hope! Beyond that, I think Idol has it right. The judges are good for the most part. Randy Jackson has gotten better with each season being more judgemental than in previous seasons. Paula Abdul needs to be a bit more critical. She can still be nice, but she should say what she means rather than beating around the bush and trying too hard not to hurt someon's feelings. Simon Cowell is probably the most honest of the judges. He says what he thinks, even to those that he likes in the competition. He is sometimes over the top with his additional comments, but he is pretty much on target. I enjoy this show much more than other singing shows. I enjoy watching kids being able to reach their dreams. Even those that don't win can many times find themselves with recording labels or venturing outside of music into other outlets within the entertainment industry. Kudos to you American Idol for giving these kids an opportunity to shine!
