Thursday, May 29, 2008
This piece in The New Republic by Emma Rosenblum is the type of article that drives me crazy. It shows that so many of those who talk about a desire for separation of Church and State aren't really so much for that as they desirous of never being exposed to any, any, expression of religion whatsoever. American Idol was "Jesusified" this season? Give me a break: 'Idol' Worship.
The cast sang one, ONE, gospel song, and they even took Jesus out of it, causing a controversy in itself. Rosenblum doesn't mention that. She also seems offended that two of the more successful contestants were...Mormons! Horror. Two seasons ago, contestant Mandisa sang a gospel tune, and according to Rosenblum, "Viewers also seemed to disapprove of her preachy (not to mention slyly homophobic) tone, and she was voted off two weeks later." Uh, two weeks later they dumped her? That's not how the voting works darlin'. And if you follow her link, you'll find Mandisa is hardly what one would call "homophobic."
I've watched Idol religiously for the past few seasons. It's a very entertaining show. Rosenblum's piece is offensively ignorant and intolerant:
...A wholly wholesome music competition produces a lot of Pat Boones, but no Elvises or Chuck Berrys. It's no coincidence that the most Jesusified season of "Idol" has been its most boring one yet. If "Idol" wants to get back its former glory, it should once again show some sympathy for the devil.
Uh...Idol's ratings were huge in this supposedly "Jesusified" season, and the winner was the "rocker." So much for leftist anti-religion silliness.
A wholly wholesome music competition produces a lot of Pat Boones, but no Elvises or Chuck Berrys. It's no coincidence that the most Jesusified season of "Idol" has been its most boring one yet.
This seems like an odd spot for rockist snobbishness anyway. What Chuck Berrys came out of previous seasons of American Idol?
What's been interesting about the show is the diversity of the people that have done well. They've had southern rockers, regular rockers, C&W, R&B and regular pop people all be successful. It's unpredictable because it's all fan driven. That article is just flat silly. It's like some New York snob who's never watched the show before was asked to write something about it and that's what she came up with.