What is the appeal with this show???

I don't get it. Although I am guilty of watching this show from time to time, I often wonder what is the huge appeal of American Idol?

I've ragged on this program before, but I watched last night and really tried to watch it without judging it, (that means I didn't focus on Paula Abdul). Bear with me as I analyze this:

The melodramatic antics of Ryan Seacrest makes me want to pimp-slap him. Ooohhhhh the spooky lighting and Ryan all alone on stage announcing THIS is YOUR American Idol! I immediately give an eyeroll of exasperation and tell myself to endure his crap so I can see the contestants sing.



Okay, no doubt that the contestants are talented. They each can really sing and this year, they are particularly good. (Lord knows they have had some crappy seasons in the past) Anyway, part of the show's requirements is that these contestants must do a commercial for a product (complete with "Fame-esque" singing and dancing). Now the vocals are not arranged, that is, they are all singing the melody so that it sounds (and looks) like a bad high school choir production. Surely they can afford for someone to write a vocal chart now, can't they?

Then there are the solo performances. Some are really good. I mean really good. But, after the performance comes the part I can't stand. The critique of the judges.

Randy "What up Dawg" Jackson: The hip-hop slang is getting old, although he does know his stuff. I usually pay more attention to Randy's advice or critique than all of them.

The new girl: I can't remember her name, but yes; she knows her stuff as well as she is a very successful songwriter and singer herself. In fact, she wrote one of my all time favorite songs (Vision of Love) for a then unknown singer extraordinaire, Mariah Carey. BUT: she reminds me of one of those irritating overbearing cheerleaders from high school. I believe if Simon would give her a xanax before each show, she would be okay.

Paula Abdul: I can't stand her. She is a joke. The very idea that SHE is offering suggestions to the talented singers on how to phrase or sing simply GALLS me.

Simon Cowell: He is one rich dude. At least he is brutally honest about his opinions. He's not a singer, musician or anything else...he simply knows what he likes and industry people value his opinion for whatever reason. So, there you go. He doesn't tell the contestants how to sing, or how to phrase...he either likes it or he doesn't. I can live with that.

Now, if we can get rid of the audience who boos incessantly if the judges don't gush over every singer. Get real, people.


More Musings Later-

Have YOU Twittered?

Yes, hooked on another techie item. Why? you ask?

It seems that the entire world is mesmerized with conversing with each other in 140 characters or less. And, what makes it even more interesting, is that there are ALOT of celebrities online "tweeting". Let's face it, it's an excellent marketing tool to plug a book, tv show, live show, etc. And, you get an immediate reading on your target audience. It's downright genius.

I caught a few minutes of Larry King Live where Ashton Kutcher was explaining what "Twitter" was to King. I was impressed with his explanation which was lavished with technological speak...I'm sure he's not a computer person as he is young and has been an actor/personality for some time now. But everyone is doing it!!!

I tell you, there is nothing better than being able to say good morning to Oprah, Gayle King, George Stephanopolous, Anderson Cooper, Suze Orman and they actually read your tweets and respond back!

If you'll notice, I put a button on the side of my blogs saying to follow me: Please do so! I would be curious to see how many people that read this blog tune into Twitter. Check out who I'm following...everyone from Suze Orman and Oprah to Eddie Izzard to Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Heck, I even twittered Lisa Williams (the medium) during her intermission at a show. AND, she responded! I'm weird that way....I love this crap!

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The New York Housewives vs. Office Politics

I'm hooked. I watched a marathon of "The New York Housewives" on Bravo a couple of Sundays ago and thought to myself...WOW, this is the ultimate in office politics. Can I get an Amen?

We've all worked with these personalities before, haven't we? Sure, you know...the Countess, the elitest that holds her nose in the air and then there are the others that gossip and spread rumors (true or untrue is beside the point) about their "friends". Jeez, it's enough to turn your stomach, but, like watching a train wreck, people can't stop watching. Me included.

The New York Housewives Bitchfest

With all the bitchiness and cat fights going on, my mind drifted to when I worked in an office and experienced the same fights, the mwah, mwah kisses on either side of the face while your co worker is pulling the dagger from your back. I hated it. No, I despised it. The co-worker that behaved in this manner toward me hurt me so badly that when this person left the company, it caused me to be rude and mistrusting of the next 2 co-workers taking their place.

I'll be the first to tell you that I don't take hints very well. No amount of hinting, name dropping or other vague forms of communication will work with me. You have to shoot straight from the hip as they say. Well, this lack of "picking up on things" was a real Achillies heel for me. I thought I had a good friend, and she knew I didn't. So, after the damage was done, the rumors were spread and my working environment was hell for years after, I decided to put Facebook to good use.

I looked up this person and sent a message.

"Dear Co-Worker" (I used the person's real name)

I happen to come across your profile in Facebook and it caused me to pause. I have always wanted to know why you spread rumors, caused irrepairable damage to key working relationships etc. I had thought you were my friend, but I soon found out that wasn't the case.

I don't expect to hear from you, I just wanted to ask. Because I don't "hint", "hide", or "stab friends in the back" while pretending to like them. I am a fairly blunt person. So, I would like to know why. Straight from the horse's mouth, if you will.

Oh wait...let me rephrase my question to suit your communication style; I miss working with you so much! Let's do lunch next week, okay?

Translation: So, what's the answer?

BFF, > Translation: You suck.

Taryn

p.s. This person hasn't responded. Perhaps when the Ice Age comes to fruition.

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And so another year comes to a close...

Chapter 46 is coming to a close
As I close the chapter on 46 and turn the fresh new page of Chapter 47, I am amazed yet again at all the experiences, emotions and situations that life has handed me over the last 365 days. .

I've been surprised, shocked, amused, saddened, angry and silent.


I've encountered experiences that I never expected and some that I did.

I've been pleasantly surprised and bitterly disappointed.


I've thanked God for my blessings, and I've taken for granted still so much more.


I've lost people that I've never met, and think about them tonight.


It was a wonderful, difficult, gut-wrenching, sorrowful, happy, joyous, funny, frustrating year.




and, like all things, one year comes, and another is born.


Chapter 47 promises to be just as wonderful, difficult, gut wrenching, sorrowful, happy, joyous, funny, and frustrating as Chapter 46, but in a totally different, new way.


I am busily writing my next novel, "The Long Road to Extredition" and find the words come easier when I am nocturnal. With the writing of so many books for others, it will be a joy to see my name once again on the cover. Where instead of striving for Grisham, I am now struggling along to strive for Hemingway.


Alan Solomon, my friend and older brother that I've never met, is traveling to New Zealand in June to devote time to our next co-writing venture entitled, "He Played the Game". He hopes to find that the words flow more freely in the beautiful countryside of his home rather than Beijing where he currently lives.


So, we go where we are best, observe what we can and learn the rest. It's a new year, a new beginning and a new moment.

And, my eyes are wide open to the wonder of it all.

More Musings Later-

One of the True Mysteries of the World...

Okay, maybe I'm being a tad sarcastic, but to me, it really is something to behold.

I will begin by stating my horrible, ugly secret: I'm a sweets fanatic. I LOVE chocolate, candy, cakes, muffins, and anything else that has a sweetness to it. I have always been this way, and I find that I am one of those people that is better off going cold turkey off of the sugar then trying to control my overwhelming cravings for it.

Having explained the above to you...it is beyond my comprehension how someone can eat 1, perhaps 2 bites of a candy bar or muffin and be content enough to set it aside without eating it until it's gone. Perhaps I'm revealing too much about my food weaknesses as I sit thinking about my struggles with my weight throughout my life.

It's like a bad acid trip as I recall those hideous 1970s food scales that were used by Weight Watchers so many years ago. As if we would overserve ourselves on the required canned salmon or tuna fish for the day. Everything was weighed, portioned and meticuously alotted. That's why it blows my mind to see someone do the same thing with a Hostess Cupcake.

I'm giving fair warning: April 8 - I go cold turkey again. It's hell to have a sugar laden monkey on your back.

More Musings Later-

Guiding Light Coming to an End after 72 Years

I don't know folks...when I heard the news today I thought it was a reporter's idea of a bad April Fools joke.

I have watched this soap opera ever since I was a kid. I STILL watch it and have even met a couple by overhearing conversations about GL characters at a local restaurant! Heck, we even stay in touch. I'm sure they are in mourning over the news.

I've seen them come, and I've seem them go...but as my Ode to Guiding Light, here are a few of my favorite and not so favorite plotlines and characters:

Reva Shayne: GL's aging "good ole gal" that has married every Lewis brother as well as the father on the show.

"Forever Bud and Reva" (GAG)

My Favorite Not so Favorite Line of Reva's : "Forever Bud" This is the guy that she is supposedly soul mates with, but she marries everyone else in town. I nearly tossed my cookies when I first heard her call her soul mate "Bud" when his real name is Josh. go figure.

Ross Marler, Rick Bauer, Ed Bauer

Alan Spaulding: GL's evil CEO executive that grooms all his children and slaps his last name on their birth certificate and then they are the protege of his business empire. It's almost like watching Children of the Corn trying to be corporate ladder climbers in the business world.

My Favorite Line of Alan's (while speaking to Reva): "You amuse me with your Daisy Duke, beer drinking, hillbilly ways".

Phillip/Beth: Phillip Spaulding, Alan's son who is really Justin Marler's son is soul mates with the virginal Beth. They go through all types of trials and tribulations, even Beth becoming blind and her doing a really bad Helen Keller-ish impersonation of a sightless person.

LuJack/Beth: Another Spaulding that doesn't find out until much later as he is Alexandra Spaulding's son and he somehow didn't grow up with his family and became a gang leader. He meets Beth, falls in love and begins a music career. He leaves his old girlfriend behind, Darcy and she continues the gang.

Favorite Not so favorite line of Phillip's to LuJack about Darcy: "What do you feed it to keep it so ugly?"

Sheesh...so many characters and only one blog. There were the Reardons: Jim, Tony, Annabelle, Nola and her husband Quentin. The psychic island adventures Jim and Annabelle had...then there was Claire and Fletcher who were coupled together in the same vein as Lucy and Ricky. Then there is Josh Lewis, Billy Lewis, H.B. Lewis, Hawk Shayne, Shayne Lewis, Vanessa, Matt, Buzz, Lizzie Spaulding, Henry Chamberlain, Roger Thorpe the ultimate villain, Ross Marler, and so so so many more.

The Ultimate Villain - Roger Thorpe

May your disfunctional, "family obsessed" community forever live on in our hearts of Springfield.

More Musings Later-