IF IT’S TUESDAY AT 8, DON’T CALL ME!

The second singer awaits her verbal assault from the judges and I am all ears. Slicing across my attention span is the shrill tone of the telephone. I ignore it, straining to hear the judges’ critiques, but the phone continues its annoying call. Hurriedly, I check the caller ID and realize that I have to answer as it is a RSVP for the bridal shower I am hosting that week. It is obviously not one of my nearest and dearest calling because they know to never call on a Tuesday or Wednesday night when American Idol is on.

Yes, I am 50 years old and addicted to a TV program.

“Mom, turn the channel to FOX; there is this great program that Allison told me about.” How innocently it all started. Early that summer of 2002 we gathered as a family to check out this new TV reality show program. It looked OK: no swearing, the girls mostly covered up, no off-color jokes or on-air vomiting like Survivor. And could that Kelly Clarkson sing! Within one episode we were hooked. Tuesday and Wednesday nights found us clustered around the television to cheer on our favorite contestants, and to moan in agony when the judges didn’t agree with our verdicts. Week after week the contestants were whittled away, some deservedly, others not. As a foursome we leapt jubilantly from our couches when Kelly was proclaimed the winner over Justin Guarini from the Kodak theater in Hollywood. Although we didn’t make that first American Idol concert tour, we bought Kelly’s CD as soon as it was released.

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IF IT’S TUESDAY AT EIGHT, DON’T CALL ME!

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Now in season five, with over 25 months of American Idol under my belt, it still sucks me into its vortex, and I am a part of the 27-32 million that watch weekly.

American Idol is not a new concept; it was pirated directly from the British Pop Idol program. Antagonistic judge Simon Cowell, currently involved with a record production company, came with the British version when it leap-frogged across the pond. Judges Paula Abdul, former hit pop singer and dancer, and Randy Jackson, former member of the R & B group Journey, have also been with the American version since its debut. Each brings a unique perspective to the critiques: sometimes goofy, sometimes heartfelt, often mean and insulting if the singer isn’t Simon’s cup of tea. While they differ in taste of who will be “saleable” and “marketable,” they have paid their dues in the music industry.

Paula speaks as a mother hen nurturing her little chicks and tries to always be positive. Randy gives his reviews in street vernacular--“Yo dawg! I’m feeling it tonight dawg! You brought it home and did your thang”--whatever the heck that is supposed to mean. Simon is, well, generally insulting and rude. Surprisingly enough, I find myself agreeing with him the majority of the time, and singers who do listen to his criticisms and change accordingly usually end up as better performers.

It is Thursday, and time for Idol lunch with two co-workers. Why would three middle-aged women care about the plight and performances of twelve unknowns on the stage? Are the young singers that good, or their personal stories so compelling? Were we vicariously living out our pop starlet fantasies? Did they just need a virtual hug from warm, motherly arms after another verbal assault from Simon? Whatever the draw, it is enough to gather us together at least once a week to review each performance, give out our grades, and debate the official results. My one co-worker even had a polymer chemist in his late 60’s start

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IF ITS TUESDAY AT EIGHT, DON’T CALL ME!

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an American Idol discussion with her on a recent flight, proving that the program appeals to all ages.

To some fans, it is only a diversion from the realities of life with kids , mortgages, and full-time jobs. To others, it has changed their entire pursuit of leisure time. Ladies’ clubs or golf get-togethers are now replaced by online conversations with like-minded fans of a chosen singer who may have competed several seasons prior, or is one of this year’s contestants. New fan boards erupt with rabbit-breeding speed to join the already established online communities.

Fanclub meetings, concert tours, apparel, record deals, record sales--all have taken flight due to this amazing, adopted, pop culture phenomenon. American Idol is a giant unto itself and has proven to be a ratings blockbuster for FOX TV. It is the number one rated show in the coveted 18-49 age demographic and blew out the Winter Olympics TV coverage on the nights that it aired. Everybody wants a piece of Idol. Other networks scrabbled to throw out their versions-Rock Star INXS, Skating with Celebrities, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol Juniors. While some have proved to be successful, none have captured the fancy of the average viewer like Idol. Routinely it slays the competition in the 18-49 age demographic and grabs an even greater share of the overall viewership.

American Idol has energized the recording industry as the winners and runners-up from the previous 4 seasons have collectively sold more than 15.5 million CDs. Several contestants who have finished in the top half have gone on to star on Broadway and in TV shows and specials, and have released their own CDs. They have toured with other headliners, or like Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken , and Josh Gracin, have toured several times independently on the strength of their own name and popularity.

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IF ITS TUESDAY AT EIGHT, DON’T CALL ME!

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Season one winner Kelly Clarkson leads sales with over 7,240,668 sold of her albums Thankful and Breakaway. Clay Aiken, season two runner-up, has sold 2,729,966 of his first CD Measure of a Man, and 1,151,000 of Merry Christmas With Love. He also starred in A Clay Aiken Christmas in December ‘04 on TV, and will be releasing a dual disc CD/DVD within the next 3 months. Season two winner Ruben Studdard sold 1,776,999 of his debut album Soulful, while the follow-up I Need an Angel sold 428,204. Season four winner Carrie Underwood is currently blazing the country charts with sales of 2,506,153 for Some Hearts released on 11-15-05. Her runner-up, Bo Bice, released his album The Real Thing in mid-December ’05, and has sold 580,149 copies. Season three victor Fantasia Barrino debuted with sales of 1,658,130 of her album Free Yourself. Diana DeGarmo, season three runner-up, sold 161,574 copies of Blue Skies before she began headlining on Broadway as Penny in Hairspray. Season one runner-up Justin Guarini has struggled a bit more with sales of 142,130 for his first CD Justin Guarini. He is currently marketing an online jazz CD. Other Idol alumnus are on TV or in Broadway shows-Amy Adams is touring with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Tamyra Grey had a recurring role on Boston Public, another role in a short-lived Broadway production, and sings in the current film Gospel after spending two years writing her debut CD Dreamer. Kimberley Locke, third place finisher from season two, sold 207,841 copies of One Love, and will be releasing her second CD in May or June. Jennifer Hudson is filming Dreamgirls, and beat out Idol winner Fantasia Barrino for the role. John Stevens has enrolled at the Berkley School of Music in Boston after debuting his Sinatra style CD Red, and Jasmine Trias has a large following in Indonesia. Country crooner Josh Gracin from season two is criss-crossing the country until October on tour, and has his self-titled album doing well with over 584,888 sold, and another one in the wings.

Why should you care about a reality TV program for crying out loud? Does it matter if you watch and vote for your favorite? Surprisingly, it does matter. Complacent fans who thought that their favorite was “safe” and neglected to stay awake and vote, often see the disastrous consequences on the Wednesday night results show. Each season has produced a singer who should have stayed several more rounds due to the laziness of their fans. Others have stayed way beyond their talent level due to quickly organized fan groups who put their fingers to the phone and power voted. And that brings up a common beef--that the voting is rigged. While I personally feel that each person should be able to vote only once per week as in major online polls, sponsor Cingular obviously disagrees as millions of text messages are generated via cell phone weekly. Just ask the fans of season two runner-up Clay Aiken about the voting being “rigged”, and prepare to have your ears blown off! That night is commemorated each year as the “anomaly”, and is mourned universally amongst his fans. That being said, it hasn’t affected his popularity one bit to NOT have won. So, does it matter in the grand scheme of things if you watch, vote and invest yourself? It certainly does to those 12 lives standing on the stage! While the winner earns $1,000,000, making it to the top four usually guarantees a record contract and bookings--and sometimes wildly successful career changes. Former waitress Kelly Clarkson is now a double Grammy Award-winning ,globe-trotting pop star. Single mother, school drop-out Fantasia Barrino is a millionaire. Country star Carrie Underwood was just nominated for four Country Music Awards. Season two winner Ruben Studdard and season three winner Fantasia Barrino were nominated for a Grammy, though Ruben’s runner-up Clay Aiken has eclipsed them both in sales and popularity. When was the last time that you were able to directly influence the direction of a young person’s life THAT YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW? It’s power, people!

While watching American Idol may not change your TV viewing habits or lifestyle, it directly changed mine. A certain red-haired, freckled, geek that morphed before America’s eyes on season two into a powerhouse performer named Clay Aiken now has taken control of my leisure time and wallet. I have “Clayfan friends” around the country and internationally. Locally we meet monthly to fellowship and plan concert trip itineraries, pre-concert parties, and to organize fundraising activities for Unicef and his Bubel/Aiken Foundation for inclusion of the disabled. My local fan group sponsors a child in Uganda after Clay’s trip as a Unicef Ambassador to Uganda highlighted the plight of the Night Commuter children there. My computer skills have grown exponentially with the online fan boards of which I am a member. We cook for each other after hospitalizations, exult together in the births of children and grandchildren, and fly cross-country to meet-up at concerts--and it is all because of a TV program that brought us together.

Is it Tuesday yet?!