American Idol

Okay, I confess. I love American Idol and have watched faithfully since I saw the finale show between Clay Aiken and Reuben Studdard. I was among the 60+ million voting for Taylor Hicks, and I could not believe it when Bo Bice lost to Carrie Underwood. So, why does a nearly-57-year-old woman watch such a show? Because I miss music, that's why.

I don't know how often I've been in my car or walking along the sidewalk, only to be assaulted (and I mean that literally) by the horrible ear-offending crap that erupts at high volume from other people's cars. The grammarian in me shudders at the badly written lyrics, and the poet in me feels actual pain at the forced rhythms. I won't pick on rap or hip-hop specifically. Instead, I will damn the last two decades as being devoid of much musical beauty.

At least, that's how I felt until I began to hear some of the music being sung by these wide-eyed hopefuls on Idol. I'd never heard "Black Horse in a Cherry Tree" by K.T. Tunstall until I heard Katherine McPhee's version and I loved it. I'd never paid attention to quite a few of the hits of the last 25 years until I heard the contestants sing the songs.

There's still a lot of stuff out there that I don't like and will never like. But this tv show, with all these young people with much better-than-average voices, has forced me to confront some of the music I thought I disliked, only to find that once I paid attention, I actually did like it.

This morning Taylor Hicks was on Today Show talking about his upcoming stint in a Broadway production of Grease (one of my all-time favorite musicals). He's going to be "Teen Angel," a role that suits him well. He's working on a new album that will be released this summer. I'm eager to hear it. Clay Aiken was on Rachel Ray's show this morning. He's been on Spamalot of late and also has a new album.

Next week will be the finale between David Cook (my pick) and David Archuleta, the 17-year-old. Cook is by far the better singer and performer and ought to win, but there are all these prepubescent girls out there with newly stirring hormones who will text-vote en masse for the little David. Simon Cowell, everyone's "favorite" curmudgeonly judge, wants Cook to win, but then, none of us always gets what he or she wants, right? However, if I can vote him in with my redial button (with Esteemed Spouse on his cell phone doing the same thing), David Cook will take home the prize. Archuleta can step into place as the next Barry Manilow since that's the kind of music he likes to sing.

Happily, my reality show fix will not end with Idol, since So You Think You Can Dance? will start right afterwards. I have not ever and will not ever watch reality shows in which people eat worms or vote each other off islands, but when it comes to watching and hearing young people achieve dreams that require immense dedication, hard work, and talent, you can count me in.