The spirit of Kris Allen continues to rule American Idol

David Cook, Taylor Hicks, Kris Allen. These are the idols of the teenage girls who, armed with speed dial, have inflicted their nefarious will on the hapless and complacent American people. Philip? Good grief. Of course, I knew it was coming. It did not take a crystal ball to see Joshua disappearing from view and Jessica being defeated.

And I mean no disrespect to Mr. Allen, but I ask you this; who has sold more records? Kris or Adam Lambert? Maybe I am all messed up.

The consolation to those of us who foolishly watch this perverse spectacle year after year is the sure and certain knowledge that Jessica will far our produce pretty boy and earn a ton of money. Not since beat-box-boy took down Doolittle has there been a greater injustice on American Idol.

As a sidebar, let it be observed that permitting a 16 year-old participate in Idol is a tremendous injustice to the contestant. How is such a youngster supposed to balance school and career? What about having a childhood? Oh, yes. How terrible modern and patriarchal! Maybe this is a bit like planning somebody’s life, but Jessica might look back someday and wonder what happened to her youth. Now, all her mistakes will be big mistakes – and expensive. Darned shame.

I am getting pumped up for Hell’s Kitchen. Now there’s a reality show with some integrity.

 

Who will tell mom the dog is dying?

I laughed till I cried!

So long, Andy Rooney!

Have ya’ ever noticed how some people with the least talent seem to hang on and on?

Now this could never be said about me, but I think Andy Rooney’s party was over back in the late 60s. Some will say that I am jealous, but heck , I don’t care if Andy makes a living. It’s a tough world and a guy’s got to do what a guy’s got to do. It is a matter of personal taste and I am not crazy about Mr. Rooney. Anybody remember Eric Sevareid? Now I could be jealous of that Norweigen or Swede, or whatever he was? Sevareid was handsome and articulate, just like me. You would have to be really old to remember him (like older than Pat Lynch!) Andy Rooney’s essays were strictly second string. That is my opinion, and obviously the people that matter did not share my critique.

So Rooney is ready to close the door on his CBS career and here I am getting all misty. In the first place, like him or not, Andy actually had a career that goes back to the immediate post WWII days. This was the time of Edward R. Morrow and there were still some standards. Of course, the very minute Morrow saved America from McCarthy, the network made damn sure nothing like that would ever happen again. They did not fire Morrow, they made him irrelevant.

But, back to Andy Rooney. Nor only did he hang around a long time but he developed a following. That is an accomplishment. The audience can be mighty fickle.

Anyway, whenever there are big changes, we must stand back and sonder where we have been. He gave lots of people enjoyment, even if I was not one of them. He kept a chair warm and made himself part of the cultural scene. Did I mention that this guy is 92 years old? My ninety-second birthday will be in August 2042 and I wonder if anybody will remember that I was here. Of course, that is a selfish thought. Somebody always remembers and one does not always know if he “matters” in the living years.

Andy, you do not even know me, but here is a tip of the hat to a broadcaster with a lot of heart. I wish you many more happy years and one or two fulfilling projects. God bless!