“Dim the lights.”
It’s April 21, 2004.American Idolis deep into its third season.
The show is the biggest on television.
Image via FOX
Now, at that time,American Idolwas so big that it was a two-night-a-week appointment viewing.
Before we continue, we must paint the scene.
As a reminder, social media didn’t quite exist.
Image via FOX
Facebook wasn’t even available for individuals beyond college students.
It was all word of mouth.
It was in-person discussions with family, friends, and colleagues.
And a troll website, but we’ll discuss that soon.
None of the five previously eliminated finalists had a shot at winning.
He was even on hand as a mentor to help the artists through their discography.
But then, the unthinkable happened.
Will ‘American Idol’ ever give us another William Hung?
Here’s an entry byHoward Owensfrom the day following Jennifer Hudson’s exit.
The post is titled, “yo Stop John Stevens.”
Owens represented the voice of many who shared the same sentiment about the moment.
One site I read suggested requiring a fee to vote.
Frankly, I dont have a better one, and Im not sure it would work.
‘American Idol’ made more than music megastars.
They made Broadway stars!
Perhaps that’s why shows likeThe Voicecontinue to minimize the control the viewing audience has when voting.
Everything happens for a reason, they say.
The trajectory could have been different.
Would they have had the success Fantasia found?
We want to watch the best, butthat’s not always the most interesting outcome to watch.
Had we not had something to rally around, perhaps the show would have gotten stale.
Thankfully, that didn’t happen until VFTW helped kill it 13 seasons later.
Today, we watchAmerican Idolon a new online grid with a new direction.
American Idolairs Sundays at 8:00pm on ABC.
All episodes are available to stream on Hulu.
Your Rating
Your comment has not been saved
