Thu 25 May 2006
Does anyone else find it a bit absurd that in last night’s season 5 finale of “American Idol”, the show received just under 64 million votes for who should be America’s next reality-show-made singing star, which is a bigger voting participation than any presidential election in this country? Do we as a country care who wins a telecast singing contest more than we care who’s representing the nation to the world? (I was gonna write “running the nation” but I’m not sure that’d be an entirely accurate characterization, but I’m not gonna go there.)
While it’s disgusting… it’s true. We, as a nation, put so much more effort into celebrities than anything else? Why?? They’re only on tv/movies…. so? As far as the 64 million votes, I’m sure several of them were repeats… I know a lot of people who voted multiple times. (I didn’t vote once) but I did vote in the presidential election. (sigh)
Well, if you think of the people who can vote for an election vs. the “Next American Idol” I can see why there is a huge gap. Just think of all the teeny-boppers that were able to vote for the first time and the illegals that were so excited to vote without showing documentation.
True dat Vanessa… there are a gazillion kiddies out there picking up their phones and voting. (wait till Mama gets the bill!!)
And this “Must be 18 to vote” crap is .. well, crap!! You know those AI kid fans are picking up the phone and not thinking twice about it.
Do you have to be 18? I just figured you do, since these other calls that cost money say you have to be 18.
Just because you have to be 18 doesn’t necessarly mean they verify that you are. My younger sister racked up a $600.00 phone bill calling a psychic. She said their verifing metod was asking if she was at least 18, and of course she lied.