Why ‘American Idol Gives Back’ is creepy
April 10, 2008 | American Idol,Economics,Fundraising,Health,Heart,Matt Damon,Music,PR,Television
1) Why can’t viewers just call in and vote to end the war?
2) Oh, wait. Major Sponsor Exxon Mobil wouldn’t be thrilled. It also wouldn’t be able to “give back” so generously if not for the googillions it’s made on the war. Maybe that’s where Ben Stiller got the term — from checking EM’s financials.
3) By sponsoring images of African and American babies, it can say, “War? What war? I don’t know nothin’ about no war.”
4) So can Major Sponsor News Corp.
5) And Ford Motor Co.
6) Don’t forget Coca-Cola. “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.” And a bunch of peace and stuff.
Right. (Got $45?)
7) And AT&T.
8) Robin Williams. What … is it 1985?
9) Toothless grandmothers and dilapidated shacks juxtaposed with painted, airbrushed celebs, who packed their camera crews and left. Because they could.
10) Those painful fake smiles on the Appalachian children’s faces.
11) The politician who appeared on American Idol? British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
12) Paula Abdul, who’s had an eating disorder, stood next to Randy Jackson, who’s had stomach-stapling surgery, and talked about obesity in American children.
13) How many others — besides Miley Cyrus — had stuff to plug?
14) Did anyone else who saw Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman keep thinking, “Where is Matt Damon?”
Just me, then?
Updated: Deus Ex Malcontent posted random comments from watching the show.
April 10th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Amen! I couldn’t watch it after a few minutes. I had to turn it off. The falseness and self-congratulatory smug-ass rhetoric was making me want to puke.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
That was a good rant. Do you feel better having got that off your chest? I saw on twitter that you were working your way up to this for quite some time.
erin
blog: jewellerybyerin.blogspot.com
Facebook ©: http://www.facebook.com/pages/jewellery-by-erin/26712392216
April 11th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I’m clearly the only one who doesn’t get this show. I think it’s embarrassing and pathetic. Thank God I’ve only watched a total of 1 minute in my life.
End of rant
Nice weekend
April 11th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I hear ya. I don’t watch American Idol, except I hear about it on evrey new channel there is, so I guess I know a little about it.
I’m always very suspicious of the ‘giving back’ themed shows, wherever you see them. Nothing in life is free, ya know? It’s like the TV stars doing the public service announcements, because it’s a condition of getting their DWI dismissed or whatever.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I have nothing intelligent to contribute here, but I just wanted to delurk to tell you that “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” is in my head. Oh, and Sarah Silverman kind of freaks me out.
See? I SAID I had nothing intelligent to contribute.
April 12th, 2008 at 10:01 am
I totally hear you. It was kind of a tasteless telecast in a lot of ways. But as someone who works in non-profit I know that those are the images and ideas that get people to give. And giving to a reputable charity really can save a life.
#8 was a disaster. I can understand why his wife filed for divorce.
April 14th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Have you no shame? I JUST got that song out of my head and there you go putting up THAT video.
It’s all back in my head. For two more weeks I’ll be F*cking Matt Damon and cursing you!
And Idol giving back makes me throw up a little in my mouth.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I watched American Idol once, it is one of the things that makes me an outcast in Corp. Amer.
I think people love those shows because they feel like they give back just by watching.
Yes, people are that delusioned.
PS – Are you on the east coast or west coast of FLA? I am in Miami until June…
October 11th, 2008 at 11:57 am
[…] both sold me out with your votes for the googillion-dollar bailout, and you both want my vote. These things don’t go together, and I’m […]