Most Unique
Our little family enjoys the guilty pleasure of watching American Idol, especially the early rounds when you get to see the parade of weirdoes and self-deluded freaks who think they have what it takes to be the next person turned into a one- or two- or even many-hit wonder by television’s favorite star-making machine.
Many of the rejects think they should have been “going to Hollywood” because they are—in that locution that drives even amateur grammarians like myself crazy—“very unique.”
The basic idea is that simply being unusual is a talent in itself; it doesn’t matter if you can sing well or not as long as you’re sufficiently different than anyone else.
But of course, each of us is unique; there’s probably no more common trait than being different than other people. Oddly enough, the contestants that tend fare well in the competition are often quite a bit like someone else; they’re usually a knock-off of some more original version: there’s the young Ella Fitzgerald type; here’s the Harry Connick, Junior, Jr,; this one is the mini-Mini Riperton, and so on.
Another aspect of the show that makes it like watching a train wreck is how often it transpires that the worse a performer a contestant is, the higher opinion he or she has of him or herself.
Time and again, we wonder whether this screeching tub of goo or that caterwauling troglodyte really believes they have a chance to be America’s Next Idol.
Naturally, their inabilities to perceive their own lack of talent makes me wonder if I am similarly deluded about my own abilities.
I do subscribe to the view that it is better to slightly overestimate one’s talents than to give them short shrift. Many times, simply believing you’ve got what it takes is enough to get you by.
While it’s important to take a long hard look in the mirror, that’s no reason not to dim the lights a bit first.
Many of the rejects think they should have been “going to Hollywood” because they are—in that locution that drives even amateur grammarians like myself crazy—“very unique.”
The basic idea is that simply being unusual is a talent in itself; it doesn’t matter if you can sing well or not as long as you’re sufficiently different than anyone else.
But of course, each of us is unique; there’s probably no more common trait than being different than other people. Oddly enough, the contestants that tend fare well in the competition are often quite a bit like someone else; they’re usually a knock-off of some more original version: there’s the young Ella Fitzgerald type; here’s the Harry Connick, Junior, Jr,; this one is the mini-Mini Riperton, and so on.
Another aspect of the show that makes it like watching a train wreck is how often it transpires that the worse a performer a contestant is, the higher opinion he or she has of him or herself.
Time and again, we wonder whether this screeching tub of goo or that caterwauling troglodyte really believes they have a chance to be America’s Next Idol.
Naturally, their inabilities to perceive their own lack of talent makes me wonder if I am similarly deluded about my own abilities.
I do subscribe to the view that it is better to slightly overestimate one’s talents than to give them short shrift. Many times, simply believing you’ve got what it takes is enough to get you by.
While it’s important to take a long hard look in the mirror, that’s no reason not to dim the lights a bit first.
posted by Professor Dave at 8:11 PM
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