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American Idol: Christian by Design?

While I generally believe Reality TV will be the downfall of civilization, I have become hopelessly addicted to "American Idol." Even though it seems annoyingly overrun with uber-Christian contestants, I always chalked that up to A) them trying to be a 'family show' and in America, that means Christian, and B) it's true that church choirs are one of the most common, cost-free ways a singer can hone his/her craft.

Anyway, I come across the Wikipedia page and this little blurb in the Season 2 Overview section:

The show caused controversy when contestant Frenchie Davis was disqualified from the competition after topless photos of her surfaced on the Internet. Shortly afterwards, she landed a role in the Broadway musical Rent, and continues to work on Broadway. The producers of the show added a Christian marketing team to protect and build faith viewers with faith guru Rick Hendrix after the Frenchie Davis incident.

Granted, the page notes that this bit 'needs clarification' and I've not yet found any other major 'American Idol had Christian promoters' type articles. But Rick Hendrix's home page states that he promotes for the show.

Begs the question: Since when does an infusion of Christianity prevent rather than guarantee you'll have drug/sex/hooker/violence/abuse scandal on your show?

That aside, now I'm wondering: It's no secret that singing songs about Jesus and America will get a contestant the much coveted Bible Belt vote. But are the producers also stacking the deck with the god squad? It was painful enough to hear Zac Efron Tim Urban do that horrid "Hallelujah" song. But then to have Simon pick it for Lee? In '08 one of the group sings was a gospel song, "Shout to the Lord."

Call me an idealist but I've always been in denial about that, even though it makes perfect sense. In the initial audition process, you know they're turing away thousands of decent singers as they select the 200 or so who will perform for the celeb judges. That's in addition to every good singer they have to turn away in order to bring in someone horrifically bad (and therefore good for ratings). But it's sickening to think that religion might be one of the criteria.

Sad to think how many Adam Lamberts have been turned away because they can only have so many token gays/Jews on the show.

Tags: American, Idol

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Permalink Reply by Howard S. Dunn on May 30, 2010 at 6:20pm

Hallelujah can be interpreted many ways. Stanza starts - Maybe there's a god above (rather agnostic) and the song depicts a far less than perfect world - or even love.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 31, 2010 at 12:44am

Are you kidding? The song Hallelujah is a Christian song?

Where in my original post do I identify the song as specifically Christian?

Like Howard says, it can be interpreted several ways. But it strikes me as far easier for a Theist to identify with it than an Atheist.

What I do identify the song as in my OP is 'horrid.' Yes, subjective, personal opinion, I know. In my subjective opinion, the melody is crap and the lyrics sound like a bad poem from a Christian junior high school student.

In my purely, subjective, personal opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Howard S. Dunn on May 30, 2010 at 6:07pm

The last Idol - Kris Allen - does a song that sounds like an atheist anthem to me - Live Like We're Dyin'.

Notice the third line in this stanza:

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying

And the last two lines here:

And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye
Should be so careful who we left out of our lives
So when we long for absolution,
There'll be no one on the line, yeah

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Permalink Reply by Howard S. Dunn on May 30, 2010 at 9:21pm

Kris didn't write it - an army of people did, it seems. He may have appreciated the sentiment as Christ (purportedly) did try to tell people to live this life to its fullest as tomorrow will take care of itself, etc.

But I contend that this song makes a good deal of sense in a non-theistic world-view, since this is all we got and we gotta start thinking

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 31, 2010 at 12:47am

But I contend that this song makes a good deal of sense in a non-theistic world-view, since this is all we got and we gotta start thinking

It might. I've never heard it to be honest.

But Kris Allen is an evangelical Christian.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 31, 2010 at 1:23am

One things that did strike me a couple of years ago was when David Archuleta, the Mormon, sang John Lennon's Imagine. Randy asked him, and I quote: "Yo, Dawg, that was hot, baby! Just why did you leave out the first verse? (Imagine there's no heaven...)"

They cherry-pick the bible to turn it into something they like. Perhaps he just did the same with the song?

It's an oft-discussed subject on this site how some Theists, especially Christians and Mormons, can't even conceive that someone is Atheist, or at least someone they like or respect. To that end, I think a lot of Atheistic songs go over their heads.

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Permalink Reply by The Nerd on May 30, 2010 at 6:49pm

Obnoxiously nerdy bit of info: http://begthequestion.info/

But that is an excellent question. To which the answer is obvious - an infusion of Christianity insures that when (not "if", "when") there is a drug/sex/hooker/violence/abuse scandal on the show, it will be that much more scandalous, and that much better for ratings. ;)

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Permalink Reply by John D on May 30, 2010 at 7:18pm

Crap - Jo - Have you listened to that lyrics to "Hallelujah?" It is written by Lenord Cohen and is really pretty amazing. It is not what most people think it is on first hearing it. Listen to the Cohen and Wainwright version. Cohen is a sort of monster sex Buddhist (or something like that). I can quite figure him out, but the song is about comparing sex to a religious experience. Losing your self to someone or something else, and then having it shattered.

We watch Idol (and Survivor) in our house. Idol is a popularity contest. Lots of people who vote are Christians... what should we expect? They are just pop singers.

Adam Lambert is one of our favorites.... :^)

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Permalink Reply by Howard S. Dunn on May 30, 2010 at 9:23pm

Yep - it is a reflection of our society. However, if Jesus is driving your car - tell him to back off. (Jesus, take the wheeeelll...)

Did you notice that Carrie Underwood must have been advised to dump the silly Jesus jingles in favor of the vindictive, country bitch slut ... look at the progression of her songs and their themes.

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Permalink Reply by John D on May 30, 2010 at 9:32pm

Carrie is just moving her music with her fans. The pop diva plan starts as the sweet girl next-door type, goes into pop dance music as a fun energetic teen, next sings devoted love songs and finally ends up with a hot star singing about sex and anger. It's all part of the pop star road-map to fame.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 31, 2010 at 1:01am

Yep - it is a reflection of our society. However, if Jesus is driving your car - tell him to back off. (Jesus, take the wheeeelll...)

As much faith as the god squad claims to have, I'm willing to bet few of them close their eyes on the highway, take their hands off the wheel, and trust Jesus to drive for them.

At least, I damn sure hope they don't.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 31, 2010 at 12:55am

Crap - Jo - Have you listened to that lyrics to "Hallelujah?"

I have. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

To which end, Adam Lambert, his voice, his look, his persona, are indeed the definition of 'beautiful!' He exemplifies why I put up with some of the cheesy crap of the show.