Exempli Gratia

How gay could this possibly make me?

(I'm not, for the record.)

I'm real excited about the new season of American Idol. I missed last week, so I'm going to make sure to watch tonight. My roommate teaches some computer classes, so I have the room to myself until 11PM. I'm going to get some pizza and soda and watch the world try out for embarrassment.

I hated this show for the longest time and I still do to some extent. I really only like the auditions because they are truly the funniest parts. Simon is so pretentious, I just want to gag when I hear him tell someone they have no talent. Why should he begin to assume he knows what talent is? He's a producer, that's it. He knows how to make a record so it will sell. He knows how to make an album (or singer) sound clean and pretty. That's not talent, that's capitalism; it's marketing (i.e. for profit, not art). I guess I'm being too hard on him because music production is a hard trade to learn. I guess I just don't like his ego. But, his wit, cynicism, and impeccable ability to make everyone feel like crap are quite humorous.

"Without virtue there can be no liberty." - Benjamin Rush

Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson.