American Idol: Meanest Season Ever?

News sources everywhere keep telling us that this is going to be the meanest season of American Idol yet. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is in talks with Fox about comments Randy Jackson made regarding a young man who came in to audition. Ryan Seacrest tells news sources that the contestants this year are shockingly cutthroat and that the sweet wholesomeness of seasons past is long gone. And yet, somehow, the show's ratings are the highest they've ever been. American Idol is certainly no stranger to controversy. In fact, it's the controversy that drives American Idol. On last night's episode of American Idol, Simon Cowell walked out of the audition room in a fit of anger. So disgusted with the inept judging of Paula and Randy who teamed up against him all day, he threw down his pen and left the room. This would have been a shock to unsuspecting viewers if we hadn't seen Simon throw down his pen and leave the room before every single commercial break the whole hour long. Tuesday night the teaser before the commercials showed a well-endowed (that's the nice way of putting it), scantily clad woman screaming expletives and denouncing the judges. So yeah, I wasn't too surprised when she wasn't a good singer. Don't be fooled by the hype. American Idol loves its controversy. Its producers cackle in delight when the local ten o'clock news runs a story that claims the show to be awash in scandal, in-fighting, and discrimination. It may be a family show, but it's never been squeaky clean. The point is meanness, or whatever you want to call it, makes for great television. My husband only watches the beginning of American Idol. He loves seeing the rejects come in so that Simon can boot them out and humiliate them. The end part, where everyone is talented and they only cry tears of joy, doesn't interest him. Fox knows this. That's why they're showing three hours of this stuff a week. I am personally in the camp that cringes when people's dreams are shattered in the early stages of Idol. But even I have to accept that it's part of the game. Not everyone can be the next American Idol. Some people have to be bad. Really, really bad. And the judges wouldn't be the judges if they didn't tell them straight up how they felt about it. That's why, when I see all these headlines that ask "Is American Idol too mean?" I shake my head and roll my eyes a little. Yes, it's too mean. But that's American Idol.