Idol: Amusement vs. Talent

Everyone loves watching American Idol, not only to see the many talented performers the show has to offer, but also to see the attitudes, the arguments and the arrogant.

This season has brought those three amusing aspects of the show to life, but Idol fans are starting to question the show's motives. If the purpose is to give someone with talent, motivation, and a high likeability factor a chance at stardom, then why is so much more airtime given to the not-so-talented auditions?

The focus is, yet again, on the girl who just about bared it all during her first audition. Nicknamed "Bikini Girl," Katrina Darrell has been at the center of controversy surrounding the show since her argument with judge Kara DioGuardi. The judges were split on their decisions about her Idol fate and media coverage hasn't praised her singing, but she still advanced through another set of auditions.

Hollywood Week is when the competition is really supposed to start. Fans are done with goofy costumes and confusing auditions by this time. MTV News' Idol expert, Jim Cantiello, said that he was angry about how much screen time Darrell was given. "We watch the audition episodes for the comedy. We watch Hollywood Week for the nail-biting, hair-pulling drama. It's disappointing that producers got it wrong this year," said Cantiello, according to MTV.

There is talk about the show becoming more entertainment-focused rather than looking at raw talent. MTV reports that "Vote for the Worst" site creator Dave Della Terza is okay with the show valuing entertainment over singing because he considers it a reality show, not a singing competition. "With Bikini Girl, maybe the producers think that's good drama, and they want her to stick around so the judges can fight it out. They know she's not going to be the next Idol and she's not going to make it past Hollywood," Della Terza said.