"AMERICAN IDOL HOOPLAH"
By Reggie Tangan, Pinoy Pop Idol (sic)

From its recent debacle of Reality TV, we guys can't help but talk about the recent talk of the town that is American Idol. We TV connosieurs know about this reality-slash-talent-emotional-outbreak TV show about Americans wanting to be the next pop star, and get their dose of reality that being star isn't always an uphill climb but a downward spiral of epic proportions thanks to one of American Idol's verbally demolishing judges and one of my role models; Simon Cowell.

The current American Idol was a eye-catcher for the Pinoys because two Fil-Ams, both from Hawaii (pronounced Ha-vah-e) Camile Velasco and Jasmine Trias were in the Top 12 of the finals. Both were Filipinos with Filipino parents (for the exception of Camile Velasco, whose mother remarried) have their distinct Filipino trait as a singer as well as their inate ability to charm people with just their hard work and less about their superficial looks.

Which isn't bad, totally.

One of the things that bothered me most about American Idol is that we didn't give a damn about this show. The show is in it's third season, and we didn't give a rat's ass about its previous seasons. The show made big winners out of its first winner Kelly Clarkson, and runner-up Justin Guarini, it's second season paved the way for hugely proportioned Ruben Studdard, and ugly duckling to regal swan Clay Aiken. Recently, Fantasia Barrino who "Bobo'ed" her way to becoming American Idol for its third season, while 16 year-old Diana DeGarmo gets the 1st runner up stat.

Then there comes it's third season when the earlier statement proved that Pinoys have the talent to become the next American Idol. Revealing the contest had asian talent (let's not talk about Fookling), specifically Filipinos, took the attention of Filipinos. True, we are proud that two Fil-Ams got into the finals, then local TV shows were trying to cash in with the Fil-Ams in American Idol to make that connection to whom these clueless contestants know nothing about. There was once this TV show that showed a guy who thinks he was Camile Velasco's old childhood friend, only to realize that the real Camile Velasco that he was talking about was a totally different person and not the Camile Velasco on American Idol.

Coincidence? I beg to differ.

Well, Pinoys have a knack for making recluse connections with people whom we absolutely don't know. As if they were a part of our lives and make recluse comments such as; "Her good voice came from her grandmother," and other boring statements.

But what can I say. All I have to say that this is American Idol, not Pinoy Idol.

- Written March 2004