American Idol’s Instant Karma Repair
For the most part, I despise TV. So many commercials, so much exploitation, so much crap being spoon fed to viewers. One of my least favorite shows is American Idol, a program that insists fame (and “going to Hollywoodâ€?) is the apex of accomplishment in life.
I must admit that I’ve watched two episodes of Idol this year. In the first, I witnessed some of the most disturbing exploitation I’ve ever seen on the tube when the panel of celebrity judges ridiculed a string of seemingly mentally challenged contestants, even going as far as telling one wide-eyed kid that he resembled a “bush baby.” As the judges burst out in laughter, I flicked off the television.
The second time I sat through Idol was at a dinner party last week. Drinking wine in my friend’s living room, I watched the show begin in its normal way, replete with oppressive sponsors’ logos and horrible theme songs. Then, the same judges who spewed insults at disillusioned kids a few months ago began to talk about the plight of poor children in Africa who are infected with malaria and young people who starve every year in our own country. Called “Idol Gives Back,” the program featured heartbreaking segments followed by easy ways to donate money.
As I thought about how many people watch the program twice a week, I realized that perhaps they were doing something right for a change. Whether or not this was a contrived way to improve the image of American Idol (from a “spectacle of cruelty” to a philanthropic entity) isn’t important – Fox probably doesn’t even care as long as ratings stay high. But the fact is that it’s necessary to harness mainstream media to capture the attention of the masses. And it seems to be working. As of last Friday, the two shows raised over $70 million and according to Reuters inspired more than 70,000 viewers to join anti-poverty campaigns.
In my mind, on the transcendental scales of good versus bad karma, American Idol has tilted things back toward making the world a better place through their “Idol Gives Back” campaign. But now that their program has reverted to its regular format, I wonder how soon it’ll be before judges go back to lambasting contestants for being overweight or, more importantly, if more viewers will vote for the next American Idol than the next American President again.
4 Responses to “American Idol’s Instant Karma Repair”
I’m shocked that 70,000 were prompted to donate by American Idol. Would those 70,000 people have donated money to a different organization if it weren’t for those episodes, or were they all just sitting here with money to give but needed someone to ask for it in order to do so? If anyone reads this who donated, I’d love to hear your answer. Either way, I too am happy to see that they raised so much money.
I watched and I donated. Even though I was completely aware of the “about face” Idol seemed to be taking in an effort to clean up their I found myself motivated to give to the cause they were highlighting. I generally recognize that my small financial contributions to charities are unable to really make a dent in the world, but the idea that there were over 50 million(?) viewers who collectively could raise enough money to have an impact was motivating to me.
It’s amazing how many conversations I’ve had about this post since last week. I had no idea how many of my friends were closet Idol watchers! My intent wasn’t to bash American Idol with this piece (okay, maybe a little) but more to point out that mainstream media is finally catching on to the power they have to do good. I think we’re at a crossroads where sustainability and social responsibility are not only more important to mainstream America, but essential for the survival of this big, round organism we’re living on.
So Bono is reaching out to big corporations, President Bush, and anybody else with power, and challenging them to do something right. Back when I was in high school, environmentalism was something that only “crunchies” and “granolas” were concerned with. Recently, activists have realized that in order make a difference, they would have to make sustainability and social responsibility “cool.”
The idea is to touch as many people as possible, bringing these messages up from the counter-culture and into mass culture.
Stay motivated. It’s only going to get better from here.
@Rick: I think 2 things are happening. You’re right; business and the MSM are realizing that they can do a lot of good with their power. They are also realizing that their audience/clients/constituency really care about social issues. They’re noticing that taking the high road can make a whole lot of business sense. Using American Idol as an example, they got a load of free press and publicity for a relatively small investment. Also a goody goody streak can differentiate a brand in the marketplace and get that little extra edge.
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