This year’s star-studded “Idol Gives Back” (wait, was that seriously Todd Bridges in the audience?!) was the cherry on top of the Inspirational Week sundae. Ryan Seacrest mentioned that they were all touched by how many people in Hollywood wanted to pitch in and give back. I’m guessing that it’s the same amount of people in Hollywood who have a project to promote.
Even the President and First Lady made a taped appearance, inspiring us and letting us know that -- Yes, We Can! -- make a change in the world. (Mainly, though, Michelle’s guns have inspired me to make a change in my triceps.)
Though no one can fault the message delivered by “IGB” or the funds raised for charities throughout the United States and Africa, what we can fault is the production itself. Once again, the powers that be seem to be playing with the levels of DVR Nation’s tolerance, as the “two hour” show went over not a mere two minutes or even four, but a whopping 24 minutes. It’s almost as if they were trying to make up for last year’s hiatus by cramming two shows into one!
As in years past, last night’s “very special episode” featured various sob stories interspersed with random musical performances. The video packages of celebrities “giving back” by visiting people who are facing life-threatening challenges called to mind those old middle-of-the-night St. Jude programs.
You know the ones. You’d spend an hour falling in love with a couple of cancer kids before Marlo Thomas gravely announced at the end of the program that your favorite one had “lost his battle.” Then they’d hit you up for money. Depressing? Yes. Effective? Absolutely. In fact, Simon announced that $15 million had already been raised by the end of the show. And once it aired on the West Coast, my text donation brought the tally up to at least $15,000,010.
Granted, malaria, illiteracy and sex trafficking are all things that we need to eradicate. But is it really appropriate for Posh Spice to sport her Christian Louboutins while educating us on poverty? Discuss.
As for the music -- well, that may have been even more depressing than that story of the Arkansas kid who was doused with gasoline and set on fire by a “friend.” OK, not quite, but still. What was up with all the adult contemporary stuff? For a show that requires contestants to be 28 or under to audition, it sure seems like they could’ve younged it up a little.
I’m not asking for Miley Cyrus; I think we’ve had our fill of her. But isn’t there a middle ground? The Mary J. Blige performance of “Stairway to Heaven” featuring Randy on bass was impressive but then the DVR cut it off right in the middle. In fact, the only “current” performances on the show were by Carrie Underwood and Alicia Keys. (And, no, The Black Eyed Peas don’t count. They would perform at a nursery school graduation if it were televised.
