By Meg Hodson
I am one of the IdolTweethearts. Maybe you've been following some of our fun this season, or maybe your haven't heard of us. Myself and a handful of other influential women in blogging and social media gained exclusive access behind-the-scenes for season 13. It's been a fun whirlwind, to say the least.
American Idol has gone through a lot of changes this season. Jennifer Lopez returned as a judge and Harry Connick, Jr. was added, too. They added Rush Week on the road to the top 13 and some contestants were eliminated before even getting the chance to sing. There's a new stage, enhanced voting, and a conscious effort to be social media friendly.
I had the honor of sitting down to lunch with David Hill, head producer for American Idol, and Trish Kenane, also an Idol producer, to chat about the changes and the new season. I also got a true sense of their passion and commitment to the show. My husband chuckles when I say how down to earth and passionate they are about American Idol; they truly are committed to this show, ratings aside.
I also think with reality t.v., there will always be a host of critics and self-proclaimed experts out there to either praise or criticize a given show. The case is no different with American Idol. Now, I won't give myself the moniker of being an American Idol expert. But with my experiences this season, I will say I have a distinct appreciation for the show and it's process. I would also venture to say I have approached the show this season as a fan with a zoom lens.
I think the show is doing a lot of things right, even with the growing pains. Unfortunately, for a lot of fans who may have grown frustrated with the show and not watching, they are missing out. Furthermore, for the casual viewer who only began watching this season yet became nonplus about the show's evolution are also missing out. A colleague of my husband's told him she started watching because of me this season, but grew quite disgruntled over Rush Week and the Top 30 elimination.
I'm not saying that viewers are unfounded in their opinions in why they choose to watch or not watch. But let's face it, sometimes we need to give things a second chance. And American Idol, in my opinion, is an institution to not cast away lightly. Sure, they have a bar that they set high that they need to maintain. But I feel they are hitting that on many levels. In no particular order, here are the reasons why I think you should be watching American Idol:
1. The Auditions. I judge a lot of things in life by whether I have a "warm, fuzzy feeling". When the season started, I definitely had that feeling. I saw the season premiere a total of 3 times: at my sneak peek trip to Hollywood week, at the pre-screening the day before the t.v. premiere, and the actual t.v. broadcast. I watched it for the 3rd time as if I hadn't seen it previously. The judges were entertaining, with Harry Connick, Jr. delivering a breath of fresh air and humor. The auditions were low on silliness, high on talent. People fell in love with Idol all over again. There was nothing not to love.
2. The Judges. All t.v. shows crave chemistry. You can have a perfect set of actors yet your show will flop if there is no marriage of characters. Well, American Idol has found a nice balance with Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick, Jr. They are all artists & performers from three distinct backgrounds. They have diverse critique methods and they play off of each other well. Their humor is genuine.
3. The Talent. Let's get past who's been cut and stop crying about it. While many of your favorites may have been eliminated, I can't think of a season where I haven't had a favorite cut. Need I remind everyone of Daughtry in Season 5? How did that happen? I still watched after that because I loved the singing and the performances. That still holds true this season. While some of my favorites didn't make it into the Top 30, there is still amazing talent. I did not have my eye on Caleb prior to the Top 30 and it wasn't until the Top 13 that he became one of my favorites. I ask you to remind yourself that you are watching a singing competition; it ebbs and flows and stars are born right before your eyes. American Idol has a reputation for this! Stay tuned.
4. Social Media. American Idol has quietly been connected with fans on social media in seasons past. They've got Facebook and Twitter pages. They've expanded to have Instagrams and Vines. Ryan Seacrest has quietly tweeted on stage from time to time. But this year has been a concentrated push to engage. Some aspects of their social media push, like the forced selfies from Ryan Seacrest, are a bit tiresome and unauthentic. But that aside, they are more engaged then they ever have been on social media. With new additions like the #IdolBlitz Twitter and Facebook chats and Google voting, fans have more ways to connect. Quietly on the radar are the IdolTweethearts, of which I am a part. American Idol, to me, is a trendsetter in this respect. They understand that influential women in social media are the new paparazzi. We're the new press, but we're also fans. I can't think of another show that has taken on such a project.
Are you still along for the American Idol ride? I hope you are. If you've slacked in your viewing, I invite you to come back. At the end of the day, the show is about the singing. You will get your fill.








