Paul From Minneapolis

Thursday, April 13, 2006

I'm back to thinking that AI is a great show.

After last night’s video visits back to the hometowns and family and homefolk, that is. They captured the show’s core, the semi-honest collision between deceitful, cruel cynical Hollywood and actual America.

Sentiment dripped from the rafters and from Kellie's "snot rag" last night, and it was all based in reality.

Of course Simon is crucial to the mix: his brutality and refusal to condescend during the actual competition (by never dropping his disgusting attitude towards humanity) is fascinating.

Not to slight the drunken or be-pilled or simply embarrassing Paula Abdul, who yet remains very hot, and gentle, and her alleged affair with a former contestant is just the nasty thing I like. Or Randy, who, you know, I never heard of before, and I don’t begrudge him his sturdy role here. And Ryan, sporadically hilarious – he’s good at reactions at times.

Over the course of four months we get a real nice view of energetic, trying-to-make-it-work America. Life can be rough, sometimes it’s kind; a real good life is hard to find. These brave contestants (you've got to give them that) and their families and towns seem up to the challenge.

It’s the time for sad farewells now, so good luck Bucky. Until last night I was not aware of the NASCAR abandoning Rockingham tragedy, which makes your dad so sad: “Now we got this great facility out there for nothin’.” You probably can’t do anything about that. I hope the town’s withdrawal from the brief high you provided isn’t too bitter.