Three weeks into a new season, I have made my judgment: “American Idol” without
I miss her passion, humanity, joy, unpredictability and genuine emotion.
Here are my eight reasons why a Paula-free “Idol”
has dimmed and paled so dramatically this season. (Of course, we’ll see
what happens after
1. Simon seems desperately bored, as if his mind is elsewhere. Because it probably is.
2. Randy looks unhappy.
3. Actually, Randy looks lonesome, as if he’s thinking, “Geez, I’m gonna be the last one here next season.”
4. When Kara tries to be nice — “Oh, honey, come
here and lemme give you a hug” — it feels phony. She may be the
sweetest person on the planet, but on TV, it comes across as false and
manufactured.
5. The guest judges are hit and miss and, worse,
irrelevant. This “guest judging” all feels like a gimmick because it is
a gimmick — to throw a spotlight on a famous pop singer and get fans to
tune in.
6. There is no heart left.
7. There is no passion. I can’t stress that enough.
8. No one knows how to work off Simon, and get him
engaged, or smooth his sharp edges, or give him extra human dimensions.
When Kara gives him that double take and sort of says, “You disagreeing
with me?” it comes off as lame.
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