One big karaoke machine;
'American Idol' concert sticks young, cute talent with oldies but goodies
Is "American Idol" a vision of show business future, or merely the
highest expression of karaoke?
Judging from "The Top Ten American Idols Tour 2002," which visited the
Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on Wednesday night, the answer would appear to
be the latter, but not by accident. The tour is a big-budget showcase for the
contestants who placed in the hit Fox TV show's final 10.
The show itself, of course, is a throwback to one of TV's most antediluvian
species: the talent show as epitomized way back in the early '50s by "Ted
Mack's Amateur Hour." Even before that, the show prospered on radio.
But the core irony of "American Idol" is its claim to showcase rising
young talent and then have the kids sing material that was already oldies fodder
way before they were even born.
Consider some of the tunes that showed up at the Allstate Arena: "Piece of
My Heart," "My Guy," "Ain't No Sunshine," "My
Cherie Amour," "Get Ready," "I'll Be There," "For
Once In My Life," "Easy," "Rhiannon," "My
Girl," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Celebration"
and "I Can't Help Myself."
Song choices like that can't be accidental, and they most certainly didn't
originate with the kids. How many 19-year-olds are thinking they could break
into show business if they only had the chance to sing more Four Tops songs?
And because the arrangements were note-for-note remakes of the original hits,
the youngsters were put in an even more difficult position. As newcomers, they
don't have musical identities and, rather than let them try to establish one
with their own material, the producers boxed them in with what amounts to
karaoke.
The winner of the prime-time TV contest, and the featured performer Wednesday
night, was Kelly Clarkson. The tour producers had Clarkson singing
"Respect" and "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)," two
of Aretha Franklin's defining hits. Not surprisingly, Kelly did not turn out to
be a better Aretha than Aretha.
Of course, music was only part of the deal. If you're wondering where all those
screaming little girls from the 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys shows have gone,
they were at the "American Idol" tour. The kids in the show are
talented in much the same way and style that Mouseketeers and the Brady Bunch
kids were talented.
They're also a rainbow coalition of cute. The cutest of all is probably
Justin Guarini, who with his chiseled features and outrageous mop of
curls is convincing evidence that Raggedy Ann and Ricky Martin were more than
just good friends. He also was the most convincing and natural showman
Wednesday, an asset that the producers recognized by making him emcee much of
the show.
If I had to pick one kid as a future star, it probably would be Christina
Christian. There was something poised and mature and self-possessed about
Christian that suggested a 30-year-old at a high school pep rally. She was a
little reminiscent of the young Whitney Houston.
Standing out for an entirely different set of reasons was Ryan Starr. Tall and
statuesque, with plunging necklines and low riders, Starr looked like the
"American Idol" most likely to be a future pole dancer. Looking at
her, the tour sponsorship by Pop Tarts had a certain logic.