American Idol

The American Idol judges are crumbling like the OJ Simpson defense team.

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Remember when American Idol was the highest rated show? The great squabbles between Paula and Simon? Wondering what was in Paula's glass? The love /hate relationship between Ryan and Simon? Randy's dog pound? More than that, however, when it came down to the nitty gritty, it was all about the singers, not the judges.

Now they've got divas judging and having cat fights, fighting between the female judges and producers. I used to be a fan of the show until the focus became the mostly horrible contestants and then he judges. Lost in the mix, somehow are the great singers who made the cut.

I would be willing to bet that the female judges were a little upset about possible competition. My theory, but it seemed the original group of judges were not mainstream performers, and therefore were focused on the performers, who the audience came to see.

It's not supposed to be about the judges. Now we hear talk that they're going to replace Mariah with Jennifer Lopez. Bad move. How about Clive Owen or a voice coach to the stars, who would actually care about the advancement of the contestants?

American Idol producers are all about the ratings, and they're trying to recover from the resignations of Paula and Simon. Even though crass, Cowell knew what he was talking about. Love him or hate him, he focused on the singers when it counted. American Idol is in a tail spin that I don't think they'll pull out of.

Survivor, on the other hand, succeeds because it is all about the contestants. Even when they're not competing, the cameras are still on the contestants, too keep us guessing about who's getting voted off this week. It's great fun and I never miss an episode. Ever. It's real. People get injured, some so badly they have to leave the game.

Survivor mixes it up when needed, too. Redemption Island was one wild and crazy twist which lasted two seasons before it was dismissed. Except for the reunion show, it's not about Jeff Probst. Even then, it's about interviewing contestants.

American Idol had better take a look back when they were the golden show, or they will disappear, along with some people who got legitimate shot at stardom.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to audition for Dancing with the Stars.

See you tomorrow.

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