Critics say American Idol is getting meaner. Uh, have you seen the show?

I just watched both American Idol shows last night and when I came to work this morning I saw this Yahoo article (linked in the title) that claims this season the judges are meaner. I wonder if the writer of this piece has ever watched the show. Hasn’t everybody gotten the fact that Simon Cowell is only paid the big bucks to rip people to shreds? It amazes me people are so upset. All the people on TV have signed a release to be on TV. It is your own fault if you get on there and think you are the next Christina and you are in actuality Lassie.

I thought that the judges and especially Simon were actually nicer this year than last. There were quite a few contestants that Simon said he liked but singing just wasn’t for them. I will admit that calling the one freaky looking, probably mentally challenged, kid a “bush baby” may have been a little harsh, but it’s nothing that we haven’t seen before.

These episodes of AI in the past have been my favorite, but this year it seems that the producers decided to show less footage of people who cry and show more of people who get p*@@ed off. I like seeing the people get angry and curse like sailors, that is hilarious, especially the kid who was already cursing and screaming as he burst out of the audition area. I am not sure what he said but there was a 10 second bleep. And to top it all off, his mom was standing right beside him. That is great, but I love the singers who really, really believe they are good and the judges rip them to shreds and they have to be carried out of the room in tears. Now that is television. Maybe I’m just a little sadistic.

I did feel sorry for one person, well, actually two. I felt sorry for the “bush baby’s” friend, who seemed more mentally challenged than old “bush baby.” Although the judges really were nice to him. The one I really felt sorry for was the vocal coach who sang Aerosmith’s, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” Randy Jackson killed his business for life. First he chose a bad song and threw a crazy falsetto in the middle of it. Second, he just plain sucked. Ah, who am I kidding, I don’t feel sorry for him. I am sorry HE didn’t end up crying and collapsing to the floor.

One person I felt no sympathy at all for was “The Hottness.” I have never seen another human being that both disgusted me, yet fascinated me at the same time. This may have been the most undesirable creature on the earth. I am not sure “The Hottness” offers any redeeming values for society. She got RIPPED after her audition and deservedly so. But instead of bursting into tears, she tried to engage in a battle of wits with Simon and then we found out that not only could "The Hottness" not sing, but she couldn't combine words to form sentences. After seeing her little segment, I don’t think she realizes that the day the kids at school started calling her “The Hottness,” was opposite day. But you have to give her credit for self-confidence or dementia.

I guess I can hope that these shows are only the first two rounds of auditions and maybe the next rounds will have more people singing crappily, getting ripped, begging for another chance, collapsing into tears, and then after being taken out of the audition room yelling and cursing profusely. That is my dream audition. I love you American Idol.