Why Simon is my American Idol

I'm a newcomer to "American Idol," but I haven't exactly been living with my head in the reality t.v. sand like some media ostrich. I know who Jessica, Clay, Reuben, Fantasia, Carrie, Kelly and the others are, am aware of the various dramas that unfolded during the previous seasons (including those that presumably involved the judges), and am familiar with the celebrity and success of some of contestants, flash-in-the-pan or otherwise. I just haven't watched any of it.

The fact of the matter is that I was too busy. And when I wasn't, I didn't care.

But for reasons I haven't fully analyzed yet, this season I'm watching. And frankly, I don't know what all the fuss is about regarding Simon Cowell. In all honesty, his honesty is refresing.

We live in such a psuedo world. So much of what surrounds us, of what we take in -- intentionally or not -- is so superficial.

All these paparazzi-pursued celebutantes complaining about their privacy? Please. Who doesn't know by now that their publicists choreograph these "chance" encounters?

All the fake perfection thrust at us: Botox, plastic surgery, hair extensions, flawlessly airbrushed faces. It's no wonder we no longer know what a real person is supposed to look like.

And it all filters down into our daily lives. Others seem less concerned with who we are than with what we do, where we live, what we drive.

So it's no surprise that the people who vote for contestants on "American Idol" often don't get it right. And by "right" I mean that they don't know talent from their elbow.

Which is why Simon Cowell is my American Idol. Say what you will about Simon, but he does know talent when he sees and hears it, and he's not afraid or shy or embarrassed to put the truth out there. His no-nonsense, don't waste my time attitude is a relief, and not just from the genuinely awful performances he (and we viewers) are required to endure. Simon makes every effort to insure that we (and he) won't have to endure more of that rubbish. But the voting public doesn't always agree. And neither, it seems, do the other judges. But Simon gets it right every time.

Forget Randy with his "pitchy" comments and his "dawg"-edness, and Paula with her redundant "you're a beautiful person" comments. While pitch is certainly relevant in music, and spirit may come through in song, the bottom line is that the show is a singing contest, as Simon so often is forced to remind us. And, in keeping with that purpose, Simon's judging is, first and foremost, about the singing.

But voice isn't all. Presentation has a lot to do with performance, and how the contestants present themselves (or fail to) is not lost on Simon. He comments on all of it: Voice first, then appearance. It's all part of the delivery of the contestants' package.

I do think there were moments in the early stages when some of Simon's comments could have been kinder. But let's face it: When people with no talent put themselves out there what do they expect? After all, it's part of the entertainment platform. The public gets its jollies from some of that meanness. (Admittedly I missed most of that, preferring to wait until the final group of contestants was chosen, but it was hard not to hear about those nutty auditions.)

Beyond that, however, Simon's been spot-on about this group. And when he said, the other day, that if Sanjaya wins he (Simon) wouldn't be back for another season, I hope he was being as honest as he is with these wannabes. As all of us who watch the show know, the final results are up to the public, and the public is not only very fickle but often stupid.

We're not supposed to say things like that, but it's true. Sadly, that stupidity is not limited to voting for the next "American Idol." And, even more sadly, none of the other areas where people behave stupidly -- at least none that I'm aware of -- have a Simon Cowell to adjudicate the procedings.

Which is too bad. The world could benefit from more of Simon's straight-from-hip shooting.