Dear American Idol Voters,

...what?

Seriously? People? Are you deaf? Or just retarded?

Do any of you think that Jason Castro even knows where he is?

Siiiigh.

Okay, honestly: I hate this show. With a burning passion, I do. My sister happens to watch every single reality TV show known to man, which is how I really wound up watching American Idol. It's kind of like watching someone get hit by a speeding bus - it's awful, but you just can't look away. Frankly, I don't see the point in the whole contest aspect of it. Pretty much everyone who makes it as far as the top 12 is going to walk away with a recording contract. Why not just give away 10 good deals and 2 awesome ones and call it a day? Is it really necessary to take up 2 pointless hours of air time in my living room every week?

The whole point of the show is to be a singing contest, yes? I've only seen the tail end of last season and the past 2-3 weeks of this one, but I know one thing for sure - it is anything but a singing contest. It's a popularity contest, at best. It's rare that the most talented, professional contestant will actually take the prize. Many of them get eliminated before the final 12 line-up is completed - they can be practically boxed as record sellers, but give the viewers a blonde with long legs, a swishy boy with entertaining hair, or a stoner with a "charming" personality and we can all wave bye-bye to anyone who might actually have longevity in the music business. Though, as I've already mentioned, they're all going to get signed to something anyway... so WHY BOTHER?  Aside from watching Simon Cowell be obnoxious, yet, constructive (and also sexy - yes, I said it... though seriously, please, someone help him with that square hair style he's got going on) the show has absolutely NO POINT.

Speaking of constructive - people always boo Simon for his criticisms, but he's the only one of the judges who ever has anything useful to say. Paula Abdul, as I've mentioned before, must be the most vapid person on the planet. She can't even string a sentence without 5 second pauses at each word. She never gives any kind of constructive comments - it's always "you're so beautiful" "your hair looks great" "you're a star" "never change" and other high school year book staples. This does nothing for people who truly, TRULY suck. Randy Jackson is not quite as bad, but pretty close. "Yo, yo... so check it out, dawg... it was a little pitchy." That's... about all he's got. Dawg. Simon opens his mouth and actually says things that could be (GOD FORBID) useful to the contestant. Perhaps push them in the direction they need to go to boost their technique, an everyone freaks out. Paula shakes her head in disgust... or confusion, I think, because sometimes she probably doesn't understand the words. But, holy crap, people. His job is not to coddle. The actual business isn't like that. If they're not prepared to handle the critique, then they should just suck it up and go home.

I feel that someone owes me an explanation as to why this show needs to exist. Anyone. And "because it's entertaining" is not enough. Showtime At the Apollo is also entertaining and often has more talented vocalists. Someone go give those people record contracts.