American Idol, Falling Fad

What happened to American Idol? I can think back to sixth grade when the first season came out and how enthusiastic everyone was about this new show and what an interesting concept it was. Families and people of all age would sit around waiting eagerly for Tuesday (or whatever night it was) at eight o'clock to roll around to catch the newest episode of American Idol. Maybe it was just my age that made it seem so important but I can clearly remember it being the "hottest" show on television for at least three years. There had never been a concept like that before and I think people liked the fact that you could sit and watch every day people like themselves live out their dreams of becoming a famous singer, although I know a lot of people truly only watched it for the terrible people that you couldn't help but feel bad for and wonder how they didn't know that they were in no way good singers. Yes, there was much excitement surrounding the American Idol craze but what happened to it? Now on season 11, this once loved show seems more like a sad excuse for television that only a select few die-hard fans tune into. I wonder if my complete lack of interest has anything to do with my age or what I discovered about the actual process of this show. My cousin who works in production has worked on American Idol for the past few years and was more than happy to share some of their dirty secrets with me. The process of selecting eligible candidates really isn't much about talent at all. They cut down groups of people before they even hear them sing. Once they have a small enough group of people they then allow everyone in the entire group, yes, good or bad, to perform in front of the judges. They go through a couple screening processes and are put into two categories really great or really terrible. Both are allowed to perform. I find this disturbing. Isn't the point to showcase the best of singers and not humiliate hopefuls that so obviously don't have a chance? What is wrong with TV these days if we receive the most pleasure not from talent but from embarrassment and pain. Ever notice how the ratings of the show spike in the very beginning during the call-outs but once the top(s) are picked there is a massive decline in viewers? If this doesn't say anything, I don't know what does. So what ever did happen to American Idol? To me, it just faded into the faceless crowd that is known as trash "reality" TV.