The Era of the Amateur

“American Idol” reflects the deconstruction of celebrity (“Tyro Mania,” by Dan Neil, 800 Words, March 12). It is no longer professional talent versus amateur aspirants. Once C-list celebrities morphed MTV’s “The Real World” into VH1’s “The Surreal Life,” it was clear that amateurs were trumping professional talent in the public’s mind. This reversal of attention threatens executive careers and skyrocketing salaries.

The return of prime-time game shows, the persistence of “Survivor” and the shorter season of episodic TV all reflect too many amateur channels and too little professional content.

When former “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson won two Grammys, the audience was instead overwhelmingly watching “Idol.” Why? The professional Grammys are so last millennium. We now live in the era of the amateur!

Brad S. Barnes

Santa Ana

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Neil has made a great argument for why “American Idol” deserves our sincere attention. While I agree that the finalists are talented practitioners who are worthy of earning their keep as professional performers, I lament our fascination with the train-wreck auditions.

There’s only so much bandwidth in this world. Each week I receive an issue of Time magazine, and I can barely get through it all. On my shelves are books by such talented authors as William Gaddis, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Nadine Gordimer that I have yet to complete. Finding the time is my problem, but I hope Neil can pardon me for wishing that our culture would place more stock in quality.

The American culture’s obsession with celebrity--and its interest in cutting people to ribbons to prove that they are no better than we are--is one of the saddest developments of the last 25 years. Pop culture has brought much to the world that I cherish, but laughing at the blood sport of the auditions is a base response that I consciously avoid out of simple respect for my fellow man.

Patrick Brady

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