Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Why American Idol Sucks


I know the pain of not getting into see a favorite show. Each year I would enter the Saturday Night Live lottery for tickets, and each year would never get in. Nothing. Not even the dress rehearsal, which by the way is actually the show you want to see because you get to see more stuff, and you decide what the rest of the country sees. It took years and years and years, and I never got in the regular way. I didn't have the patience to stand outside and hope to get in. Each Saturday people would line up to try and get in which was only possible if the lottery winners didn't come and if you got in the line about 18 hours before showtime. I did finally get in to see the show one year, but it was through the musical guest. A couple of us sat there in the audience for the dress rehearsal and for the show. Because of me, a couple of people in the standby line who had been waiting for 18 hours didn't get in to see the show. I feel guilty now.

I got an e-mail from someone last week, and I am going to take out all the identifying information, although I will say they do comment all the time.

I GOT AMERICAN IDOL TIX!! IT ONLY TOOK A YEAR, but I finally got them. Will see the taping and not the rehearsal!!

Pretty cool huh? Think they were excited? I was really happy for them. It is so cool when people get that excited about something.

Here is the e-mail I got today from the same person.

Didn't get in last night -- they had more vip's than anticipated so they bumped the back 1/3 of the line.

The back 1/3 of the line? So, American Idol let me get this straight. You have people who have been waiting for a year or more to get tickets, and have in some cases planned vacations around these tickets when they finally get them, get bumped because VIP's who could not even get on the Surreal Life are crashing the show?

Kids are left crying, the ones in the wheelchairs rolled home, just so some guy from the first season of Temptation Island can score with this girl he has been trying to date. I understand how the ticket system works at American Idol. No one is guaranteed to get in even with a ticket. I understand that. However, the vast majority of people when they are notified by American Idol to be at the show on a specific date after a year or more of waiting think they are getting in.

I understand about slightly overbooking the show because some people are not going to show up. But overbooking by 1/3 is outrageous. "Sorry folks. Head back to Kansas or wherever you come from. We'll put you back on the wait list and maybe you will get in next year. Don't care if you hate us or are mad at us or even watch us again. We are television Gods and don't need you. Now make way for the judge from Celebrity Boxing."

8 comments:

captivagrl said...

another reason to hate AI.

Unknown said...

Gawd how I loath American Idol, and this is just another dandy reason to continue to do so...

ykkstuck said...

oh wow that just sucks, sorry for the person. Hope you didnt have to travel far, book a hotel, pay for many meals, get a new outfit, shell out a small fortune for gas or rent a ride to the venue. I'd write ole AI a letter letting them know you're disgusted. They're making so much bank maybe they would do something special for you. Wishful thinking Im sure

califblondy said...

I couldn't get into David Letterman through the convential route of requesting tickets. FINALLY, a friend of a friend who works for CBS not only got us in, but we were VIPs.

I wouldn't cross the street to watch a taping of AI unless I had inside info that Paula upped the meds that night.

WTF said...

That sucks. VIPs on AI are people that Seacrest gave "reality shows" to. ie: Denise Richards and White Oprah and clan.

jax said...

i wouldn't change the channel to watch AI.

everything about that show is so contrived and painful to watch Gaycrest try and be witty.
and if i have to hear Randy "yo dawg" one more person..i swear.

englished said...

If I'm reading that correctly, AI is upfront about the tickets not guaranteeing a place in the audience. Thus if you plan an entire vacation around a "maybe," no offense but the person you should really be mad at is yourself, not a tv show. Disappointed? Yes. Angry? No.

what is eight past six? said...

This is what I'm not quite getting...AI has a brand new stage/studio this season. It's clearly a lot bigger than previous seasons and can hold more people. There is even a "mosh pit" area directly in front of the stage where several fans can stand (which isn't that great of an idea for a few reasons but that is another story).

There should be no reason THIS year to have to bump 1/3 of a line. And yes, they are upfront about their policy but I actually think that rather sucks. You're a public show, the entire point is to have a whole bunch of anxious fans to up the excitement factor (b/c I doubt all those "VIP" people are going to squee over David Archuleta nearly as much as the gaggle of 12 year olds still standing outside). There should be a cap on the VIP area, IMO. There are not that many damn important people trying to get into AI, I am sure.

I hope the person planned to do other things while on her trip so that it wasn't a complete waste.

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