American Idol = Stress

I started watching American Idol again this season solely to be able to participate in the weekly Wednesday morning discussions with coworkers. However, as is sometimes a pattern with me and TV shows, I am now completely hooked!

The issue I'm having with this season though is that I don't have a definite favorite. I like a lot of the contestants, but I don't love any of them. Adam is clearly the front runner as the best entertainer, although as a coworker pointed out he doesn't really need to win because there's no question he will get a record deal while someone else might benefit more from winning the record deal. Personally he's on the bottom of my like-list, he's just a little too over the top for me. And in case you're curious, currently at the top of the like-list is Kris largely because of his song choice last night (Falling Slowly), followed closely by Matt...and then Allison, Anoop-Dog, Danny, ahhh see - too many!

Because of this issue, I ran into a problem last night that I believe is partly because I don't have a clear favorite, partly because sometimes I think I forget I don't actually know people on TV shows, and partly because I am too "right side" (synonym among friends for overly-nice and non-confrontational). The problem being last night I felt a sense of personal responsibility to vote for the contestants I like and to vote multiple times for the contestants that got bad reviews from the judges. "I have to save them! My vote counts!" I kept saying to myself. Farrell thinks that I am one of very few actually voting and that the whole "votes count" thing is a hoax. She thinks the producers decide each week and supports this opinion by asking me if the lines are every busy...which to her credit has only happened twice in my voting. I'm sure that they have an abundance of phone lines though; I mean my vote has to count - right?

However, I'm starting to think that I should just believe Farrell's theory even if it's not true because I really don't want the pressure of saving the career of these people each week. Plus my voting is on the verge of getting out of control. In fact, some might say it's already out of control...the number of calls placed last night was dangerously close to triple digits. I know - what am I doing!?! Shame!! BUT, if someone does get through tonight because of only a few votes I will feel responsible...although if they don't get through tonight because of only a few votes I will also feel responsible. This is definitely a lose/lose situation.

When did TV watching become so stressful??