Finding our Reality in reality TV

Unlike American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, America's Got Talent opens up auditions to a broad array of talent, from animal trainers to stilt walkers, and welcomes both solo acts and ensembles.

But here's what's interesting.

All four finalists are solo acts.

And...

All four are singers.

Yup.

Despite a wide variety of acts that the judges purposely placed in the top twenty -- the voting/dialing/push-buttoning audience has chosen a fairly homogeneous group of finalists -- four singing soloists.

While it is probably true that American Idol has influenced how we vote, there is something much larger at play with America's Got Talent, and all reality TV.

Each is a hero's journey. Each involves thousands hoping to be called to adventure. And as we watch, and participate by voting, we begin to feel that we are on the journey as well.

But we can't be on the journey, unless we can identify with the contestants, and so we find ourselves drawn to and voting for solo acts, rather than ensembles, to people who talk/sing/beat box to us, rather than those who don't. When the contestants speak to us, we can connect with them, and find our voice, even as they find theirs.

We've talked about this before, so now let's analyze the idea further.

Will you quickly listen to the YouTube clips of the four finalists for America's Got Talent?

Who do you identify with?

Terry Fator, Butterscotch, Cas Haley or Julienne Irwin?

Why?

I identify with Terry Fator.

And I'll tell you why, as soon as I ask you this question -- When I say that I identify with him, does that mean that I want to become a ventriloquist, that I want to see him perform live, or join his fan club?

Perhaps.

But because I want to be the hero of my story -- and for you to be the hero of yours -- rather than focusing on the who, I want to focus on the specifics of the why.

And, my gander of a guess is this.

Terry Fator is a man who's been perfecting his craft for decades, laboring in obscurity, wondering on many occasions if he shouldn't just pack up his puppets and go home.

I too sometimes feel that I work very, very hard at whatever I'm working on, and it isn't necessarily acknowledged or valued. And I too want to pack up my puppets, as it were, and go home.

But, Terry Fator didn't pack up and go home. And given how very capable and competent he is, how happy we are that he didn't.

Which is when I begin to wonder -- am I -- are you -- competent and capable too? Far more than we know?

And with that wondering comes a slice of hope.

Delicious and delightful hope.

Who do you admire at the moment? Why?

Comments

[Damien Riley]

Great blog layout. I watched this from the beginning and I have to say I don't know why. It was second rate talent at best. Butterscotch made me nasueous the way she beatbox spit around in her mouth. It was kind of touching when she cried though. I don't think I'll watch next season. OH and how about the Hoff's intense ballad at the finale? My wife and I were dying laughing on the floor!