DVR killed the Idol...

Being a theatre geek, my schedule is not like most. I don't do evening family dinners around the dining room table every night. I remember so clearly watching 'The Cosby Show' with my family every Thursday night growing up... but my own family unit doesn't have those traditions. I'm typically running to rehearsal prior to dinnertime (sometimes just after lunch) and while the rest of the world enjoys their weekend, I'm experiencing my busiest days of the week (Saturday and Sunday). Monday is my weekend... my day off... my holy day... I yearn for Sunday night the same way most yearn for Friday... and in my world, having a 'bad case of the Mondays' would not be entirely negative.

You can imagine how much my world changed with the invent of the DVR. Shortly after, you could actually record something at home by pushing a few buttons on your phone (thousands of miles away!)... and then came Netflix and Hulu... pretty much ensuring that I'd never miss another show for the rest of my life.

In scaling back on my expenses, I looked at how much I was paying for cable (and how unnecessary it is with services like Netflix and Hulu) and made a terrifying discovery.
I've been paying $100.00 a month for two shows.

Seriously.

First: 'Game of Thrones' on HBO. It's a miniseries based on a book series by George R R Martin that I read while working for telerelay services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. I'm not big on fantasy/sci-fi novels, but these were on the community bookshelf at work and I soon found myself addicted and purchasing the rest of the series. I loved HBO's 'Rome' and couldn't wait for 'Game of Thrones'. There's confession #1. My inner geek is showing.

Second: American Idol. I'm actually a little ashamed to admit this one because I think of American Idol as a big corporate sponsor monster, corrupted by greed. I think they exploit their artists, rape them, reshape them for commercial gain, exploit them some more, overwork and underpay them, contract them within inches of their life and snuff out any genuine passion and artistry that once existed before they toss them back out at contract end to make room for the next cookie-cutter 'Idol'. So, I don't often admit to watching Idol (except to a few select friends who occasionally call to have 'what did you think' discussions post-show.)

I don't really give a hoot about any of the judges or their critique. It's art, therefore it's all subjective. (To me, anyhow.) So, I typically fast-forward through commercials as well as their trite, boring commentary.

And here's the big confession: I'm a sap. Seriously. I watch AI alone most of the time and especially towards the beginning - when we learn about back stories and families and who these kids are as artists - I'm moved to tears at least a half-dozen times per episode/audition/sing-off. It's ridiculous, really... but I'm a sucker for good voices and passionate artists. Some of my favorite films are about music - The Red Violin, The Piano, Once... and even the ridiculously cheesy ones - Mr. Holland's Opus, August Rush... will have me bawling like a baby. Full-on ugly cry, right there on my couch. No shame.

I'm the same way with American Idol. I don't know why. Sometimes it's the song that moves me. Sometimes it's the artist. But for whatever reason, I'm a cry-fest... and I love it. I love being moved. I have the same response to the show 'So You Think You Can Dance'. Moved by the harmony of music and movement... I laugh, I cry, I watch as religiously as my schedule and DVR allow.

Rehearsal schedules being what they are, and considering the amount of time I'll spend 'on the road' this year, I don't anticipate being able to keep up on my shows as I'd like to... and in the interest of saving a few ducats before relocating, I'm cutting off my cable completely this week.

*cue separation anxiety*

I keep telling myself that between the internet, Hulu, Netflix and whatever else is out there that I don't know about yet; I'll be able to keep up on my guilty pleasures.

Besides, there are much higher priorities right now than a silly HBO series and a fixed/commercialized singing competition.
Right?
Right.