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YOUR AMERICAN IDOL WHEN A TV SHOW BECOMES A POP CULTURE PHENOMENON, THE WORLD MAY NEVER BE THE SAME.

August 7, 2008 12:15 am

BY BASSEY ETIM-EDET

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

THE U.S. ECONOMY has been steadily going insane. While the government works diligently to restrain it, the rest of America hides at home, crossing its fingers and throwing salt over its collective shoulder.

It's that feeling of a lack of control that can turn a television show into a television empire. Even six years ago, when the Dow was up, a competitive reality show--Fox's "American Idol"--was able to massacre its primetime competition by allowing America to be the ultimate decider.

Drunk with power, viewers watch each season obsessively and critique each performance with authority, always the fourth and silent judge on the panel. What keeps the home audience coming back week after week, season after season, is the knowledge that only with its permission will one contestant get the chance to achieve the dream of a career in music.

After weeding out those with a delusional sense of talent, criminal record or lewd Internet Web site, what's left is a Benetton ad of average Janes and Joes, palatable to the general population.

Every week the audience is treated to a warming anecdotal clip of each remaining finalist, subconsciously prodding them to pick a favorite, to fall in love with their just-like-you ordinariness.

This season's 10th-place finalist, Chikezie, worked for TSA at Los Angeles Airport before making it on the show, and seventh-place contestant Kristy Lee Cook loves horses.

Taken out of context it's all so yawn-inducing, but in the realm of "American Idol," the mundane becomes a heroic personification of American normality.

In fact, Chikezie, who recently spoke with The Free-Lance Star, revealed: "I was recognized by my hometown of Inglewood. They gave me a holiday, April 25. It's an amazing honor."

judge, jury, executioner

It makes sense when considering the riot that ensues between each week's performance night. Like techno-gladiators, fans take to their cell phones, landlines and computers to battle for their favorites. They sign on to message boards and look to blogs to defend or validate their choices.

Radio stations play sound bite after sound bite, critiquing or mocking every inch of the show.

"I was never critiqued on my voice," said Chikezie of the judging. "It was always something else, something external that I happened to be doing or happened to be wearing. That was probably the most difficult part of doing the show, for me."

However, there seems to be minimal to no drama between the contestants themselves; there appears to be a general sense of camaraderie behind the scenes.

"When we have time off we tend to hang out because we're all staying in the same area," said fellow top-10 finalist Kristy Lee Cook in a phone interview. "Jason Castro and I [recently] went to Hollywood Park and watched the horse races."

It's this kind of good, clean, American fun that forces fans to hold their other idols, Lindsay Lohan, for instance, to higher standards.

In the weeks leading up to the finale, the entire nation is afflicted with Idol Fever, and there is no cure until the show's victor is crowned.

How can anyone forget the aching suspense of this seventh-season's final chapter? David Cook vs. David Archuleta: Rock versus the complete opposite of rock.

"They both have amazing talent. It all came down to fan base, and David Cook had more fan base so he won. It was anybody's game," reflected Kristy Lee Cook (no relation to David, as far as we know) in a phone interview.

where are they now?

Sometimes the next American Idol goes on to reach his or her full potential, like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

Other times, not so much, as in Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. There is no empirical evidence why some winners continue to win on the charts and others struggle to even get on them--but there is a smug feeling of self-satisfaction when one's pick becomes the next American Idol.

However, on occasion it's the also-rans like Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry that grab the post-season spotlight and clog the media airwaves. Perhaps that's part of the allure of the "American Idols Live" tour--that even after the confetti's been swept off the stage and the evil judges are vacationing on an island only rich people know about, the fight still isn't over.

The baby-faced second place finalist, David Archuleta, will still get a shot at the champ, David Cook. In fact, the rest of the top 10 is given a second, though not equal, opportunity to shine in the spotlight in Washington next week.

"I will only be singing one song for the show," Chikezie lamented. Kristy Lee Cook is granted three songs, but the math is fair considering she lasted longer in the competition.

Regardless of their onstage time, the "Idols Live" tour is a gift to frenzied, Idol-starved fans--and to the top 10 performers, who need such a platform to help them further their music careers.

"It's like going back to camp again. We don't have to worry about what the judges are going to say about it. It's just fun," said Chikezie.

"I'm real excited to see all the fans. It will be really cool to go on tour for the first time and get that experience," exclaimed Cook.

It's easy to forget that the tour will be composed of ordinary folks with extraordinary talent. There are no entourages, no personal assistants, no one to separate M&Ms by color. When not performing for "Idols," the finalists have to snap back to reality. The ones who are still free agents spend their time trying to secure record deals and keep their face in the public.

"I go out and talk to different people to see about possible work after the show. It's all talk right now since we're still under contract with ["Idol"]. I do appearances and charity events," said Chikezie.

The finalists who are fortunate enough to have snagged a deal get to relax and focus on more personal objectives. Kristy Lee Cook, who accepted a marriage proposal during the season, has to hammer out the details of her wedding next summer, but she doesn't plan on trading her microphone for a baby bottle anytime soon.

"That probably won't happen until I'm 80," she joked. "I am definitely going to keep singing. I'm just mainly going to focus on my career and horses."

Hers is a simple life based in Selma, Ore., far from the majority of potential fans. So when "Idols Live" comes through the Verizon Center on Aug. 14, Kristy Lee Cook, and the rest of the top 10, will not squander the opportunity to impress the audience and make fans for life.

the davids and beyond

There is no argument that most concertgoers will turn out to see David Cook and David Archuleta, but that doesn't seem to dampen anyone else's spirits.

"At this point we're all going to have careers. It doesn't matter who gets to hold the title of American Idol," said a determined Chikezie. "It's pretty inconsequential to us. We're still going to go out and make our music, regardless of what you call us."

Words of future fame, or famous last words? Either way, the "American Idols Live" tour will be an entertaining event at which to draw a conclusion.

Bassey Etim-Edet is a freelance writer in Northern Virginia.