In doing all this, however, American Idol has made itself the moral compass of the American dream, writing a rulebook to secure it. Contestants must have criminal backgrounds as white as snow and cannot have had any past involvement in the adult industry. In season two of the series, contestant Frenchie Davis was axed before the top 12 began when news broke that she had posed nude for an adult Internet site. Davis responded to the reports, reasoning that she had taken the work to help to pay for the education that she could not afford. In essence, she was the perfect candidate to find her American dream with a dark past that she could overcome before America. But, for conduct unbecoming of a perfect Idol, she was given the back door.
Knowing this, it was surprising that producers granted Hernandez permission to continue on with the show. This time, however, they were not dumb. They knew that the controversy could only help fuel their already enormously popular show. The men in suits gave him the chance this time. Yet it turned out to be America, who had been educated on what it takes to be on Idol, that rejected him. Had Hernandez's past not been revealed, he would still be in the top 12. While his song choice was not right, he sports vocals that are more refined than several of the other contestants on the show, and he has an undeniable stage presence.
It's sad to see a show that set out to do so much fall victim to the fame that it has garnered. If only it could go back to basics, giving true talent the chance to shine in spite of contestants' life stories. In a perfect world, Hernandez would sing "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" in the show's finale.
Spring Break
