Canadian Idol needs to go away.  Honestly, it's more interesting to watch the preview channel than Canadian Idol, and that's no exaggeration.  I won't make any attempt to point out the sole reason that Ben Mulroney landed the host gig, but I will say that I believe he is not a human being.  He is either an alien, or a digital effect created by CTV so they wouldn't have to pay a real person.  You know, there is a lot going on in the world today, not much of it very good.  We have a wrong and unjust war in Iraq, we kill baby seals and take purses from old women, and yet the most important question Ben Mulroney has to ask is perhaps the most inane one the world has ever heard: who are you wearing?  I watched him on the red carpet before the Juno (yes, the Juno) Awards and he asked Alanis Morissette who she was wearing...I thought she might cold cock him.  Mulroney is one dimensional, and if he has any broadcast training, he forgot it long ago.  He is also a columnist for the Toronto Star, who for some reason jumped at the chance to have a Mulroney on staff.  His dad was one of the worst Prime Ministers in Canadian history, and he has the cojones to write this. 

Anyway, back to Canadian Idol.  You know, lately Canadians have tried so hard to distance themselves from our southern neighbours it has almost become a national religion.  I guess the one thing we'll never escape is American TV, and why would we want to?  The CBC provides us with such classics as "An American in Canada" and "North of 60"so we can turn to NBC or CBS to watch something good.  Let me tell you something.  American Idol is not good TV.  As a retired broadcaster and a music fan, I cannot understand why anyone would enjoy listening to a cover of a song, which is the meat and potatoes of American Idol.  This is a show that makes stars out of people that can't sing and the winners think they are suddenly entitled to put out albums and go on tour singing, you guessed it, other peoples' songs.  And people pay money to watch!  But I digress...wait a minute, no I don't.  So if this show is such a waste of valuable airtime that could be just as easily filled up with old Simpsons or A-Team episodes, why do we feel we need to copy it in Canada? 

Let's look at the similarities between the two:  On the judge panel there is 1) A loud mouth who nobody had ever heard of before the show was on TV and who commands respect for some reason.  2) A token black judge, and 3) a washed up female singer (Paula Abdul and Sass Jordan)...alright gotta hit the sack...I'll finish up tomorrow.