So there I am last night, all smooshed up on my couch amongst the pillows shamelessly enjoying that-show-I-used-to-smugly-turn-my-nose-up-at, American Idol, secretly hoping that Antonella Barba is finally off the show. There's Ryan Cheesecrest hyping up this big announcement--a "project" he called it--in between spurts of that forced-suspense dragging-out-the-results thing he does. And here I am thinking the BIG announcement will probably have something to with a Super Special Guest Musical Mentor like Creepwa Michael Jackson or maybe even Neil Diamond (gawd, I love him).
But then...when the time comes for the BIG announcement, it actually turns out to be something BIG. And in the true sense of the word no less, not just in the Hollywood/ Music Industry/American Comsumption of Frivolity sense of the word. I didn't see it coming.
And not to toot my own horn or anything, but that's saying something. It's not often I'm blind-sided by a twist or a turn or unexpected news. The last time I found myself unable to predict the big reveal was while watching M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense (admit it: you had no idea Bruce Willis was dead either; you literally gasped in surprise, didn't you? Unless of course you checked out spoilers, which isn't fair so you don't count). Wait, scratch that. Come to think of it I didn't anticipate Snape killing Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince either, though admittedly I should have. But you get my point. I was sufficiently wowed.
So anyway....Seacrest cuts to a completely awkward (but charming nonetheless) clip of Simon and Ryan visiting an African village. I couldn't think of an odder couple of "celebrities" to do one of these visits (I mean, come on, Ryan Seacrest is certainly no Oprah and Simon Cowell is no Angelina Jolie), but the effect was good. Both men were genuine and humbled.
The point was--and is--that American Idol is going to "give back" to children in need in Africa and in the United States in hopes of raising awareness about global and domestic poverty. During one of the mass voting sprees, on April 24, the sponsors of AI are going to donate monies for every call made. Fans can also donate funds. Proceeds will benefit the Charity Project Entertainment Fund with beneficiaries including Save the Children, UNICEF, and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria among others. And then there will be a big extravaganza of a show further benefitting the cause on April 25.
I didn't see this one coming. I simply didn't think the King of Fluff Entertainment shows would actually do something so....philanthropic and substantial. Golf clap, American Idol. Golf Clap.
I truly hope the project is a success.
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