American Idol

Is Simon Cowell what makes it great to watch?

No one knew what to think on June 11, 2002, when the first season of American Idol premiered. How was it that so many horrible singers were auditioning for a reality television tell them! No one, that is, except Simon Cowell. Some may call him mean. Some may call him brutally honest. But no matter how someone feels about Simon, everyone can agree that he calls it like it is. If a person sings dreadfully, Simon has no problem breaking the news with just the right mixture of tyranny and charm. Surprisingly, it was this character trait that captivated the audience both to see what Simon was going to say next and if the contestant would improve or leave the set in a puddle of tears. And if the contestant did improve because of Simon, well it was just all the more credit given to Simon’s no-apologies-attitude.

On September 22, 2010, host, Ryan Seacrest will announce the new American Idol judges for season 10 of reality TV, as Simon Cowell and Ellen Degeneres have stepped down. The question is, will this new Simon-less season coming January 2011 be enough to compete against the arch-rivals of Dancing With the Stars, The Bachelor,, or Project Runway?

Rumor has it that triple threat, Jennifer Lopez, will replace Simon Cowell. Will her good looks and beauty be able to snatch Project Runway viewers? Or will her past acting roles give her the edge to compete with the drama of the Real Housewives of New Jersey?

While it seems that the original excitement thatReality TV first brought withSurvivor, has not been lost, it seems as though America has become numb to the boring, average American “actual reality” and hungers for more shock. While Survivor did seem to have both the entertainment of “Gilligan’s Island” combined with the added what-if-it-were-you element, newer reality television shows with “real-life” drama like Jersey Shore, The Hills, and old-time favorite,The Real World seem to be the new rage.

So will Season 10 of American Idol with a new judge panel tank like Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Model Search? Or will J. Lo prove to all of America that she didn’t write her latest song, “I’m Real,” for nothing?