Last night’s American Idol was an extraordinary show. I sat on the couch with the poodle, skipping through the commercials having a great time. The last few minutes sucked, as we all know Adam Lambert is the more talented, long term idol but that’s what happens when voters are little Christian girls who dream of Kris Allen being their friend, singing to them on their thirteenth birthday. Hell, all us older girls (over 17) and gay/bi guys, who want Adam to sing to us on any birthday, just didn’t vote – “vote, we don’t need no stinkin’ votes!”
The insight that bowled me over and is still powering through my day, began with Cyndi Lauper and Allison Iraheta. Sitting knee-to-knee, singing Time After Time, led me to feel thrilled for Allison, thrilled out of her mind. It just seemed glorious, unimaginably glorious to be next to her idol; almost appearing to be peers; knowing their are not in one way and clearly equal in another. Of course they are links in a chain of artistry and we had a front row seat. The TV show included, among others, Lionel Richie with Danny Gokie, Queen Latifah with Lil Rounds and Adam Lambert with KISS. These pairs are runners in the relay of music.
I wondered who I would like to meet. Who have I met that handed me a baton? Names poured though my mind; Mary Daly, Sally Miller Gearhart, Kate Millet, Barbara Love, Gloria Steinem, Grace Welch, Riane Eisler, Flo Kennedy, Dr. Joseph Lowery, Jacqui Ceballos, Margie Adam and so many more. The reason I could feel so much for these contestants was because I have sat knee-to-knee with my inspiration.
What am I doing to hand off this baton before my time is over? There is lots of conversation within the American Women’s Movement about “intergenerational feminism.” American Idol made me really question the uproar. I doubt if Allison felt that Cyndi was too old to be playing with her, even though Cyndi was playing an old fashioned Appalacian dulcimer. Carlos Santana, Queen, Rod Stewart were sure not presented as old and out of date.
In the world of feminism, I think the problem is identifying the baton. My experience is that older women think the baton is the message imbedded in their tried and true methods and, for the most part, the methods are entirely out of date. For younger women, the message and the methods are not what they need or can use.
The real baton is courage, insight and passion. Older to younger, experienced to newbie, seer to seeker, this entire conversation will change both in content and context when the baton is properly identified as energy ignited with wisdom ~ not message or methods. They are specific to each activist, each generation and not required for the movement to continue. Insisting that the methods and message are the baton is short-sighted and counter-productive. As Kara Dioguardi said it all season, true artistry is taking a classic and making it your own.
Zoe, I feel like a horrible American because I don't watch American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. These two programs get discussed every single day on either the morning news shows or on the View. I just don't have the time (or even the interest). But, it's just like when I lived in New York and I think I was the only person who had never watched Seinfeld, Friends or Sex In the City (my women's studies students gave me a collection of Sex in the City as a gift because they couldn't believe I had never watch once episode!). I've never seen Desperate Housewives or any other reality show. When it comes to TV, I'm pretty much a CNN, Comedy Central, and TRU TV person.
Posted by: Linda | May 21, 2009 at 03:59 PM
What a great analogy, Zoe. (And I agree with you about Adam, by the way. At least he doesn't have to record that God awful "song" as his first single, though).
Posted by: Chelsea | May 21, 2009 at 04:00 PM