Reality Competition Shows=Emotional Rollercoaster

How did you feel after last night’s American Idol?   If you’re like me, you felt excited, spent, and a little nauseous…like you had just been on a rollercoaster ride.   The long drawn-out announcements of the Top 10 contestants was emotional enough.  But what followed put me in a bit of a bad mood.  My favorite of the bunch,  Reed "Moves Like Jagger" Grimm, was sent home.  His awesome performance last night followed by the judges praise got my hopes up.  Then they got torn down with the announcement that Reed would not get one of those 3 extra “wild-card” slots.  This refreshing, unique guy who I thought would have pumped up the entertainment factor of this show will not be part of the 2012 season.  And with that, my mood shifted from excited and hopeful to disappointed and grumpy. 

Why do we get so emotionally involved in these shows?  I think it’s because with each episode we learn about these characters.  We bond with and feel a special connection with some.  And we join them on their journey as they try to make a dream come true.  It’s interesting to see how they travel on their road toward possible stardom and how they handle the roadbumps along the way.  These shows make contestants face tough challenges, push them out of their comfort zones, bond with new friends, and deal with outbursts and ostracizing of  enemies.   We see how they handle criticism.  Does it make them better or make them crack under pressure?  From where do they get their strength and support?  What fears and insecurities get in the way of their progress?  These are all good questions to ask ourselves as we continue on our journey to reach our own goals.