Of all the contestants on this season of American Idol, Crystal Bowersox has surely garnered the most interest. For some reason, people want to know everything about her, from who her baby-daddy is to why she is missing teeth.
What’s the fascintation? For years, American Idol has had cookie-cutter goodie-goodies perform on the show (Corey Clark and Jessica Sierra being the rotton apples). No scantily clad women. No songs with cussing. Nothing but good,wholesome family fun from good, wholesome kids like Justin Guarini (the original “number two”) and David Archuleta.
Then in Season 8, the Musical God that is Adam Lambert comes along in all his glam rock wonder and breaks apart the American Idol image. He smudges the barrier between male and female with his eyeliner and glitter, dangles his sexuality in America’s face and leaves the audience sitting there stunned after (most) of his performances. American Idol has changed…enter Crystal Bowersox.
A person like Crystal Bowersox would never have made it to the judge’s room during auditions in Season 2 or 3. The Idol producers would have taken one look at her dentally-impaired mouth and sent her back to singing at the subway station, while shoo-ing ahead less talented but more wholesome contestants. Not going to name names here though…(cough…cough…ahem…Carmen Rasmusen…Jon Peter Lewis…cough cough.)
Crystal, with her dreadlocks and seemingly rough exterior, wouldn’t have had a shot in the early seasons. The Idol idea of “controversial” was a contestant like Nikki McKibbin, who despite having a somewhat “edgy” look (if you count two-toned hair and a studded belt edgy), still sang crap-nugget songs like “I Will Survive.” Crystal wouldn’t have even been considered. (To be fair, Crystal probably would have thumbed her nose at the early Idol anyway…can you imagine her shakin’ it in short-shorts to “Turn the Beat Around” a la Haley Scarnato in Season 6? Um…no.)
Crystal is a master at not revealing much about her past, home life or personal life (with the exception of the almost-creepy “Marry Me” proposal on Shania Twain night.) This makes her all the more intruging, and us nosy-ass Americans want to know more.
This is the reason I think she will win American Idol, dreadlocks, missing teeth and all!
Get it, girl!
