Ads 468x60px

Subscribe:

6/24/11

I have a confession to make: I tried to conform.

Unless you've lived in a hole for the past 10 years, you know what American Idol is.  Well, I just tried to become the blogging equivalent to it...


...and failed...


I'm saddened, but I'm not as surprised as I thought I would be.


I auditioned for Blogger Idol.  It is a writing contest where bloggers could test their chops against other bloggers in a battle for supremacy.  11 judges looked at 52 entries, and the top 12 make it into the competition.


Tweeted from @Bloggeridol:  "The total possible score was 405. The highest score was 367, lowest was 166. All of the top 12 was above 339."


Now I'm kind of hoping I was the 166...


I didn't make it, and I have had that feeling since I auditioned.  You see, most of the judges were mommy/daddy/family bloggers.  They would get edgy from time to time, but it's mostly good wholesome stuff.  When they announced the top 12, most of the finalists fit into that category as well. There were some exceptions, but not a lot.


If you're comparing BI to AI, the most marketable, mainstream people made the cut.  This is not a show designed for anti-heroes, and that's how I kind of saw myself in this competition.


I poke at religion, society, race, culture, and the politically ignorant.  You'd never see a TV version of my blog on ABC Family channel.  You'd never see my opinions echoed on Dr. Phil.


My ribbing about how annoying it is that Mormons pray before they do anything?  PR nightmare.  


Any 'Freaky Friday' post of mine would ruin the image of a contest that is trying to become a big thing.  After all, I don't think Blogher would be happy about me chatting it up about Balloon fetishes on THEIR website...  (I'm stewing a 'What would Blogher do?' t-shirt design, mocking the happy wholesome bloggers.  I smell gimmick infringement, but it would be funny...)


So yes, I felt a little like the Anarchist trying to get a show on the Disney channel, but I tried anyway.  When the person in charge hinted I "would make an excellent JUDGE" I didn't see the writing on the wall that I would be a lousy contestant, but meh.


I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, because I'm me.  This blog is who I am, and you, my followers, are who I cater to.  You 631 (and growing) are what makes me Blogger Idol, with or without an official title.


Congrats to the top 12.  I'll be rooting for the one who goes against the grain more than the rest.  After all, who wants another Clay Aiken in their life??
Please Share it! :)

28 witty retorts:

Jeff said...

I always found it funny that when I'm on my blog's homepage and I click the "Next Blog" feature (which is supposed to take one to a blog with related content), I get Mama and Papa Bear talking about how they just posted six uncut hours of footage on Youtube of Little Johnny babbling.

I don't think they'd appreciate being associated with my garbage.

Keep doing what you're doing, oh Slinger of the Spud. 631 people can't be wrong.

Lady Estrogen said...

The Clash never won anything...

Unknown said...

Psssht. Poppycock and so forth.

Being an 'Idol' adjacent anything would not be a good thing, in my book.

You just keep doing what you're doing. We like you just the way you is. ; )

Andrea L. Cole said...

I haven't been reading your blog long, but I can relate to what you're saying. If the mommy-blogs are the American Idol contestants of blogdom, I think I'm something on the spectrum of The Burning Hell (google them, you won't regret it).. kind of all over the place, but I would like to think, pretty talented, sometimes catchy, sometimes out there, mostly unknown except for a small legion of followers.

Drake Sigar said...

On occasion I do question my tastes when confronted by the ‘normals’ and their narrow perspective on normalcy, because there must be an overwhelming number of them for shows like America Idol to climb to such heights in the first place.
Then I see them wearing team Edward and Jacob t-shirts and reassure myself that it’s the rest of the world that’s wrong.

A Beer for the Shower said...

I don't see this as a loss. I see this as a contest full of mommy and daddy bloggers who write cutesy posts that real people don't care about (unless you're a mommy and daddy blogger as well).

If I tried out for that thing, they would have read one panel, gotten violently ill, then covered little poopsy's eyes so she didn't see such 'filth.'

Anyways, if it's any consolation, you've been ABftS'd. So stop by.

Anonymous said...

Blogs that are written about the daily dealings with peoples monkey howler kids SUCK!!!!!!!!!!

Stick with what you know - you are #1 in my book.

(Like that means a fucking thing right ;-)

Squatlo said...

When you start censoring yourself to make your blog more acceptable to the Christian Science Monitor crowd you'll lose me and a lot of those 600Plus followers. There's a reason we stop by, and if we wanted happy kitten vids we'd be shopping elsewhere.
Carry on...

Heather Reese said...

As a judge, I have to say that I, personally, REALLY liked your audition. However, it wasn't just up to me. I can't say what your score was, but let me just say that it was close enough to where I was surprised when I added up the totals that you weren't up high enough. You even had perfect scores from a couple of judges. I was rooting for you, and I'm bummed you didn't make it :(

Technosauce said...

Blogger idol? Haven't even heard of such a thing until just now. But why even want that title?

Shelby Fox said...

Better luck next time! I'm sure you were not the 166....you write better than most bloggers I've read.

Anonymous said...

i just flat didn't have the time to commit to this contest. Besides I like the option of being lazy and doing "Strange things I found on the internet" or "hot musician" posts when I get lazy. I was surprised that I didn't know a single one of the Top 12 bloggers. I honestly have no interest in mommy/daddy blogs...don't have kids and don't want kids. Their charm is kind of lost on me. I do follow a couple but that is because it those blogs are more than just pictures of their kids art on the fridge. Anyway...chin up! You rock!

LilPixi said...

So, it was more like "Boring Blogger Idol"? You gotta stay true to you. Forget fancy, unnecessary titles.

The Angry Lurker said...

Keep it up.

D4 said...

Yes. No more Clai Aikens. And really, their loss. It should've been funny to see such a bad egg in the basket.

123 said...

BLOGGER WITHOUT A CAUSE

microdot said...

Don't ever, I repeat ever click on the next blog button on blogger...I did it for the first time because of a comment in the thread here and now, I seem to have given myself a lobotomy....I do have a new recipe for pizza dough, though....jack russel terriers are kinda cute...I think I'll go and artistically shave my pubic hair now....

Zombie said...

I never even knew they had blogger idol...

Unknown said...

@Heather: Thank you for the kind words, and the great judge-support. It reaffirms my case: This blog isn't for everybody. Some people love my writing. Some people loathe my opinion. I get hate mail from time to time. A big panel of BI judges seemed like a risk. Glad to know I won over a few new fans because of it. That alone made the effort well worth it.

And I'll still be participating in BI. Just from the audience.

@Colin: WORD!

@Jewels: You know, I probably shouldn't have entered. I would have made the time, but juggling my regular posts + BI submissions + a new fooking job was asking for trouble...

Thank you to all for the lovin. I'm going to keep doing what I do best. Unfiltered entertainment.

not displayed said...

Meh, i have been judged enough in my life. Read about it, thought about it briefly and moved on.
Same with being Bon'd. Couldn't care less.
Comments and blog awards from my mates who I read everyday are my golden statuette in this blogiverse.
I have even been cartooned by the boys from Beer for the Shower (you and me in the same post whoo hoo)and the incredibly sexy Drake.
You are awesome. (I was then goingto say xxx followers cant be wrong but I cant see how many you have)
Hugs :)

On My Soapbox said...

Why bother conforming? You'd just get bored and go back to the way you were anyway....

Sara Strand said...

Oh god. I bet that crowd would have just loved me. Had I competed, I would have had to pull out the dangers of anal sex post. I mean, it's just itching to be released.

Astronomy Pirate said...

I don't need no contest to tell me your blog is awesome. Here's to anarchy.

Melanie said...

Makes me like your blog even more since you didn't make the cut. Keep on being edgy and complaining and making fun - life is more fun that way. And the "Disney" like blogs are kinda creepy.

Unknown said...

I know you were aiming for more views, syndication, and followers, but I knew all the contests you do were getting close to a bad idea. Good comparison to "The american idol of blogging." The moment you try to do stuff like that, you'd be compromising authenticity and talent. I also noticed a lot of the most popular blogs are mommy/daddy blogs. I was beginning to get sick of those to be honest.

Heather Reese said...

You get hate mail??? Really?? I don't even know what to do to get hate mail. I've honestly tried. I posted about politics, how I don't believe in God, feeding my kids chocolate for breakfast, and a plethora of other things that might induce hate mail.... but I just haven't been lucky enough yet. I think that is how I will know I 'made it'...lol... when I get hate mail.

Q said...

Man, these mom and dad bloggers are about to run me away from BlogFrog. I really liked that community and I used to communicate with people regularly. Then, I don't know if it was something I said that got me black listed or something, but I haven't gotten a single reply to any of my forum postings in closed to three month. On some of the mommy blogger sites, if you don't have kids or make a comment about how you'd raise a kid different from them, you get shunned. Sorry you met a contest that you actually couldn't win. You were on a roll there.

A Daft Scots Lass said...

What? you didn't fall in lust with Clay Aiken? Whats wrong you with you? Weirdo...

Post a Comment

Comments are always appreciated. Sometimes they end up being better than the initial post! Come join in on the fun... (and remember, you can post anonymously)

And if you like the post, feel free to share! Stumble, Digg, Tweet, go bananas!