It's not often that American Idol gets profound.
But tonight, somehow, it got there.
The picture you're looking at is a guy named Jonathon. Jonathon is, without a doubt, mentally retarded. I don't mean that as a rude figure of speech...he actually was mentally retarded. Jonathon tried out to be the next American Idol.
He was horrible.
But...
Jeez, I can't help it, I was really touched. Jonathon could barely put a sentence together...he was awkward, overweight, and sung very poorly...but he was so excited. He really believed he could do it. Like, not in a manic "I'm so hot, I'm 'bout it, so step off" kind of way...like in a "why couldn't I do it?" kind of way. It had never really occured to him that he couldn't do it.
Something tells me that his parents and family told him to go do it, and that something was a big poster he brought with him that said "Go Jonathon!" and "Follow Your Dreams!" He made friends with the very creepy-looking guy next to him, and the two of them, in all of their ignorance and total lack of self-awareness, supported each other through the whole waiting, auditioning, and failure process.
They hugged each other before they went in. They listened intently to the door as the other one sung poorly for the judges. They encouraged each other as they walked out without a gold slip. They railed against the judges together, and told each other that they would make it.
It was sad, and it was beautiful. I got sad because some people are mentally retarded, and I got sad because I wonder what it would be like to have friendship like that. Seriously. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it was pretty incredible. It was pure love...simple, stupid, and kind of perfect. It's probably most what friendship should look like, at its very best.
I'm not going to write more about that. But if you get a chance, watch it.
Peace,
Justin
3 comments:
Lives are on the line here. Eternities are on the line. Letting someone drive their car off of a cliff doesn't make you loving or accepting, it makes you a terrible friend.
That's what Steve Fuller wrote about telling hard truth and friendship.
They hugged each other before they went in. They listened intently to the door as the other one sung poorly for the judges. They encouraged each other as they walked out without a gold slip. They railed against the judges together, and told each other that they would make it.
It was sad, and it was beautiful. I got sad because some people are mentally retarded, and I got sad because I wonder what it would be like to have friendship like that. Seriously. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it was pretty incredible. It was pure love...simple, stupid, and kind of perfect. It's probably most what friendship should look like, at its very best.
That's what you wrote about friendship.
This is an interesting thing--they're different scenarios but I think there is a disagreement.
Is the job of a friend to celebrate (even if at times it's inappropriate) or to help in growth (even if at time's it hurts).
I think you're both right, but I don't know how that's true. Is there a disagreement here, or is there a delineating line that reconciles the two.
On a side note, both of these guys are working for Jimmy Kimmel next week.
I felt strangely touched as well by his determination and belief that he had exactly what the judges were looking for, in spite of the obvious deficiencies that the public probably saw. I never watch a full season of American Idol, only the auditions, and I usually spend the entire time cringing or nearly depressing the remote control, ready to change the button. I did neither while watching Jonathan and for what it's worth, thought Paula's remarks were spot on, encouraging, and uplifting.
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