No Voting Required

You've been following their dreams, struggles and victories for almost a decade. The wacky kids of American Idol always crank it up to 11 and spray high-octane talent juice everywhere. Even through the television screen, they seem like real people. I mean they are real people, of course, but Idol is one heck of a really real reality TV show. The fact that a Six Flags employee from Burleson can become a world-famous diva almost overnight is a bit too real for me. We would hope that everyone wants to see their fellow human beings achieve success and fame. The reality is that people love it when somebody humiliates the shit out of themselves. When it happens on national TV, it's even funnier. Admit it, we claim to be Clay Aiken fans, but more likely we totally dig William Hung's performance style. The Germans call it schadenfreude. Look it up, folks. Four former American Idol finalists are coming to town to sing alongside the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in what is sure to be an emotion-drenched evening of music Friday and Saturday at The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St. Tickets are $22 to $105. Call 214-692-0203 or visit dallassymphony.com.
Fri., March 20, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 21, 8 p.m., 2009