THE MORE BETTER AMERICAN IDOL

Unlike 30 million others, I didn’t watch last night’s “American Idol” finale. I’m not proud of that. It’s just a fact. I realize this calls my patriotism into question. So I offer the Bullshitter-in-Chief as the true pop-cult idol of our time. Here’s his portrait, right, a study in heroic banality concocted by editorial cartoonist Bill Mitchell, who ‘toons for CNN.com.
The truth is I haven’t watched “American Idol” in three years, ever since leaving MSNBC.com, where I had to write about it as part of my job. But I did read about it this morning in Alessandra Stanley’s commentary, which compensates for all the years I missed. I get the impression she didn’t like the finale (“a supersize letdown”) or the show in general (“a monster-size celebration of mediocrity that, astonishingly, has not lost its hold on viewers even in its fifth season”). Stanley is very smart. That’s why I’ve added the italics. I’m astonished that she’s astonished. I don’t think she really is. And here’s the Lisa de Moraes blow-by-blow, which says pretty much what Stanley says but in too many words.
Just for the record: Mitchell gave me the Bullshitter’s portrait to illustrate “creative plagiarism,” per Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, by way of the Mustill/Muniz flap. My Q to Mitchell: “So tell me, did Muniz rip off Mustill?” His A to me: “Does the Pope dress like a silly little girl?”

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