> We've had more than our fair share of these. Pop Idol, Pop Stars, Pop Stars: The Rivals, Pop Stars: The Rivals Extra, the horrendously ill-fated Fame Academy (which had the biggest prize ever given out to anyone, and the lowest audience figures) and probably more I forgot about. The entire country is sick of them now, I hope, but I know secretly that the general public is still oblivious to their sheer badness and is probably clammering for more.

American Idol is basically pretty bad, especially since the goal seems to be to find the new Christine Aguilera instead of the new, I dunno, pick a singer with prestige.

I have no idea about the other shows you mention -- maybe those are bad, too -- but I have to say I'm impressed with Star Search. Most of the people on it are talented and entertaining, and I think it's impressive that that show has, over the years, launched the careers of an astonishing number of A-list stars.

Of course, Christine Aguilera is one of them, so maybe this is not a convincing argument.