Reality Roll Call

by Deb Porter-Jones

Tonight’s show is actually not the elimination show as previously scheduled, but a special episode of American Idol Gives Back. The show is jam-packed, chock-full of awesome performances by some of this country’s best entertainers – past and present!

From teen sensations like Miley Cyrus, to rap legend Snoop Dogg and legendary comedian Billy Crystal, Idol hosted all of Hollywood tonight. The performances were memorable – Fergie performed with Heart, Charlie Wilson performed with Snoop, Gloria Estefan performed with drummer Sheila E, Mariah Carey performed with Randy Jackson on bass guitar. The level of talent that performed on the Idol stage multiplied tenfold tonight, all in an effort to draw attention to people who have much less than many of us.

The show’s focus was on the plight of children who live in poverty in the United States as well as Africa. The show’s stars visited New Orleans, New York and Kentucky, as well as several countries in Africa, highlighting the plight of these children, the lost children, the forgotten children.

We learned about children who die every 30 seconds in Africa from a totally-preventable illness called malaria. These children’s suffering could have been prevented with only a $10 mosquito net and a $2.00 pill. We learned about the brave children who are left behind when their adult parents are claimed by HIV/AIDS, left in the care of their elderly grandmother. This is a phenomenon that is virtually unheard of and goes against the tenets of the African customs. In Africa, parents are cared for by their children in their old age, not the other way around.

We learned about children and their parents who struggle to create some semblance of normalcy after hurricane Katrina wiped out everything they knew and loved. We watched while it was explained why these children and their families still to this day, three years later, have yet to return to a safe, clean and normal home. We witnessed the kindness and sincerity of mega-stars like Annie Lennox, Bono, Alicia Keys and Reese Witherspoon, who took the time to visit places like New Orleans and Africa to bring the stories of these children to life.

Idol Gives Back was not your average telethon (“beg-a-thon” is how I usually refer to them). It was a sweet and entertaining foray into the lives of people who have it harder than we do. It was hard to think about voting for a new American Idol after watching the suffering of so many people that could be helped by so little. If you were able to watch without giving last night, it’s not too late. Visit www.AmericanIdol.com or call 800-446-2534.