Who says you will be a star?
Even those on the periphery of this great media circus were touched by the religious mass viewing attendances for the Sunday night drama, the suspense of the 24-hour wait for the national verdict and the apres match analysis which characterises the ensuing week until the next round.
In one sense, it is probably inappropriate for someone who saw only snippets of the saga to pass comment on it. However, we are all entitled to our opinions, even if we find ourselves not in possession of the full facts. And, in a sense, I am hopeful that a reply may be elicited from some cognoscenti who will convince me beyond all doubt that my analysis is wrong.
Firstly, I must congratulate Larry Bass and RTÉ for producing such a compelling programme. I would also like to congratulate Bryan McFadden for once again managing to fend off the hundreds of songwriters in this country to secure a song in the final selection. It is a blessing to be so talented.
Next year, I am putting e500 on Mr McFadden to do the treble.
I would like to believe that the presence of Louis Walsh on the adjudicating panel had absolutely nothing to do with Mr McFadden's achievement, nor indeed with the progress of Chris Doran, his wild card, through the competition.
I'm sure that the use of Mr McFadden's song represented in no way whatsoever an attempt to secure the voting preferences of the thousands of fans of Mr Walsh's most successful proteges, Westlife.
In the initial stages, at least, the show presented a recruitment podium for the talent of this country of unprecedented democracy and accessibility. The latter stages, however, have seen an apparent erosion of these qualities. Could You're a Star be a place where certain people can pursue a policy of self-interest, courted and flaunted by the national broadcaster? Of course, why should RTÉ care? This is great TV.
It is predominantly young people who participate in this programme, where they nurture their dreams and display their wonderful talent and character in the perhaps naive belief that they are playing on a level pitch.
The courage, dignity and magnanimity that they display in accepting advice, criticism and defeat is inspiring.
It is also predominantly young people who watch the show, being both blessed and cursed with the wide-eyed perception of wonder and fair play of the possibilities of success, talents acknowledged and dreams realised.
I'd like my own kids to grow up to be not as cynical as me. I'd like them to play on an equal pitch or at least have a reasonable expectation that one exists. I would like them to think that Jean Elliott deserved to lose because she genuinely blew her chance. Not because she was given a song so tasteless as to redefine the word kitsch to an extent beyond redemption for even a talent like hers.
I would like them to think that "the good people of Ireland" as Phil Coulter might have it were champions of fair play.
I would like them to participate in a society in rapid retreat from the brink of a political and moral morass, created by the cynical self-interest and apathetic inertia of their forefathers.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe, in the case of You're a Star, the sequence of events was merely serendipitous. There is no denying the talents of the last two finalists. One could not blame either aspirant for exploiting a position of advantage.
Maybe RTÉ is ethically sound and clinically transparent.
Maybe I'm living in cuckoo-land. Maybe the youth of Ireland will not inherit our apathy and cynicism. So many maybes.
This much I know for sure. No offence, Chris, but Mr Kilbane got my vote. He also got an obviously inferior backing track. He got Mr Coulter, dramatically, off the fence. He got a grossly inaccurate indictment of his performance from Ms Martin. He got condescension from Mr Walsh. He gave the best and bravest performance he had ever given in the competition.
Maybe he knew that he had nothing to lose.
If Chris Doran can match Mr Kilbane's gutsy and honest performance in Ankara, he will do well. And I hope he does.
Paul Seymour,
7, Shamrock Ave.,
Douglas,
Cork.
