Paula Abdul, Avatar of Freedom

mariasci | March 12, 2008 2:00 am
On a certain level, it seems ridiculous to claim that American Idol has anything to do democracy. Sure, people vote, but it’s self-selecting, has costs associated with it, and seems to have more to do with interest groups and the opinions of prominent commentators than any true expression of the popular will. Then again, you could say the same thing about presidential elections. If the “Idol=democracy” argument reeks of lazy journalism, maybe that’s just because there’s no significant restriction on culture in America, “Piss Christ” and Karen Finley aside. In places where there’s a stronger governmental or social restriction on taste, it’s possible that Idol-style contests can let hidden currents of public opinion bubble to the surface. Like, say, in Afghanistan.

Non-Western versions of Idol are nothing new. In 2005, a program called Star Academy, described as “Big Brother meets American Idol,” aired in the Middle East. It got more than 50% of the audience, and 80% of the 18-35 age group, presumably because it allowed people to participate in collective decision-making. The most recent version, in Afghanistan, is even more interesting, not just because people are participating, but because of the result. One of the three finalists is a woman, described thusly:

Contestant Lima Sahar is a Pashtun, the ethnic group which forms the backbone of Taliban support, and she is also from the southern city of Kandahar, the movement’s main former stronghold…The raunchy dance routines of would-be Western stars are absent in her act. Instead, Sahar sways only imperceptibly as she sings Pashtun oldies, her face under heavy make-up and headscarf loosely hung over a bundle of glittered hair.

This seems somewhat unkind to Lima, but presumably her Tammy Faye tendencies were not what caused the Islamic council of clerics in Kabul to condemn the show–it was her gender. Though we can’t know exactly why people are voting for their chosen contestant, the fact that Lima has a “less-than-perfect singing voice” (rowr!) suggests that her presence in the finals is the result of a symbolic vote that rejects the strict social codes of a region still heavily influenced by the Taliban. More importantly, what they’re favoring instead is not something Western and libidinous, but merely reasonable. As we try and negotiate the conflicting demands of religion, freedom, and culture, it may be worrisome that an American Idol ripoff can suggest a way forward, but it’s also pretty democratic. Voting as an act is not meaningful in itself, but in how it aggregates to allow people to peacably demand change. Lima Sahar, with her weak voice, outdated musical taste, and questionable makeup decisions, may be a beacon of hope.

Fans embrace, clerics condemn TV’s “Afghan Star” [Reuters]