The Next "American (White Guy With Guitar) Idol"

American Idol logo 2008–2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Phillip Phillips (imaginative name right there) of Leesburg, Georgia is your new "American Idol", as host Ryan Seacrest told us following the usually bloated two-hour finale on Fox Wednesday that a record 132 million voted--the results are almost never revealed--to send the 21-year old on a career only few could dream of. 

Phillips sang his way into America's hearts (or at least the teenage girls with smartphones) with his song "Home" on the Tuesday night final competition, channeling his inner Dave Matthews.  Runner-up Jessica Sanchez of California, who's sixteen, had no problem imitating Whitney Houston and Celine Dion.  But she did have one finding her own voice on her final song.

This is the fifth consecutive year that a WGWG (White Guy With Guitar) has taken the top prize on "Idol" since the show started allowing instruments in the competition.  Mariah Carey wannabes with big voices don't stand a chance, because chicks dig the cute guy who plays the guitar.  It's been that way at least since Elvis, which doesn't bode well for the women and minorities who try to compete against that.  The last female (and minority) "Idol" was Jordin Sparks.  On the other hand, there hasn't been an "Idol" who's hit the big time since Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood (both of whom happen to have new CD's).

"American Idol" has now completed 11 seasons on the air as America's most popular TV show (unless you count the equally long-in-the-tooth "NCIS", which has been on CBS since 2003).  In TV, that means the more successful you are, the more imitators you have.  That's why we have NBC's "The Voice" (best known for its swivel chairs and for giving Christina Aguilera something to do), Fox's "The X Factor" (the show Simon Cowell left "Idol" to do), NBC's "America's Got Talent" (now with satellite radio shock jock Howard Stern as a judge), and the upcoming "Duets" on ABC (which includes Clarkson).

Seacrest still hosts "Idol", but now he's become this hard-to-escape TV presence/entertainment mogul just like his late mentor Dick Clark.  But even Clark wouldn't have foisted the Kardashian family on us.

Since Cowell's departure two years ago, the judges on "Idol" now consist of holdover Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, and Jennifer Lopez.  As judges, Tyler and Lopez act as if they're just in it for the money.  All they have to do is to babble incoherently about the act they just saw, and give either the thumbs up or down.  Meanwhile, Aerosmith still tours and J.Lo gets a career revival.  So everybody wins.  Right?

Phil Phillips, as soon as he has surgery for his kidney problems, will embark on a whole new life with record contracts, concert tours and all the glory that comes with being an "American Idol".  But then, that's what they told the other guys with guitars who won, and look where they are today.  Maybe this time it'll be different, for Phillips' sake.