[Z]

I haven't watched American Idol in about a decade but it seems like all reality TV singing shows are on their way out to be honest... I think people lose faith when the shows become too high profile, because when the Idol shows started, you really believed in the idea that anybody could walk in off the street and become a pop star, that was part of the magic. Now it seems like you have to have been performing for years, trying to make it as a musician, and get a good edit from the show to have a chance at winning, and even then that's no guarantee of a career. I'm pretty sure the number of American Idol contestants who've found success after the show is in single figures. Same goes for all these shows. I know I'm rambling a bit but I think the whole concept is tired now and it's not surprising that the celebrity judges are leaving these shows because it does more harm than good to their careers to be associated with these programs.