Don't They Get It?

There's this new phenomenon on TV called American Inventor. Shut up and quit denying that you love that show too. So for those who are not regular viewers of the show, it's a reality show/contest where inventors get to present their invention before a panel of four judges. It's like American Idol where there are good, talented people, but most just don't get it.

Oh, you know what I'm talking about. In American Idol, there are contestants who are there simply for entertainment purposes. When I say "entertainment", I mean laughable stuff. There are people who are tone-deaf and yet they believe in their hearts that they're the next American Idol. The look on their faces when the judges had to tell them the truth are priceless! Like, "What? I'm good. I'm talented. What do you mean I can't sing?" Such absurd reaction to the truth. I guess if you've been brain-washed into thinking that you're as good (or better) than Celine Dion or any of the so-called divas that society embraces these days, then the truth would be a jagged little pill to swallow.

In American Inventor, the same thing happens. One person "invented" spinning hub caps for bikes. And he said it was going to change the world. Another person brought in a CD player and played her stress-relieving song that she "invented". (The judges told her that she's in a wrong show.) And yet another spent tons of money reinventing Scrabble by using numbers instead of letters. How original! Are these people just insane or do they just don't get it? These people actually thought they had a shot in winning the contest. If I were one of these clueless people, and I stood in line for 10+ hours just to present my idea in under 2 minutes, I would have measured my success rate by comparing my invention with the invention of the others standing in the same line. Here's what I think should have happened:


[Standing in line at American Inventor]

Me: Hello. That looks interesting. Can you tell me about your invention?

Girl: Well, I invented this emergency flotation device that looks like a belt that you wear around your waist during a flight, and when needed you press this button and the belt gets inflated and turns into a one-person, motor-propelled raft powered by water. What about yours?

Me: (Hiding the CD that contains the song that I "invented") Oh, me? Nah, I don't have one. I'm just here to cheer all you real inventors on. Good luck! (Exit)


In the scenario above, I spared myself from the humiliation on national TV! Now if the others would follow my simple example, then they wouldn't look so dumb.