The pairing of Michael Sandecki, "American Idol" contestant and recipient of one of the dubious awards on the show's big Wednesday finale, with former runner-up Clay Aiken, who surprised his young fan by joining him mid-song for a duet of Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," was maybe the most entertainingly strange moment in the show's history. Props to Aiken for agreeing to appear with Sandecki who, impish and gawky, resembles nothing so much as a funhouse version of Aiken -- the early one, who Aiken has spent reams of energy and hair dye to make us forget. But there was no escaping the obvious subtext of it all. He-man host Ryan Seacrest first hands the award to Sandecki, asks him to sing, then tells the audience with a telling emphasis, "he's gaaame!" (Our felllow viewer noticed that, too.) Sandecki begins his warble, and soon Aiken struts out, appraising the young Claymate from behind like a prowling she-cat. When Sandecki finally notices him, he practically dissolves on stage, a swirl of giggles, elbows and bad hair. This won't do anything to quell the gay stories about Aiken (and who knows -- maybe that's the devious point). But by the time Seacrest hammily got Sandecki a chair, in case he fainted, we were feeling just a little light-headed, too.
"Big Brother," meet "Survivor"; "Survivor," meet "The Real World"
A throwback to a time when six hours of reality television a week was considered a lot.
By Andy Dehnart, Salon
Three cheers for reality TV
Pundits can tut-tut all they want, but reality shows rule television for a simple reason: The best of them are far more compelling than the worn-out sitcoms and crime dramas the networks keep churning out.
By Heather Havrilesky, Salon
How I learned to love (and hate) "American Idol"
For seven years I ignored the world's biggest pop culture spectacle. But thanks to my daughter -- and the stunningly original Adam Lambert -- I finally caved.
By Gary Kamiya, Salon
I actually was 16 and pregnant
And while TV often bungles what it's like to be a teen mother, MTV's reality series got it (mostly, movingly) right.
By Amy Benfer, Salon
The reality of reality television
n+1 waxes philosophical about the least philosophical medium known to man: reality TV.
By Mark Grief, n+1
Reality TV: what it is, who watches it, and why it exists
A comprehensive history of reality TV, with clips.
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