How to Pretend to Watch American Idol

"American Idol" seems to be everywhere. However, while many find the TV show entertaining, it is not for everybody. If that's the case for you, you don't have to sit mutely when the show comes up in conversation. You can sound as if you watched the latest episode without actually sitting through it by using stealth and imagination.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Check the "American Idol" website and the Internet forums for updates. You can get information about the show without having to view it just by reading the data from these sites (see Resources below).
2. Talk to friends that watched the show and ask open-ended questions like, "Can believe what happened last night?" These questions allow your friends to give you the necessary information to talk authoritatively about the show without seeing the broadcast.
3. Watch entertainment shows on television that will recap the events on "American Idol" from the night before. Most shows that deal with reality television carry a daily Idol update segment.
4. Respond vaguely. Say something like, "Man that one guy was really bad," or "That girl can really sing." These vague statements will be close enough to the truth to allay any suspicions. Beware of the avid fan who may ask you more probing questions that you can't answer.