Besides the truckload of cash they’re offering the winner, there is another minor difference between the two shows. The final contestants have been split into four categories: boys, girls, over 30s and groups. Each judge will coach a category throughout the show, preparing them for their performances and ultimately, elimination night.

This seems a little contradictory which is why “American Idol” brought in different stars to mentor the contestants instead of having the judges interact with them. To me, it seems more like a contest between the judges to find out who’s better at his/her job in the music industry; that’s not something I’m particularly interested in watching for the next few months.

From the time television networks realized that singing competitions received high ratings, everyone jumped on board. I’ll be honest; I’m all sung out. That train has left the station, and no one is even bothering to buy a ticket anymore. On top of that, I’m convinced that the producers and judges for these shows already know the winner before the performances even begin. I’m not completely convinced that America has any control over this and anyone who still believes his/her vote still counts toward actually picking a winner is a fool.

NBC has “The Sing-off” and “America’s Got Talent.” Fox has “American Idol” and “X Factor.” Seriously, I think I’ve had enough. Instead of jumping on another network’s idea, I would love to hear about one of the networks coming up with a TV show from an original idea.