Is it fair of ‘American Idol’ to let pros compete?

According to its own self-generated mythology, “American Idol” is the grand dream machine. Through this simple singing contest, ordinary people with a burning desire to subject others to as much Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder as will fit in their lungs can realize their fantasies of becoming megastars.

But the seemingly unstoppable frontrunner status of Melinda Doolittle threatens to topple the neat little story that the show has been trying to sell its audience for six seasons now.

The reason is simple: she’s a professional, a onetime backup singer for artists like Aaron Neville and CeCe Winans and a veteran of stage productions of “Nunsense” and (ironically enough) “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.” Singing for a living isn’t her dream of the future, it’s her career right now.

Doolittle’s not the first contestant to use “Idol” as a stepping stone instead of a shortcut. Taylor Hicks had long been slogging it on the road and released two CDs on his own before trying out for the fifth season. Season four’s Mario Vazquez had sung backup for Michael Jackson and Phoebe Snow, while season three’s Jennifer Hudson once worked as a singer on Disney cruises.

But the fact that Doolittle is bulldozing her competition raises the important question of whether her professional experience gives her an unfair advantage.

To hear some tell it, the fact that someone like Doolittle or ousted Brandon Rogers (who sang backup for Christina Aguilera and Anastacia) can even audition besmirches the purity of “Idol.”

Is ‘Idol’ for amateurs or not?
Even though Rogers was the first of the 12 finalists to get the boot, it’s easy to see where that attitude comes from. After all, there's a rule against contestants having existing record deals or management contracts. It's a short leap from that rule to the assumption that, just as the Olympics used to be, “Idol” should be where amateurs come to shine.

That attitude is bolstered by the way that the show presents itself as an express route to success. All that’s necessary is talent and a dream, “Idol” says. We will provide you with everything else you need in order to become the star you always wanted to be.

It’s a powerful myth, one that takes on the sheen of a fairy tale. (Probably a mix between “The Frog Prince” during the audition stages and “Cinderella” from there to the finale, with scattered hints of “The Pied Piper” that nobody likes to talk about.) And it has deep roots in the popular consciousness, fitting neatly into an American tradition which celebrates entertainers who were discovered at soda counters and while walking their dogs.

Slide show   Season 6 of ‘Idol’ The votes — and the surprises — are adding up and the 'American Idol' hopefuls now number 6.

More importantly, it also makes for a more dramatic story to turn a waitress or a bank teller into a singing sensation than to turn an in-the-trenches singer into a slightly more popular one.

In short, “Idol” isn’t supposed to the contestants’ big break, it’s supposed to be their only break, the one shot for karaoke kings and queens to get their foot in the door of the music business that would otherwise be closed to them.

But this year seems to be overrun with contestants who aren’t simply waiting for the fairy godmother of “Idol” to turn them into recording artists. When she first auditioned last season, Gina Glocksen was shown singing with sub-riot grrl band Catfight. Chris Sligh fronts Half Past Forever, who seem to be getting a head start on writing this year’s winner’s song with the title of their album “Take A Chance On Something Beautiful.” (Interestingly, the Amazon.com page lists the album’s release date as March 13, 2007, which would seem to violate the “no current record deals” requirement.)

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