I confess.

I finally broke down this month and tuned into American Idol for the very first time ever.

Broke down and left parts scattered all over the highway, leaving me to try and thumb a ride back to the days before I lost my innocence.

It's not that I looked down on American Idol, or those millions and millions who so loyally tune in. I was afraid of watching and becoming addicted to the show. Plain and simple.

Now I know that could never happen.

American Idol let me down. Way down.

It happened like this:

I was watching baseball, as always, when I found myself break the rules of a lifetime and switch to American Idol between innings. I wanted to be able to relate to my friends, colleagues and most of America who watch every episode.

There have been too many sad silent days when I walk by a group of folks at work asking each other if Trudy should have been sent home. I didn't know anyone named Trudy worked at The Herald, but then I realize they are bonding over American Idol, and I am bonding with loneliness.

Moments after I tuned in, one of the contestants began to perform. A band called Coldplay. I thought they were marvelous. The lead singer, Chris, couldn't hit all of his notes, not every high one, with the vigor I would have liked. But he and the band really seem to have potential.

The guitar player, Jonny, rendered some tasteful licks. Restrained, but passionate.

The bass and drums of Guy and Will formed a good heartbeat and the song, Paradise, was fantastic.

Coldplay's poise surprised me. I would not have expected amateurs to compose and perform on that level. And their collective stage presence was phenomenal.

But did they ever get a chance to have America vote to determine if they continued on in the competition another week?

Did they ever get to stand before the judges and receive critical feedback?

No. They did not.

And that is not fair.

To treat Coldplay differently than the other contestants is, to my mind, a terrible breach of protocol.

One song and-poof-Coldplay disappeared forever.

No explanation.

Nothing.

Chris, Jonny, Guy and Will deserved the same chance that Phillip, Hollie, Joshua and the others had. The members of Coldplay have their hopes and dreams like anyone else-a record deal, tours, bobbleheads.

But noooooooo.

No fair play for Coldplay.

I was filled with chagrin. Peeved to the max. I gave into non-existent peer pressure for this?

The next day at work, there was that same group of colleagues earnestly discussing American Idol.

Coldplay never should have been sent home, I announced, able to join in for the first time.

Chris, Jonny, Guy and Will should have stayed, I told them, to compete the following week. Even Skylar got to sing again before she was sent home.

They looked at me like I had an orangutan climbing out of my pocket and had slipped on its banana.

No more American Idol for me.

But I will search the Internet with prodigious assiduity to see if, just by chance, Coldplay somehow overcomes a stacked American Idol deck and shows everyone else to be a joker in disguise.