Idol Clarification

Canadian Idol started yesterday, subjecting Canadians to another season of bad music and soon-to-be-forgotten singers.

I would like to clarify something though. Many Canadians think that Canadian Idol is a ripoff of American Idol. This is not true. Both shows are part of the 'Pop Idol' franchise that begain in the U.K. There is an Australian Idol, South African Idol, Polish Idol and Norwegian Idol (among others). Each show follows the same format.