But the team's hopes lie across a series of disciplines the nation has chosen to pursue at the world-class level.

CNN: South Korea: More Than Kicks

In fact, Idol has helped put series like Fringe, Glee and Lie to Me on the map, and is credited with propelling the once upstart network to no. 1 among the advertiser-beloved 18 to 49-year-old set for six consecutive seasons.

FORBES: Jennifer Lopez And Steven Tyler Join 'American Idol' Judges' Table

What's more, Fox has historically relied on the musical competition show to launch or boost other series, including Fringe, House, Lie to Me and Glee.

FORBES: Entertainment

And as we learned this week in a series of reports on NPR News, the problem does not lie in a lack of food but in the inability of millions of families to pay for it or know what benefits they're entitled to.

NPR: Child Hunger: Nutritious Food Tough To Afford

Fox programming executives have shrewdly used the series as a platform to launch or boost other Fox shows, including Fringe, House, Lie to Me and Glee.

FORBES: Magazine Article

One of the strategies that experienced police interrogators use is to ask a series of non-threatening questions while observing how the subject behaves when there is no reason to lie.

FORBES: 12 Ways To Spot A Liar At Work