When did the All-Star Game become a joke? Do people really care about it anymore? Who watches it? I don't..

I did as a kid in the 80's, not anymore, it's a joke, especially since like 3 or 4 years ago when Bud Selig called the game to stop and ended in a tie in extra innings....(Imagine how pissed off the bookies were on that one, or the betters who got a push instead of a win)....I mean, I guess there's some meaning behind it, in that the winning league gets home field advantage in the World Series, but I feel that rule is beyond stupid. It really doesn't showcase the best players, it showcases the most popular players voted in by the fans, and it is even more of a joke because a fan can vote for the same player 10,000 times. It's like American Idol. It's not a singing competition, it's a popularity contest. By the way, do the players get paid for being in the All-Star Game?