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Posted on 03/24/2006 9:00:43 PM PST by silent_jonny
Well, if you've seen her prom photo - her dress was a slightly less x-rated version of a Playboy spread.
Let's analyze this statement made by Simon regarding why he regards a Taylor Hicks win as a nightmare and what it means for Taylor Hicks fans...
First question... out of the so many singers ( e.g. Kate, Mandissa, Elliott, Paris, etc.)
why is Simon singling out Taylor for worry ?
Well, if Gray Charles is correct in that marketing Taylor is a plunge into uncharted waters,
then I can't think of any other legitimate reason other than this --- TAYLOR IS LEADING THE VOTES !!
Think of it this way --- there are some other people who are marketing challenges. But in this batch,
I don't see a lot of problems. Let's look at them one by one :
It can't be Mandissa because we have Reuben Studdard as her male equivalent ( stout, talented and R&B). Mandissa
also has that gracious personality and her gospel flavored singing appeals to the spiritual nature of a lot of
viewers of which there are tens of millions ( not only here but overseas as well ).
It can't be Kate because she is eminently marketable --- young, talented, beautiful, sultry and goofy girl-next-door
personality.
It can't be Paris because she is very similar to Fantasia and has a pedigree that has worked ( her grandma, Ann Nesby).
It can't be Ace because he has the boy band, hunky yet vulnerable look that appeals to young ones and even older
ladies (dare I say Paula ???)
It can't be Bucky because he's probably going to go this week or the next.
It can't be Lisa because she's splitting the precocious child vote with Paris and clearly isn't winning. And even if
she does, so what ? She has the look, the cover-girl pinup model image ( perfect for 17 magazine ) and clearly can sing.
NO MARKETING PROBLEM HERE.
Simon clearly isn't worried about Kellie because he seems to be on her corner all the time ( prefering her over
Carrie Underwood ??? ). I think he already knows how to use her pretentious naivete to sell. Remember, this is the
man who among others, gave us the Spice Girls.
That leaves us with Elliott, Chris and Taylor.
Elliott is hard to market because of his image. He looks like the fawn, Mr. Tumnus ( anyone seen NARNIA ?) or
an Amish farmer with the bad teeth. How can you market someone like that ? Elliott is someone you listen to, not
look at. But Simon isn't worried about having to think of marketing Elliott, which indicates that he isn't on top
of the weekly votes.
So, WHY WHY WHY would he, of all people mention Chris and Taylor and then say he's worried that Taylor will win ??
THE ONLY LOGICAL CONCLUSION IS GOOD NEWS TO Taylor's fans --- IT IS BECAUSE HE IS ACTUALLY LEADING IN THE VOTES THAT
COME WEEK AFTER WEEK ( in case you didn't notice, Simon said this after Taylor sang Levon and he ate crow by saying he
was wrong about Taylor : "I have never seen a greater positive response to anyone in this competition" ).
Hence, take this as a race at this point in time between Chris and Taylor. It will all boil down to this in the end:
1) When the others are eliminated one by one, to whom will most of their votes gravitate to ?
2) Whose fans (Chris vs Taylor) are more rabid, numerous and motivated to vote.
So, to Taylor fans, DO YOU WANT HIM TO WIN OR NOT ? I can't answer that for you.
And if Taylor wins, how large is his fan base ? Will it be large enough like the Claymates to ensure platinum sales ?
If this question can be answered with a "yes", Simon will be glad to see Taylor win. At this point in time, the jury
is still out on this one.
My personal opinion is Taylor's career will be similar to say, the Grateful Dead. He'll have a cult following, but
won't be as mass appealing as say, Kelly Clarkson or Mariah Carey.
Sure it does, when Shania Twain is the postergirl for "country" singers. Pickler fits right in.
I think you're on to something here. Simon also said that by this stage you can really tell who's in and who's out, because the difference in the number of votes is IN THE MILLIONS.
So, it's no longer a horse race. Win, place, and show are pretty much decided.
I guess I don't even have to vote tonight.
Elliott can use a nudge. ":^)
Here's a question to ANYONE out there who is knowledgable in the record industry...
Many people tell me that for movies to recoup their production budget, they have to make at least TWICE their production budget on the box office to cater for all other expenses -- advertisement, promotion, etc.
Hence, if King Kong's production budget is $200 M, they have to make at least $400 M to break even ( since they made over $600 M worldwide to date, I guess they've made a ton of money already ).
Now here's my question --- HOW MUCH DOES A RECORDING ARTIST MAKE per unit of album sold. For example, Carrie Underwood has sold ( according to figures ) close to 2.8 Million albums ( close to triple platinum ). How much does that mean to her personally in terms of dollars ?
That would explain their favoritism for Chris all right.
I wonder if this is between the top group and the bottom group.
I'M WITH STUPID
March 28, 2006 -- In Hollywood, the smart money plays dumb
NEW YORK POST
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/61594.htm
AMERICA has fallen - hook, line and Pickler. The line: A former cheerleader who works as a roller-skating waitress at the carhop drive-in chain Sonic in a small town called Albermarle, N.C., tries out for "American Idol." She nails the audition.
The hook: Her mom left her at the age of 2, and her father is locked up in a state penitentiary for felony battery and aggravated assault.
The Pickler: She's as cute as a button.
"American Idol" contender Kellie Pickler has a Trailer Park-tastic story right out of a country song, and she's as wide-eyed and gullible as Dorothy in Oz. And one of the reasons America is still tuning in to the show in droves is to hear her singing - and her bon mots.
But is Kellie Pickler really as stupid as she seems? Or is "Miss Stanley County" pulling our pickle?
So far, she's admitted to never having eaten calamari, pronounces salmon "SAL-mon" and thought a minx was a coat.
Last week, upon being called "ballsy," she asked, "What's a ballsy?"
The 19-year-old pixie is always spewing out one-liners like, "My hair is caught in my [fake] eyelashes," or "I had my first spinach salad. It was OK. Kinda tasted like picking the leaf off a bush," and "The dogs here [in L.A.] have more clothes than I do."
She claims to "burp like a man," an uncouth trait reminiscent of Jessica Simpson, and winks at Simon Cowell while performing.
Not everyone is falling for it. In an article entitled "American Idol: Kellie Pickler, evil genius?" on palmbeachpost.com, writer Leslie Gray Streeter writes:
"I think she's laying on that 'I ain't never been nowhere and don't know nothing but I'm as shiny as a shrimp in grits to be here and swim in your see-ment pond' thing a little thick. And I ain't buying it."
Pictures allegedly showing Pickler in a tube top and body-baring prom dress have also circulated on the Web. Writer Dave McGurgan of phillyburbs.com wonders: Is Pickler really "just an insanely naive hillbilly," or "is she a trampy teenager with a sexy past?"
"I think a lot of people are debating whether Kellie is authentic or putting on an act," says Jim Fraenkel, executive producer of MTV News.
"There are people who are quite taken by her, and others who are more suspicious. I wouldn't necessarily say that she's so savvy she's tapped into the idea that America loves a stupid girl, so much as that she may think of herself as Jessica Simpson was."
The raspy-voiced singer, who so far sang Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," Stevie Wonder's "Blame It on the Sun," and the Patsy Cline classic "Walkin' After Midnight," is also the subject of an online US Weekly poll: "Is 'American Idol''s Kellie Pickler playing dumb?" Sixty percent have voted yes.
One thing's for sure. At this pace, she might outstupid - or outsmart - Jessica "Chicken from the Sea" Simpson and Paris "What's Wal-Mart?" Hilton on her way to grabbing the "American Idol" crown.
And whether it's an act or they're really that dumb, being stupid may be the smartest move these girls ever made.
"There is a lot of humor in it," says Fraenkel. "We've sort of seen the death of the sitcom in the last five to six years. And, in fact, Americans are watching reality shows like they used to watch sitcoms. I think that's why stupid plays well."
In pop star Pink's new video "Stupid Girls," she re-creates shallow scenes that have shaped pop culture in the past few years, from Paris Hilton's sex video to Lindsay Lohan's paparazzi car accidents to Mary-Kate Olsen's obsessive shopping sprees.
"None of these girls are stupid," Pink points out in an Entertainment Weekly article. "They've dumbed themselves down to be cute. I just feel like one image is being force-fed down people's throats. There's a lot of smart women. There's a lot of smart girls. Who's representing them?"
When asked who is representing them, MTV's Fraenkel was in a bit of , well ... a pickle.
"Alicia Keys would probably be someone who epitomizes the intelligent young female," he said. "Look, Madonna is still No. 1 on 'TRL,' though I don't think in this day and age she's doing a lot of preaching with a message of empowerment. Pink is attempting to. Oprah? I don't know. Seriously, that's a tough one."
OK, I'm confused .... what did the other threat go away? I'm sure it was explained and I just missed it....but let me tell you, I look forward to watching AI with you guys every week...and look forward to the threat ALMOST as much as the show itself! Go Taylor!
i meant the "thread" not the threat....of course the dims probably consider the idea of VP Cheney going on AI as a threat!!!
Thank you, RK :)
LOL! Funny and astute :)
That would be a great choice for Elliot.
The first thread was too large for FR's servers and the mods asked us to start a new one :)
LOL! Good article.
Do you suppose it's possible to both act dumber than a box of rocks and actually be that dumb at the same time?
And to think AMLT was the peak of the AI winners' songs. It's been all down hill from there.
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