Replies

The genius of AI is that it brings the public into a place they've never been -- the auditioning process.

SOURCE : http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060524/COLUMNISTS15/605240409/1048

Tom Dorsey

'American Idol' was the show nobody wanted

"American Idol" closes another triumphant run at 8 tonight, retaining the crown as the most-watched program of the season. That's pretty good for a show nobody wanted until the boss's daughter gave daddy an earful.

The fascinating story is told by New York Times reporter Bill Carter in his recently published book "Desperate Networks," which includes a broad range of inside TV tales.

The "Idol" tale begins in early 2001 when British record company executive, TV-show host and producer Simon Cowell was knocking on the door of every U.S. network and cable channel trying to sell them on the idea of importing a program called "Pop Idol."

The show was big in England, but America was the prize with the potential for much bigger audiences and profits. Cowell and a Hollywood agency were doing their best to find "Idol" an American home.

There were no takers.

Not MTV, which would be a natural address for a show featuring young singers.

Not ABC, which was desperate for anything that might get it out of the ratings basement back then. Not even after executives saw a tape of the British production. Not CBS, NBC or even UPN. Nobody wanted it.

Before you dismiss all those network program executives as a bunch of dummies you need to beam yourself back to 2001.

The fact is, several offshoots of the concept had flopped or were failing at the time. A show called "Making the Band" never made any big ratings waves. WB wasn't going anywhere with "Pop Stars," based on British and Australian shows like "Idol." CBS had given "Star Search" a shot.

Cowell argued that "Idol" was different, that it could become the American dream, that the audition route with the weeding-out process built suspense and got the audience in the mood to participate later on. Executives still didn't buy it.

"Idol" might have been a dead duck except for two coincidences. When Cowell and the agency took the show idea to Fox, they were told the network might try it as a summer replacement, but there was no money in the budget to buy it. Maybe if Cowell could find a full sponsor and Fox could get it for free, the network might consider airing it.

While Fox was dilly-dallying around, Elisabeth Murdoch, the daughter of Rupert Murdoch, who is in command of the vast Fox empire, was watching the British version in England, where she runs a satellite network for her pop. She called and told him it was great and that Fox ought to grab it up in the United States.

Daddy called the Fox network chiefs and asked what the status of the show was. They told him they were looking at it. "Don't look at it. Buy it! Right now!" he ordered them, according to Carter's account in the book. They got the message -- in a hurry.

After looking at the tapes of the British edition, Fox decided it wanted that guy (they couldn't recall Cowell's name at the time) to come over and be a judge. He wasn't interested at first because his aim was to just make a bundle of money by signing the winners to recording contracts. Besides, he thought the politically correct Americans wouldn't let him be the rude, crude in-your-face judge he was in England.

Murdoch was sitting in on a meeting when the format was discussed and changes suggested. "Don't change a thing," he ordered. "The problem with you Hollywood people is you always want to change things, and you ruin everything," Carter quotes him as saying.

So from that point on, whatever Simon said was law. The rest is history -- a history that changed the TV landscape in America as "American Idol" became the most-successful show of its kind ever.

Cowell has become a household name on a show he never really wanted to be a star on. He may have balked at first about being on the show, but he just signed a five-year contract to continue for at least $10 million a year, and he owes it all to a daughter's call to her daddy.

"Don't change a thing," he ordered. "The problem with you Hollywood people is you always want to change things, and you ruin everything," Carter quotes him as saying.

That is soooo funny!

The problem with you Hollywood people is you always want to change things, and you ruin everything," Carter quotes him as saying.

Well that is an accurate statement. :)

http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/9278704/detail.html

does anyone get the story at the above link? Sometimes, when I go to a link, I get the border frame but no story, arg!

There is supposed to be a story called NBC 4 5/26/06 Meat Loaf Says He Can't Remember 'American Idol' Performance there and I wanted to read it.

'Idol's Season-Ending Misfires
Meat Loaf, Braxton and Hasselhoff among the lowlights
By TMZ.COM STAFF

http://tmz.aol.com/article2/_a/idols-season-ending-misfires/20060525131809990002

(May 25, 1:50PM ET) -- Last night's 'American Idol' season finale did more than crown a new winner and attract one of the biggest audiences in TV history. It also produced some of prime time's most awkward moments.

TMZ has some of the lowlights.

KATHARINE AND THE LOAF

While other top 12 'Idols' performed with such amazing acts as Live, Al Jarreau and Burt Bacharach, McPhee got stuck with Meat Loaf. It's hard to imagine when producers asked the contestants who their own personal idols were, the words Meat and Loaf were uttered by Katharine.

Meat brought a dirty-old-man combination of Broadway and geriatrics to the performance, while Kat was left to fend for herself as Mr. Loaf and his hankie chased her around the stage.

TONI BRAXTON'S BRAIN FREEZE

The song 'In The Ghetto' was sung at one time by a guy named Elvis Presley. Ms. Braxton should look it up.

Her performance of the song left many viewers wondering if she knew any of the words. At points, when she was supposed to be singing, she would dip her head down, and riff, covering up the lack of lyrics.

Hopefully this wasn't a preview of what fans can expect from the diva when she takes up residency at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.

CLAY AIKEN'S MAKEOVER

It was weird enough that Aiken gained all that weight and is slowly transforming himself into the fifth Beatle.

But the trainwreck here was his duet with pre-'Idol' Clay look-a-like Michael Standecki. The poor kid was floored by Aiken's appearance on stage. Clay seemed to be annoyed when the duet failed to turn into a solo act. So instead of just turning off Standecki's microphone, Seacrest gently pulls him aside to take a seat on stage. Someone should have told him he was but a mere pawn in the 'Idol' game.

PRINCE'S DRIVE-BY

The performance by Prince was especially surprising, given that the singer reportedly hates the show.

The funny moment here was when Ryan Seacrest was introducing Prince, who literally arrived, jumped out of the car, and made his way onstage in true diva fashion. Ryan was forced to kill time while Prince made his way to the stage, resulting in an intro that seemed to go on... and on... and on.

Prince sang and was out the door and back on his way.

HASSELHOFF'S SCENE STEALER

Finally, our favorite audience scan came at the end of the show.

McPhee, Seacrest and Hicks are front and center waiting for the results. The suspense is killing us. Seacrest announces the winner, and the audience, in unison, pops to its feet. We see Taylor's family and friends looking oh so proud. Cut back to Taylor, who's in the midst of an epileptic reaction.

Then it happens. The camera cuts back and zooms in on ... David Hasselhoff. The man is clearly overcome with emotion and crying.

We're not altogether convinced that his tears were in response to Hicks' crowning. Our guess is that either his divorce is finally settled, or he's so excited that he has just signed on to be a judge on Simon Cowell's next big show, 'America's Got Talent'.

Cowell argued that "Idol" was different, that it could become the American dream, that the audition route with the weeding-out process built suspense and got the audience in the mood to participate later on.

Obviously Cowell was stone-cold right and the network executives were wrong. May explain why network TV is such a wasteland these days.