Crumbling morality in American idol
Taylor Gage
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Arts
It's that time of the year again: "American Idol" makes it a golden seven with its latest season hosted by Ryan Seacrest (again) and judged by the wondefully terrible Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul.
After facing first ratings decline in its six-season history, "Idol" producers realized the show needed a makeover to maintain its longevity, so they gave it a facelift.
The show's introduction received a long-needed update, including some new graphics, but it maintains the familiar theme song.
Somehow the producers managed to get the judges to act and dress even funkier than inprevious years: Paula's bangs have fallen into her face and Randy magically sprouted two enormous sideburns.
And in an unprecedented move, contestants are now allowed to accompany their vocals using instruments.
However, these production gimmicks probably would not have been enough to save without the Writer's Guild strike, which ended production on almost all spring television programming.
This essentially positioned "American Idol" as the only interesting programming for viewers who faced a smorgasbord of reality TV shows as a consequence of the strike.
Ratings returned to their typical episode highs with a viewership in the mid-thirty millions for the early episodes.
As a cultural phenomenon, "American Idol" represents the immediacy and transiency of the democratic American culture. While the show does honor real talent - singers like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson really do have the pipes - most of the contestants face short careers and disappear from the newspapers and tabloids quickly.
That is not to say that media buzz should serve as a standard for cultural morality.
However, America's passing attention to cultural icons signifies our democracy's almost perverted fascination with swiftly rising stars and their swift decline.
The Internet blogs buzzed this week at the prospect of a Ryan Seacrest media empire. The young 30-something host already owns restaurants, hosts a radio show (which goes national this next year), appears on Dick Clark's famous New Year's show, and lastly, hosts one of the most-watched television show in America.
The young media mogul even expressed aspirations to achieve the success of media great Merv Griffin, creator of shows like "Jeapordy!" and "Wheel of Fortune."
Though it is hard to measure the long term impact of a show like "American Idol," it's incredible longevity and broad viewership will certainly leave a lasting mark on the early 21st century American identity.
After facing first ratings decline in its six-season history, "Idol" producers realized the show needed a makeover to maintain its longevity, so they gave it a facelift.
The show's introduction received a long-needed update, including some new graphics, but it maintains the familiar theme song.
Somehow the producers managed to get the judges to act and dress even funkier than inprevious years: Paula's bangs have fallen into her face and Randy magically sprouted two enormous sideburns.
And in an unprecedented move, contestants are now allowed to accompany their vocals using instruments.
However, these production gimmicks probably would not have been enough to save without the Writer's Guild strike, which ended production on almost all spring television programming.
This essentially positioned "American Idol" as the only interesting programming for viewers who faced a smorgasbord of reality TV shows as a consequence of the strike.
Ratings returned to their typical episode highs with a viewership in the mid-thirty millions for the early episodes.
As a cultural phenomenon, "American Idol" represents the immediacy and transiency of the democratic American culture. While the show does honor real talent - singers like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson really do have the pipes - most of the contestants face short careers and disappear from the newspapers and tabloids quickly.
That is not to say that media buzz should serve as a standard for cultural morality.
However, America's passing attention to cultural icons signifies our democracy's almost perverted fascination with swiftly rising stars and their swift decline.
The Internet blogs buzzed this week at the prospect of a Ryan Seacrest media empire. The young 30-something host already owns restaurants, hosts a radio show (which goes national this next year), appears on Dick Clark's famous New Year's show, and lastly, hosts one of the most-watched television show in America.
The young media mogul even expressed aspirations to achieve the success of media great Merv Griffin, creator of shows like "Jeapordy!" and "Wheel of Fortune."
Though it is hard to measure the long term impact of a show like "American Idol," it's incredible longevity and broad viewership will certainly leave a lasting mark on the early 21st century American identity.
Be the first to comment on this story