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I don’t know if my prediction of Melinda going home last night surprised anyone, but it was a prediction made with my head and not my heart. My heart was hoping for Jordin to leave but I knew that wasn’t going to happen just as I knew last year that Taylor Hicks was going to win it all.
The truth is that Melinda never had a chance to win this contest despite her excellence week in and week out. There is strength in marketing and marketability and Melinda had none of that. There is strength in glitz, and Jordin and Blake have the glitz but not even close to the same talent. All one needs to do is look at the coverage Blake received in Seattle, look at the coverage Jordin received in Arizona, and compare it to the rather lukewarm reception Melinda received in Tennessee. She couldn’t even bump the lead story of a crawfish cooking festival from one of the local stations. I found this out when I went hunting down for home coming news of each of the finalists and had to sit through that nonsense just to get to Melinda. Yeah, her college named a street after her but that and a couple of dollars will get you a double cheeseburger at McDonalds and a large drink-if they are on sale.
Tonight was another example of how the show and the contestants will mislead the average viewer by intentional omissions and fancy editing. Most of you know of course that unlike the continuing myth that Idol has been promoting on the show, Jordin is not your average high school kid. But yet again, the show and Jordin herself managed to skirt around that fact by omitting a few details. Before her first clips were shown Jordin told us, “I went to my school.” The truth is that although she once went to that school, she in fact has not been to that school in over a year and has been home-schooled for quite some time. So you could say that the way it is shown on TV isn’t exactly a lie, but it is still far from being the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If they were to give all the details, that would destroy the myth they have perpetuated all season that Jordin is just an average regular go to school five days a week kid.
And while were on the subject did you know that average every day kid Jordin has her own personal Trainer? Yep kiddies, boys and girls, mums and dad, she has one just like every other high school kid in America. Her name is Kris Segriest if you want to check it out. I didn’t see Fox pushing that little interesting bit of news at us, did you? What’s the name of your personal trainers?
The truth is that unlike Blake, Melinda, and most of the other contestants, everything you’ve seen about Jordin on TV has been manufactured and put out there as if it were written by the best press agent that money can buy. Before even making her first appearance she already had her own wikipedia page, a Torrid page, and Gospel Music Page, a fan page, and her own web site which featured prominent pictures of Jordin and Ted Nugent, Jordin and Wynona, Jordin and Sinbad, Jordin and Randy Jackson, Jordin and Simon Cowell etc. etc.
In fact, what I also found out over the past couple of months is that there are technically ways to obey Idol marketing rules while at the same time being able to easily get around them. In fact they just as well not exist at all (Maybe they don't, since nobody has actually seem them outside of those involved with the show). Those rules are only there for when Freemantle wants them to be there or needs them to be there for their own personal convenience and they only would actually only worry about enforcing them if they got themselves in a jam.
Let's take Jordin's mysterious trip to audition in L.A. for the show where she supposedly was turned down by the producers as an example of way too many coincidences piling up. Who turned her down exactly? Did she get past the massive line everybody else had to stand in or did she somehow manage to skirt around it and make a direct beeline for the producers by pretending she was Simon’s bodyguard? Or did good old Daddy’s NFL/Fox connections get her in the door quicker than you can say quarterback?
There’s just something about that whole L.A. thing that doesn’t add up. If you've read anything about Jordin, you are left with the impression that she is not a person who is going to stand in line with ten or twenty thousand people and take her chances. But when she finished doing what ever it was that she did in L.A., she went directly back to Arizona. She did not pass go. She did not collect $200. But she did rush home immediately afterwards and entered Arizona Idol, sponsored not by a separately owned Fox affiliate, but by a Fox Owned TV (yes owned by that Fox Network that broadcasts AI) station and won that.....coincidentally of course.
Yes there's more, there always is more. At the Phoenix Cardinals opening home game, carried by Fox and of the same Fox station running the contest (yes, that Fox again) Jordin sang the National Anthem. That appearance was on September 10. The Arizona Idol Contest didn’t end until September 15. I don’t know but if I was any of the other contestants, such as Melissa Gransbergen, Melissa Homiski, James Harris or Sean Rhys Gilyeat, my eyebrows would have raised and I’d have been asking a few questions. One week later she was off to Seattle where she gave the impression that she waited in line for hours along with everybody else when they aired it on TV. We know for a fact that didn’t happen.
And there are some other Fox/Idol connections to Jordin involving Coke, Ford, and Qwest. Qwest recently provided the phones for party goers at Jordin rallies to call in and vote for her. Qwest, coincidentally, also has a partnership with Direct TV. And who owns Direct TV mommies and daddies and boys and girls? Why, it’s Newscorp, the same company that owns Fox that airs American Idol and this is the house that Jack built. I won’t even get into the involvement of Ford, Coke, Fox Sports Grill (yes, they are in partnership with the very same Fox), Proctor and Gamble, Torrid, and Lexi Vu jewelry. I have to leave something for next time. And rest assured there will be a next time.
What I’m trying to tell you is that one day after Jordin's first appearance, with a little research and perseverance one could have predicted this outcome weeks ago. And there really aren’t any rules about corporate tie-ins to the contestants, even if they have connections to Fox. And unless Fox suddenly gets antsy about this (which they won't) and some other heavy duty extremely right-wing baggage being carried by Jordin, you can pencil her in next week too and she'll become the next manufactured pop princess just like Britney, Hilary and all the rest. I do think many teenage boys won't be fantasizing about Jordin like they did Britney and Hilary but gooey eyed teenage girls will pick up the slack for sure since the Olsen Twins aren't getting much press these days.
The thing is, you'll never hear any of the media asking or checking out these things (it isn't that hard, believe me). They like riding Idol's coat tails too much just as a good many web sites do that carry oodles and oodles of American Idol ads. And most of the people watching at home would rather buy into the fairy tale being produced every week then waking up and finding out that what actually goes on has the stench of dead fish.
As for Melinda, we wish her all the luck in the world. And Blake, well you better hope that Fox gets a bit antsy.
Further comments regarding this article can be addressed to clydesplace@hotmail.com
Part II:
The Marketing Ties That BindThe truth is that Melinda never had a chance to win this contest despite her excellence week in and week out. There is strength in marketing and marketability and Melinda had none of that. There is strength in glitz, and Jordin and Blake have the glitz but not even close to the same talent. All one needs to do is look at the coverage Blake received in Seattle, look at the coverage Jordin received in Arizona, and compare it to the rather lukewarm reception Melinda received in Tennessee. She couldn’t even bump the lead story of a crawfish cooking festival from one of the local stations. I found this out when I went hunting down for home coming news of each of the finalists and had to sit through that nonsense just to get to Melinda. Yeah, her college named a street after her but that and a couple of dollars will get you a double cheeseburger at McDonalds and a large drink-if they are on sale.
Tonight was another example of how the show and the contestants will mislead the average viewer by intentional omissions and fancy editing. Most of you know of course that unlike the continuing myth that Idol has been promoting on the show, Jordin is not your average high school kid. But yet again, the show and Jordin herself managed to skirt around that fact by omitting a few details. Before her first clips were shown Jordin told us, “I went to my school.” The truth is that although she once went to that school, she in fact has not been to that school in over a year and has been home-schooled for quite some time. So you could say that the way it is shown on TV isn’t exactly a lie, but it is still far from being the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If they were to give all the details, that would destroy the myth they have perpetuated all season that Jordin is just an average regular go to school five days a week kid.
And while were on the subject did you know that average every day kid Jordin has her own personal Trainer? Yep kiddies, boys and girls, mums and dad, she has one just like every other high school kid in America. Her name is Kris Segriest if you want to check it out. I didn’t see Fox pushing that little interesting bit of news at us, did you? What’s the name of your personal trainers?
The truth is that unlike Blake, Melinda, and most of the other contestants, everything you’ve seen about Jordin on TV has been manufactured and put out there as if it were written by the best press agent that money can buy. Before even making her first appearance she already had her own wikipedia page, a Torrid page, and Gospel Music Page, a fan page, and her own web site which featured prominent pictures of Jordin and Ted Nugent, Jordin and Wynona, Jordin and Sinbad, Jordin and Randy Jackson, Jordin and Simon Cowell etc. etc.
In fact, what I also found out over the past couple of months is that there are technically ways to obey Idol marketing rules while at the same time being able to easily get around them. In fact they just as well not exist at all (Maybe they don't, since nobody has actually seem them outside of those involved with the show). Those rules are only there for when Freemantle wants them to be there or needs them to be there for their own personal convenience and they only would actually only worry about enforcing them if they got themselves in a jam.
Let's take Jordin's mysterious trip to audition in L.A. for the show where she supposedly was turned down by the producers as an example of way too many coincidences piling up. Who turned her down exactly? Did she get past the massive line everybody else had to stand in or did she somehow manage to skirt around it and make a direct beeline for the producers by pretending she was Simon’s bodyguard? Or did good old Daddy’s NFL/Fox connections get her in the door quicker than you can say quarterback?
There’s just something about that whole L.A. thing that doesn’t add up. If you've read anything about Jordin, you are left with the impression that she is not a person who is going to stand in line with ten or twenty thousand people and take her chances. But when she finished doing what ever it was that she did in L.A., she went directly back to Arizona. She did not pass go. She did not collect $200. But she did rush home immediately afterwards and entered Arizona Idol, sponsored not by a separately owned Fox affiliate, but by a Fox Owned TV (yes owned by that Fox Network that broadcasts AI) station and won that.....coincidentally of course.
Yes there's more, there always is more. At the Phoenix Cardinals opening home game, carried by Fox and of the same Fox station running the contest (yes, that Fox again) Jordin sang the National Anthem. That appearance was on September 10. The Arizona Idol Contest didn’t end until September 15. I don’t know but if I was any of the other contestants, such as Melissa Gransbergen, Melissa Homiski, James Harris or Sean Rhys Gilyeat, my eyebrows would have raised and I’d have been asking a few questions. One week later she was off to Seattle where she gave the impression that she waited in line for hours along with everybody else when they aired it on TV. We know for a fact that didn’t happen.
And there are some other Fox/Idol connections to Jordin involving Coke, Ford, and Qwest. Qwest recently provided the phones for party goers at Jordin rallies to call in and vote for her. Qwest, coincidentally, also has a partnership with Direct TV. And who owns Direct TV mommies and daddies and boys and girls? Why, it’s Newscorp, the same company that owns Fox that airs American Idol and this is the house that Jack built. I won’t even get into the involvement of Ford, Coke, Fox Sports Grill (yes, they are in partnership with the very same Fox), Proctor and Gamble, Torrid, and Lexi Vu jewelry. I have to leave something for next time. And rest assured there will be a next time.
What I’m trying to tell you is that one day after Jordin's first appearance, with a little research and perseverance one could have predicted this outcome weeks ago. And there really aren’t any rules about corporate tie-ins to the contestants, even if they have connections to Fox. And unless Fox suddenly gets antsy about this (which they won't) and some other heavy duty extremely right-wing baggage being carried by Jordin, you can pencil her in next week too and she'll become the next manufactured pop princess just like Britney, Hilary and all the rest. I do think many teenage boys won't be fantasizing about Jordin like they did Britney and Hilary but gooey eyed teenage girls will pick up the slack for sure since the Olsen Twins aren't getting much press these days.
The thing is, you'll never hear any of the media asking or checking out these things (it isn't that hard, believe me). They like riding Idol's coat tails too much just as a good many web sites do that carry oodles and oodles of American Idol ads. And most of the people watching at home would rather buy into the fairy tale being produced every week then waking up and finding out that what actually goes on has the stench of dead fish.
As for Melinda, we wish her all the luck in the world. And Blake, well you better hope that Fox gets a bit antsy.
Further comments regarding this article can be addressed to clydesplace@hotmail.com
Part II:
Read also: American Idol's Biggest Sham is Their Biggest Shame
17 comments:
I can't believe how gullible Idol watchers are. I didn't think I'd dislike another Idol winner more than Fantasia, but it's looking like Ms. Sparks will far pass Fantasia in that race. I just didn't like Fantasia's personality: at least she struggled and made it on her own, unlike Jordin.
Well I hope to find time to write more about this before the weekend is over.
You are to be commended for the extensive research on this.
Clyde, just wanted to say thank you, your posts are always excellent on VFTW and this one takes the cake. (No pun intended.)
AI is, of course, a complete fix, but they fall under an entertainment show, not a competition, which is why they can get away with the secret vote totals. How anyone can take this rubbish seriously is beyond me.
Love your work.
Clyde,
I have been talking about the Fox fix" ever since Season 2. Did you see the research done Season 4 (Bo vs Carrie), where they determined the winner was predetermined based on the release of the Idol CD's before the finale occurred? In every season the CD would come out, and the top 4 songs were in the order of elimination. Statistically, that is almost impossible. I also noticed that since then, they stopped releasing the Idol CD ahead of time. Must be they got antsy. :-) I just wish someone from Fox would finally defect and take this show down for good. Thanks for your research!!!
Sara, Fox makes sure that they put it in the contracts of the contestants and the employees that anybody who reveals information regarding the operation of the show is subject to a hefty finanacial penalty. I'll be explaining more in the next day or two about how and why Fox is able to get away with all of this.
Smartie, thanks so much for your kind words bout my article. I hope the next one will be just as informative. It's taking me a lot longer to write because I have to check certain facts out. It's funny but some of the information that was up at the beginning of the season has mysteriously disappeared. There is one article I need in particular so I hope I can find it.
I have watched Idol from season 1 and have never thought it was an actual "viewers choice" winner. I hate the fact that Jordin is slated to win, I picked up on her "I'm everything" vibe weeks ago. This year the talent was boring with the exception of a few and the two in the finals are not even close to being the most talented. I found your blog just surfing the web and I will be following it throughout the next few weeks. Good day!
Seriously people, you yourselves said this is an "entertainment" show. Why don't you just chill out a little and enjoy it. These kids go into this knowing what they are getting themselves into and it doesn't seem to bother them. I'm sure they are happy just for the fact that it puts them a step up from where they were before they ever were on the show. Just sit back and enjoy the fun of it.
Dear Kaykee,
We welcome everyone. Even Idol sheep who don't want fairy tale land disturbed. You'll love my next article.
Dear Clyde,
I really do just like it for the entertainment. I think it's a great show and love listening to the music. I do commend you for all the effort you put into your "investigations". If you enjoy it great but hopefully you do have other things in your life that are more important than American Idol. Remember, it's just a tv show. Good luck in everything you do and live life to it's fullest! Thanks :o)
You're right. Maybe I shouldn't have been so glib and a tad nasty. But whenever somebody says "just enjoy it" and "don't question" it, then I want to just throw something at my computer screen.
That's the problem with too many people. They want to accept everything they see on their TV or hear in a sixty second sound bite on their Screen at face value. Why? Because it's easier that way. And those who unquestionably accept everything they see on Idol, will take the same attitude, even if it's electing a president. They just don't want to be bothered with reality. Not that you're one of them, because I don't know you.
Let me give you an example. Many people will watch something on Fox News or any other news for five minutes and take it at face value as being fact. They won't check the story out to see how much truth is in it, and how much there isn't.
It is why we went marching off to a war without questioning or investigating the facts, it why there are currently 3409 dead service men and women. All because Americans can't be bothered with the facts. And the truth is, the facts were always there to be found and be seen, if one had wanted to really find out about them other than take the Gospel According to the Corporate Media as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
What does that have to do with Idol? If you have read or talked to the majority of the people who watch the show, they accept everything they see on it as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And they love it like that. They don't want to be bothered with the fact that things may be scripted and edited to reach a certain conclusion wanted by those involved with the show. So in essence, Idol and those who watch it, are a perfect microcosm of what this country has become.
I once had a lady write to me and jump all over me for writing about politics or the government. No, she wasn't arguing whether I was right or wrong, she didn't want to hear anything about it at all. She simply told me was that she had two kids in school, her and her husband both worked, and at the end of the day she didn't want to be bothered with such nonsense. So although it may seem like it's Idol I'm writing about, what I am writing about is a sad commentary on those who want to believe and accept what they see on TV as the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and don't tell me any different.
Wow. You're last dissertation on what your Idol articles are about was absolutely fascinating.
Once again though we go back to the fact that this is an "entertainment" program. Can we really generalize the veiws of the public that watches American Idol and say they have the same veiws towards politics? Some of us actually do watch it for the entertainment value and that's it. Don't get me wrong there are many public veiwers that do not want to waste there time with all the facts that go into it, but I certainally don't believe it's as many as you think. Especially because most likely over half the veiwers are under the age of 18. I just don't think we can judge all Idol veiwers this way without really knowing their individual take on these issues and obvioulsy that is something that is impossible to do. Again, I do commend you and your blog, this is one way we do see someone who really cares. Thanks :o)
Please excuse my spelling in my last comment. I really do know how to spell "view". It's very late and obviously I didn't spell check it. I guess you can tell I'm definitely not an English major! hehehe
Please excuse my spelling in my last comment. I really do know how to spell "view". It's very late and obviously I didn't spell check it. I guess you can tell I'm definitely not an English major! hehehe
We don't worry about those things. I do enough of that myself but I'm usually pretty blurry eyed by the time I finish writing something. I just throw it up there mistakes and all if I'm really tired, like right now.
Hi Clyde. I loved reading your article. I am a viewer from the Philippines and I get to watch American Idol via cable TV. Politically speaking, I see American Idol as one of those shows where Fox Network gets to find a popstar/spokesperson for the right-wing (since all winners for the past seasons come from Republican states).
I was also disappointed that the network try to make Blake Lewis look like a villain who had supporters that outvoted Melinda. The show has lost its credibility
Thanks Max. I appreciate your comments and am glad to have you as a reader. I hope you were able to read my follow up article. Thanks so much.
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