I last wrote about American Idol as the (not so little) engine that could [here].
While critics while away their days bashing AI as the root cause of everything that's cheap, vulgar and boring in pop culture, The Phenom chugs past their windows without catching even a glance.
This week American Idol proved its mettle---not to mention its staying power---in what eonline.com writer, Joal Ryan, calls its "most important competition" yet.
That would be: ad dollars.
Ka-ching.
Yup. The big ones are rolling in for Fox as the golden goose comes close to busting a gut laying those golden eggs. To be exact, eggs worth an average of $705,000 smackers per 30-seconds of your, gentle viewer's, time.
And, as Mr. or Ms. Ryan so cleverly put it: "the only show close to netting as much as Wednesday Idol [is] Tuesday Idol . . . a 30-second spot there will cost about $660,000."
By comparison, according to Adweek, a typical 30-second network ad goes for beer change, $150,000.
But, it's never enough, is it?
Now comes the news that the American Idol He-Beast has settled on his next artistic endeavor.
Yes, he came, he conquered. Music. Television. Books. I mean: Book.
Well, sort of.
(While the Clay Aiken book, Learning To Sing, conquered the New York Times bestseller list, the Simon Cowell book, I Don't Mean To Be Rude, But . . ., conquered maybe the remainder bin at several local dollar stores.
Not to be rude or anything, but . . .)
Thus the inimitable Mr. Simon Cowell---Mister, still, because, inexplicably, he's one of the few pop culture icons upon whom the Queen has yet to bestow knighthood [[ELTON JOHN CACKLES WICKEDLY HERE]]---reportedly wants to conquer filmmaking.
As in a big-screen adaptation of this original thought: The Tough and Fetching Life of (as Zap2it.com puts it) "Wannabe Entertainers and The Difficult Path to Fame."
As if!
And, flash, isn't "wannabe entertainers and the difficult path to fame" what American Idol is all about anyway?
Wow, if only From Justin to Kelly had been about "wannabe entertainers and the difficult path to fame,"instead of about love and text messaging, Justin Guarini might still have that big, beautiful hair and maybe even a contract.
FJ2K, which has been described as "equal parts Beach Blanket Bingo, Grease and any other cheesy movie musical you can think of, " has been the object of some of the most brutal machete slashing known to man [here, for example].
Article comments
1 - Bob A. Booey
Someone should do an off-Broadway thing where they just act out scenes from "From Justin to Kelly" very seriously. That'd be hilarious, for about 5 minutes.
NBC's summer 2002 "The Rerun Show" was the best, most clever network idea that wasn't executed properly. But then, I think it's an idea that sounds funnier on paper or live than on TV.
That is all.
2 - Bob A. Booey
Oh, and the classic Britney Spears bomb "Crossroads" as well.
That is all.
3 - Bob A. Booey
And "Pearl Harbor," "Battlefield Earth," "Patch Adams," "Batman and Robin," "Gigli," "Last Action Hero," "True Lies" and every other dumb, horrible movie you can think of.
Feel free to steal this idea if you're in comedy or improv.
THat is all.
4 - Calgon
From Justin to Kelly was a light, fluffy, fun summer movie. I liked it. I've seen a dozen movies in the last month alone that were far far worse than FJ2K. People claimed to hate it (although they never even saw it) because it was the American Idol movie.
5 - Mary K. Williams
Bob A. Booey says, "And "Pearl Harbor," "Battlefield Earth," "Patch Adams," "Batman and Robin," "Gigli," "Last Action Hero," "True Lies" and every other dumb, horrible movie you can think of."
But Bob, you forgot to say, 'in your opinion'
6 - Bob A. Booey
Mary, honey, no. Those are objectively some of the most horrible films of all time.
That is all.
7 - Sticker
And mayI suggest a dramatic reading of the songs by William Shatner?
8 - Sticker
From Justin to Kelly was a light, fluffy, fun summer movie. I liked it. I've seen a dozen movies in the last month alone that were far far worse than FJ2K. People claimed to hate it (although they never even saw it) because it was the American Idol movie.
My point exactly.
Even the movies noted in the post above were far worse from FJ2K---not the least because they actually were trying to be big, serious, influential flicks, while FJ2K was trying to be exactly what it was.
A fun, fluffy summer popcorn movie with a little quirkiness thrown in.
9 - Ann
Clay Aiken is my favorite male singer and male entertainer. Clay Aiken is the greatest and the best male musical artist ever!!! Clay Aiken Rules!!!
10 - Mike
Ann, are you forgetting to take your meds again, honey?
11 - Natalie Davis
"While critics while away their days bashing AI as the root cause of everything that's cheap, vulgar and boring in pop culture, The Phenom chugs past their windows without catching even a glance."
So it makes big bucks. Is that a redeeming quality that nullifies its status as the root cause of much that is cheap, vulgar, and boring in (vile, disgusting) pop culture? Not necessarily (and I would vote "HELL no"). Donald Trump makes lots of money. So does Dick bin Cheney. So does Bill Gates. So do Britney Spears and Nickelback and Rupert Murdoch. And for a while, relatively speaking, so did William Hung. Money and popularity on their own don't translate into anything positive or worthy.
Somebody had to give the predictable response to such an unfortunate and disappointing nyah-nah-nah...
12 - John Bil
They show this movie at Gitmo as a form of torture. Think Clockwork Orange.
13 - EYKC0208
I really LOVE Elliott Yamin on Anmmerican Idol! I think he looked so HOT on that "Call Me" video they did!!!!If this isnt even what were talking about some one please tell me!!! Thanx cant wait till next week!!!
!!!ELLIOTT'S #1 FAN!!!