The band Nazareth once wailed that "love hurts" and it may be as simple as that.
But add in the world's biggest reality show, and something akin to the seduction of Benjamin Braddock, a young college graduate, by the socially powerful Mrs. Robinson, and you've got a big story. I have a feeling that the Fallen Idol drama is just getting rolling.
As for Fallen Idol, the Primetime Live "expose," the one thing that was really over the top was that vid clip of Randy "The Incredibles" Jackson playing bass for Journey in a spandex Superhero get-up. That's just wrong.
Be that as it may, in all the hubbub over the most titillating allegations made by Mr. Clark, it's important to remember that, so far as the integrity of the show is concerned (I know, an oxymoron for some of you), the problem scenario is one of simple favoritism, not whether or not Mr. Clark can produce a stained blue dress.
In the meantime, so many former contestants have come to Paula's defense that, honestly, it's starting to look like The Stockholm Syndrome. I appreciate their observations about Paula's conduct and character, but I also appreciate that at the time they were operating in an artificially controlled world and they were un-initiates who probably thought things in Hollywood pretty much followed the same rules and patterns of behavior as they did in, say, Utah.
Uh, no.
I also find it disingenuous for Fox to base so much of its defense against the favoritism charge on the premise that---never mind those pesky judges---the American people ultimately choose the American Idol. Therefore, according to Fox, even if Paula did extend inappropriate favoritism to Mr. Clark, essentially "no harm, no foul."
Yeah. And I can walk into Mickey D's right now and order bouillabaisse or osco busco.
That's not how it works, does it? At McDonald's, just like on American Idol, we have to choose from among the items on the menu. If Paula did take extraordinary steps to help Mr. Clark get on the menu---that is, to get him into the Top 32---that would effect the ultimate outcome of the show. Just ask the contestant who would have been in the Top 32 in Mr. Clark's place.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Eric Olsen
great job and a lot of keen observations, Sticker; and I agree, that moment when Corey lubed Paula in prime time struck me as bizarrely "meaningful" at the time as well
2 - Sticker
the thing is, even if Clark's allegations remain unproven, any investigation by outsiders is likely to turn up enough "inside" stuff of interest to warrant a flick!
so, coming to theaters near you
3 - the haze
"love hurts"? I thought that was Nazareth.
4 - Nicolette Rivers
I think it's sad that an attractive woman reaches a certain age and the best she can do is that!! That she could not see through some hustler barely out of his teens.
5 - Eric Olsen
many have declared the hurtiness of love
6 - Sticker
the haze--
Nazareth did sing "Love Hurts," but bon jovi wrote "Love Hurts."
That, coupled with bon jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name," sealed the deal for me - they are the king of the hurtiness of love
7 - Sticker
the haze--
Nazareth did sing "Love Hurts," but bon jovi wrote "Love Hurts."
That, coupled with bon jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name," sealed the deal for me - they are the king of the hurtiness of love
8 - HW Saxton
Sticker, "Love Hurts" by Nazareth is not
a Bon Jovi composition. I'm not familiar
with the Bon Jovi song "Love Hurts" but
I can guarantee you without any doubt in
my mind that the song "Love Hurts" done
by Nazareth is a Roy Orbison song from
the early 1960's.
9 - Sticker
thanks, hw, but never said they were the same "Love Hurts." I was thinking that was kind of the joke, but I guess it wasn't funny!
Like eric said, many have sung about the hurtiness of love.
However, since you are the second reader in a short period of time to comment on this, it seems, at least here, old mo is going with the Nazareth tune.
so maybe I should change my opening so people don't get hung up there before reading the entire article, which has nothing to do with either Nazareth, Bon Jovi or Roy Orbison (wow, what a master) for that matter.
yathink? lol
10 - -E
I guess the thought to care about it still hasn't fallen on me. But then I dont exactly think things in Hollywood work the same way as the rest of the world. I view it all as constructed and directed and crafted.
But then, I know there are naive folks out there that, for some reason beyond me, care about this stuff. So whatever.
Has the alleged affair taken place during the original auditions when the judges did still have power, I would probably take issue with it. But I fail to really think that telling someone what to sing or wear is all that much of a leg up. Even in the comments now the judges tell them what sort of genres they are good at or suck at. They comment on the costume choice. Is the difference that it is live as opposed to in bed?
11 - Nicolette Rivers
Whomever declared the hurtiness of love, it was J. Giles that declared the stinkiness of love.
12 - Sticker
okay, guys, I have changed my opening from the apparently obscure reference to bon jovi to the consensus fav, Nazareth.
point remains.
thanks for the input.
13 - Sticker
-e
the alleged affair/favoritism did take place when the judges still had power.
supposedly, paula coached corey on how to make the cut on the final audition, where he sang the Journey song that near and dear to Randy's heart.
think of how many times the given rationale for someone getting booted was "song choice" and you'll see how important that can be.
14 - HW Saxton
Sorry about the confusion there,Sticker.
The way your comment reads is somewhat
ambiguous.And people are always getting
little facts like this wrong in blogland
so I figured it was just another case of
mis-information on the web-net. Peace.
15 - Sticker
no prob, hw, I appreciate your input.
like I said, it was obscure and my new opening sounds waaaaaay better, donchathink?
so all's well that ends well
check in any time!
16 - Pamela
Hi, Sticker! I always enjoy your AI ruminations. But I have to correct one factual error, if you'll forgive me for being a stickler (hee!).
Creepy Corey was not selected by the judges to be in the Top 10. He was selected to be in the Top 32. OK, your point is still valid - the judges chose the pool from which we could vote - but they also chose Clay. The contestants then competed in 4 groups of 8 from which the 2 of each group who received the most votes moved on to the Top 12. I know what you're thinking. 2 x 4 = 8, not 12. That's where the Wild Cards came in.
In Group 1, Julia Demato & Charles Grigsby won. In Group 2 - the one loaded with talent - Ruben Studdard & Kimberley Locke won, with Clay Aiken (in all his college geek glory) a close third. In Group 3, Rickey Smith & Vanessa Alivarez won. And finally Group 4, Josh Gracin & Corey Clark won. I think I have those right! Group 5 was the Wild Cards, which Clay won. Each judge also selected a contestant from Group 5 to round out the 12 - Randy chose Kim Caldwell, Paula chose Trenyce & Simon chose Carmen Rasmussen. Now any idiot could have told you, put Clay Aiken in any of those groups but #2 & he would have been a shoe-in. But the producers apparently stack the groups for drama. They probably knew that whoever didn't make it between Clay, Ruben & K-Lo, that person would definitely be in the Wild Card round. Remember how great Group 1 was last yr - Fantasia's season - & how lousy Group 2 was??? Lots of good talent gets the shaft that way. But it also explains how the Mikalah's & Camille's & Jim Verraros' get to be finalists.
17 - Sticker
hi, Pamela--
thanks for your kind words and, yes, sticklers are allowed.
while i try, i do think it takes a village to know ALL the AI ins and outs, so thanks.
and, yes, I do think the point remains. Obviously any contestant the judges put on the menu kept another contestant out.
18 - Sticker
Pamela--
In the interest of accuracy, which I do strive for, I changed my comment and removed, for now, the point about Clay Aiken.
If I get the chance, I will rework it and put it back. I would be seriously p.o.'ed if the world had not discovered Clay Aiken or some other excellent talent because of some dumb stuff as Clark alleges.
19 - SphinxMontreal
If Corey has shocking photographic evidence of a hickey that Paula gave him, you can change the opening line again to "Love Bites" by Def Leppard. Or did Bon Jovi sing that one too?
20 - Sticker
sphinx -
good suggestion! I'll take it under advisement.
21 - Narisha
Sticker, you ROCK!
Paula is but a symptom of the problem, as I said in response to Eric Olsen's article today....
She's cute but knows nothing about singing, massages the male egos around her, giggles A LOT, & brings nothing new or original to the table. It's hard to believe that she's a WOMAN in her 40's & not the ingenue she portrays. Now because of this scandal, she's bringing more publicity to the show than ever before. Simon must be doing cartwheels. He is, after all (A.I. creator), Simon Fuller's main attraction.
Cowell helped make A.I. a huge success over in England & is doing the same here. Let us not forget, this is reality television where melodrama--not talent--reigns supreme. Sorry, contestants--it was never about YOU in the first place, as this ongoing soap opera proves. Notice how A.I. is milking it dry with more & more airtime devoted to Paula worship.
The bottomline, however, is that she broke the rules in a big way. So, will she get the boot? Doubtful. It's one thing for a contestant to break the rules. They're disposable--but Paula? Nah...Simon needs this sexy, vapid, cheerleader to make HIM look good. In the end, it's all about The Man (or men--Simons Fuller & Cowell, that is)...& it's all about the patriarchy (the male-run t.v & music industries)...& Paula knows just how to play into this. After all, she didn't make it in the music industry on the strength of her singing (ahem!) talent. Hmmm...
Remember: the key to success on reality t.v. is flash over substance. So, bring on Simon's snarkiness...Paula's flirtiness, cuteness, & apparent "victimization"...wrong numbers...Mario's abrupt departure...& anything that'll distract people from their own realities. This keeps the viewership up & the coffers full at Fuller's "American Idol".
It will be interesting, however, to see if Clark ponies up something tangible enough to force A.I. to give Ms. Abdul the heave ho.
Hey, Eric Olsen!...what do you think about all of this? After all, according to your 4/21 article ("Paula Abdul's Peaks & Valleys"), you are the proud recipient of a back rub from the scandalous judge herself!
22 - Eric Olsen
I think that all makes a lot of sense Narisha, although I also think Paula's singing has always been underestimated. She never pretended to have a "big" voice and was smart enough to get the most out of what she had, which she seems to have done again with AI.
I can believe something happened with Corey because she IS flirty, but who knows what. Since public opinion is running so much in her favor, I don't think any action is going t be taken against her unless there really is some kind of juicy proof, and it becomes public.
23 - Natalie Davis
I don't think Paula Abdul can sing at all. I always liked her dancing and her personality -- and MC Skat Kat, of course.
It is apparent to me that some sort of connection existed between Corey Clark and Abdul -- at some point, she traded phone numbers with him, so they must have chatted about stuff. I don't know if the relationship was sexual (or care). but sex wasn't necessary to make the relationship inappropriate. At the same time, my opinion of Mr. Clark is *so low* that I want her to escape unscathed by his icky promotional blitz. And I agree that unless something really juicy and damning emerges, she probably will. Can't help but wonder, though -- whose top-32 spot did Clark get thanks to his alleged friendship and coaching?
24 - Sticker
hey, Narisha, you ROCK!
thanks for your kind words.
Can you imagine if Simon had (as was once rumored re Christina Christian) done anything close to this? He would be doused in honey and strung up over an anthill for exploiting the young thing.
The interesting thing to me was Clark's lawyer's comment that Clark would cooperate with any investigation launced by a "government agency."
I sorta know something about that by trade.
That prob means either the lawyer is asking for an investigation or else a "decision-maker" has looked at the evidence and is considering whether it triggers some reg somewhere requiring an investigation when there's reasonable cause to believe there may have been tampering.
Remember, the quiz show scandals were HUGE and they weren't fundamentally different from what is alleged here in terms of favoritism.
Sure, the results, per se, can't be fixed by one judge, but there are plenty of ways a judge could substantially affect the outcome.
AI is such huge money---not just the show, the entire machine---I also would not be surprised that, behind the scenes (so as not to incur Fox's wrath), competitors are urging more than an "internal" investigation.
If Corey has the goods on Paula, he's in the catbird seat. Personally, I don't care that he's a thoroughly unlikable character. Even creeps who get wronged don't deserve it.
And if you take advantage of a creep, don't come crying to me when he takes advantage of you (by selling a book, movie or whatever).
It was on the internet long ago that Clark was boinking Treneyce and Kimberly Caldwell all the while he was with Paula. Just a rumor.
Simon may have his own indiscretions to keep under wraps.
25 - Narisha
Sticker, my dear, you hit the nail on the proverbial head!
People seem to be so caught up with the notion of:
Paula = good & Corey = scum bag
Lawd almighty! Watching the pageantry displayed on the Tuesday night show, I would've thought that Corey had broken into Paula's nunnery & had his way with her! Poor Paula! (orchestra swell)
Egad, they've buried the lead...
So what if Corey's skeevy?...or to quote you:
Personally, I don't care that he's a thoroughly unlikable character. Even creeps who get wronged don't deserve it.
Amen! From the sounds of her voice mails, she's scared. She did sumthin' sumthin'. Jig's up & she knows it. Alas, what goes around, comes around.
You summed it up:
And if you take advantage of a creep, don't come crying to me when he takes advantage of you (by selling a book, movie or whatever).
Karma, karma, karma.....have you noticed that lots of dirty secrets are coming out of the closet these days? Priestly pedophiles, Martha, Enron...
Still, there's a strong denial factor alive & kicking. I mean, how weird (& horrifying) is it that Richard Nixon almost got impeached while George W. got a 2nd term?
People want the fantasy!
It will be interesting to see if this becomes "Paulagate" or simply fades away like just another WMD.