Page 31 - Aruba Today

PEOPLE & ARTS A31
Wednesday 6 January 2016

Swan song for ‘American Idol’ after 15 revolutionary years

LYNN ELBER Judges, from left, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick, Jr. arrive on set of “American Idol” in Los Angeles. “American
AP Television Writer Idol” returns for its 15th and final season on Fox with a four-hour, two-night season premiere airing 8-10 p.m. EST Wednesday and
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It Thursday, Jan. 6-7, 2016.
started on June 11, 2002,
with a couple of unfamiliar (Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP)
hosts posing in an empty
theater and making an tive producer Trish Kihane. A famous non-Idol, Kanye With social media gaining platform that established
overblown declaration to As she sees it, that means West, made a surprise ap- steam, viewers wanted artists including Steven
TV viewers. paying tribute to its past pearance at the judges’ to get in on the real-time Tyler, Mariah Carey and
“Live on this stage, an while focusing on the bat- auditions in San Francisco conversation about “Idol” Prince dropped in as pan-
unknown talent will be tle among this year’s con- in September, with wife Kim — good news for networks elists, mentors and perform-
launched into superstar- testants to become the last Kardashian West along as selling commercial air- ers.
dom,” said Brian Dunkl- “Idol” winner. his cheerleader. His “tryout” time and the sponsors who So did Harry Connick Jr.,
eman. “It’s that tricky thing of, is included in Wednesday’s wanted their ads to be Jennifer Lopez and Keith
“You at home decide ‘Hey, it’s the 15th season, episode. seen, not skipped as the Urban, returning for their
who will become the next let’s do nostalgia, let’s look The season debut is a four- show was replayed on a third year together as
American idol,” intoned back at the show’s really hour, two-night affair, airing DVR. judges to usher “Idol” to its
Ryan Seacrest. rich history,’” Kihane said. from 8-10 p.m. EST Wednes- The live “Idol” episodes in- conclusion. They’re joined
The reasonable reaction: “But on the other hand, day and Thursday and creased that appetite and by the savvy, unflappable
uh-huh, sure. But it turned you’ve got to find an amaz- opening on a retrospec- launched the networks’ Seacrest, the show’s on-
out the two were undersell- ing American Idol. So we’re tive note with the Seacrest- embrace of a variety of camera linchpin who out-
ing Fox’s “American Idol.” trying to combine both of Dunkleman ‘02 clip. other live broadcasts that lasted fellow original cast
The singing contest, which those things.” One contestant featured in included NBC’s musicals members Simon Cowell,
begins its 15th and final To accomplish that “organ- the premiere demonstrates “The Sound of Music” and Paula Abdul and Randy
season Wednesday, was ically,” she said, past win- the show’s impressive hold “The Wiz.” It was a salve as Jackson (and Dunkleman,
a blockbuster that invigo- ners and familiar runners-up on its fans. Michelle Marie well for the music business: who was one-and-done).
rated its network. It made will be sprinkled throughout Lecza of Daytona Beach, In 2009, Steve Knopper, au- Urban said he’s focused
stars of Kelly Clarkson, Car- the season, starting with Florida, recalls watching thor of “Appetite for Self- less on the show’s farewell
rie Underwood, Jennifer the open auditions in which it as a 4-year-old and can Destruction: The Spectac- than what he calls the “job
Hudson and others, and Ruben Studdard, Clay Aik- recite all of the winners, in ular Crash of the Record at hand.”
resurrected the TV talent en, Taylor Hicks and others order. Industry in the Digital Age,” “I more often forget it’s the
show as a boom industry were on hand to share tips “’American Idol’ is what I called “American Idol” and last season until somebody
that includes NBC’s “The with the hopefuls. based my life off of. I am its robust digital sales one of mentions it,” the country
Voice” and ABC’s “Danc- Plans also call for duets going to walk into the au- the few bright spots for the music star said during a
ing with the Stars.” pairing contestants with dition room and go get my industry as consumers grew production break at the
“It not only was a huge their now-famous prede- dream,” the braces-wear- increasingly resistant to Dolby Theatre. “It’s just find-
success for Fox but impact- cessors, who “all want to ing 15-year-old says. shelling out for albums. ing the right person and
ed everyone else,” said Bill be involved, somehow,” Ki- Such fervor made “Ameri- The series became such making sure we don’t miss
Carroll, media analyst with hane said. can Idol” a well-timed hit. an impressive promotional somebody.”q
Katz Television Group. “It
once again underscored
the fact that broadcast
television is communal and
an event.”
“American Idol,” from
megaproducer Simon Full-
er and based on his British
hit “Pop Idol,” did even
more. It breathed life into
the music industry as it and
network TV both grappled
with technology-driven
changes in consumer
habits. The show’s end is
the result of dwindling rat-
ings, the inevitable fate of
even durable performers.
“Idol,” which averaged
more than 30 million week-
ly viewers at its 2006 peak
and ranked No. 1 for nine
consecutive years, aver-
aged about 11 million last
season (still enough by to-
day’s standards to land it in
the top 20, but with fewer
advertiser-favored young-
er viewers).
Whatever its change in for-
tunes, the series will get a
send-off worthy of a televi-
sion landmark, said execu-