The success of American idol has always rested on two major vehicles that never fail to bring in audiences. The first is the emphasis on the audience. Each viewer is able, and encouraged, to view the singer as a regular person, someone much like themselves. The idea that one day you could be flipping burgers and 15 weeks later you might be a national celebrity with a one million dollar contract was, to say the least, enticing. Additionally, the fact that voters, in theory, could control the outcome of the show placed both urgency and an opportunity for viewers to get excited about the show. People’s interest stayed strong so they could see who is next and if their singer made the cut. These two modes of audience participation encouraged people to stay tuned and gather friends in order to influence change.
Casting Call
The casting call for American Idol gives great insight into the nature of American idol and why it was such a runaway success. The emphasis on “you” during the audition notice is a convincing sell for those who desire to be “megastars.” Furthermore, that was the point from the beginning. Producers wanted to repackage the American dream into a show that promised fame and stardom. The American Dream, since James Truslow Adams, has been popularized as the ability to become rich and successful through hard work and ability. However, American Idol tapped into this idea and encouraged people to believe that “you” (who, me?) could become rich and famous if you had the ability and were willing to put in the hard work. However, the key difference with American Idol is that is a fast track, one that allowed the audience to observe the fulfillment of the dream within a few short months.
This had an intense impact on the ethos of the show, which was encouraged by the producers. In fact, one of the producers, Ken Warwick, said that:
"There's no secret," he says. "In America, everyone wants to be famous. That's what it's all about. That's the Golden Fleece. They all want to walk into a restaurant and be recognized. It's a religion here - not a very healthy one, perhaps - but there nonetheless. The prize we offer isn't a record deal, its stardom. That's the whole ethos of the show. You can be flipping burgers one minute and then, three months later, you are a huge star in America. We offer a fast track, short route to stardom, and that is very, very appealing to many people." Or, as Lythgoe puts it, "We've repackaged the American dream and brought it back to this country."
This desire to sell the American Dream back to Americans allowed each person to connect with the struggle of each participant and get caught up in all of the excitement. When a favored contestant advanced, the audience was able to literally see the American dream being played out in front of them. This nearly created a moral imperative for people to stay involved and see if their candidate won, in order to see justice done to the American dream.
Premier Commercial
This is one of the first commercials for American Idol. It contains the same formula that is discussed above, the idea that “you” decide who wins. With this commercial, the show is trying to play up the audience participation in the show. Your ability to decide who ultimately wins is enough to produce legions of eager fans. This is important not only for ratings but also, as with Pop Idol, to manufacture a fan base for the artist once they create an album. The guarantee of a successful album is an important part of the promise of fame that American Idol offers. The voting base is able to see how the singer becomes famous and pushes that person in the right direction. This is reinforced by the thing that separates American Idol from most voting show, its unbridled voting system. Where Dancing with The Stars mixes judging and votes to produce a winner and Star Search had only audience voting, American Idol allows for complete audience control, from the comfort of your house.
In fact people take the voting portion of American idol so seriously that they have begun to vote in massive blocks. With only a few hours to vote, many people are sending thousands of text messages, creating software to send votes, and casting call-in votes using multiple phones. The logic may be that American Idol allows multiple votes, and so you are allowed to cast them. If a fan likes Carrie Underwood enough to send 10,000 text messages over the course of four hours, then why should that not count in favor of the artist who inspired such fervent zeal?
While American Idol assures the public that the block votes are not statistically significant, an individual may feel as if they are having a great impact on the show when they cast so many votes, especially when a singer’s distance from the chopping block has been as little as 30,000. Regardless of if block voters do affect the outcome; many block voters believe that they have an enormous influence on the process. This feeds back into the story that American idol has told since its inception, that anyone can be famous, that this show is about “you.” This lends itself to a new phenomenon, where fewer people watch American idol, but the number of votes cast per episode has spiked tremendously.
The success of American idol really springs from two pillars of development. The first is its voting system, which centers the show on the individual at home, and the second is its appeal to the new American dream. The idea that anyone can become famous and rich because of their hard work, the American Dream, is shamelessly exploited on American Idol. It is seen in the casting call that encourages individuals to show up in order to tryout to become the next superstar, in the form, where superstardom can be reached within weeks, and in the central role that the audience plays. “You” are the center of the show.
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