Friday, May 15, 2009

American Idol - one step away from hosting Dance Fever?

Is Keith Urban's career in such free fall that he has to perform on American Idol? I know other big name acts have appeared and it's a great way to sell your product, but Urban is really overselling his appearance on May 20th. Even interviews for his own tour he brings it back to American Idol, either by mentioning that he has watched it, apparently something he does with his wife, or comments on the other act who will be joining the stage that evening, Kiss. It truly is sad for this Keith Urban fan to actually see him prostitute himself in this way.

If this were 1992 and the newly arrived Keith Urban had tried out for this show he would have been soundly rejected. Ironic, too, that Urban in the past has criticized what this competition has done to the music industry by making it a popularity contest. He also said as recently as 2007 that he was horrified when any of the contestants sang his songs. I guess those people in Connecticut who asked for their money back when Sugarland couldn't perform, and those fans in Pennsylvania who wanted refunds because Urban didn't play as long as promised and were forced to sit through a local act and not a national headliner knew something the rest of us didn't. Keith Urban isn't above a con game to get richer and more famous.

9 comments:

Choice said...

Does Keith hope that an appearance on American Idol will attract more younger women to his fan base. Is Gran OK with him doing this?

maclen said...

Ah, american tv "reality shows"...the last refuge for celeb "hasbeens"...at this point I have to agree the orb fits right in. And as he is surely learning from kidman, whether its falling from designer perfume and high bling wrist watch commericals... to shilling nintendo gameboys and french ginger ale, when your desperate for PR, any attention will do. And also ironic for the orb and his declining profile, now embracing American Idol just as it's own ratings are declining...he's pretty late to that bandwagon...

banbotox said...

I have my doubts that younger women will be attracted to him...as my 19 year old cousin and her friends say "He's way too old. He's okay to listen to but we'd never go and see him."

maclen said...

So, it seems the orbs connection to Idol goes back to april of last year...when aussie Michael Johns was eliminated and was then "reached out to" from orb and kidman...

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/american-idol-7-michael-johns-18502.aspx

...Ha!...obviously aussie losers stick together...apparently, according to wikipedia, johns has been around since 2003, when he released a couple of albums... that obviously went nowhere...and since his "Idol" exposure...and despite the orb/kidman shout outs...apparently his career is still going nowhere... a single released in 2009 selling 5,000 copies. And now the aussie orb takes over from the happless johns on American Idol!

Choice said...

Maclen - Interesting how Michael Johns went for the American Idol competition, rather than Australian Idol. Looks like he might head back this way with his tail between his legs ready for Australian Idol 2009. However, our idols rarely go on to bigger and better things. Even the winners fade out after their 15 minutes of fame has expired.

Banbotox - Spot on! The younger women dont go for Keith, he is too old. So is that why Keith dyes his skin orange? To try and look younger?

Unknown said...

Hmmmm.....did Brad Paisley prostitute himself when HE performed on Idol, or Rascal Flatts? Whether you gals like it or not, Keith's career is doing VERY well, thank you!

Imahick said...

I don't think that it's a reflection on the success (or lack of) of his career. In fact, it is an acknowledgement that his career is doing fine.

What it says to me is how much he has manipulated the press to bring attention to AI. Over the last month or so, we have heard repeatedly how much he and his wife enjoy AI. He's said that they watch ... that his wife got him watching ... over and over in interviews and suddenly...he's going to perform on it. Coincidence? I think not.

It just reinforces the point that he, as many artists do, is really strategically using the press to promote himself. I'm not saying that's bad, and I know it's necessary for many. But it is proof.

Everything that is said is a means to an end. In this case, it was in advance of an appearance on that TV show. It also promoted the union, which I think they both use to their advantage, celebrity wise. (I don't think it IS an advantage to Keith's career, but I think HE thinks it is)

NK is a master at using the press to paint an image ... to prepare for a future project ... to make sure that she gets maximum coverage out of any event. Keith uses the press for the same purpose. I'm sure he has always done so, but it's more obvious now.

notachance said...

I've been saying he should be on AI for a long time. Can't beat that kind of exposure. Hell, I was a little pissed when Brad & Carrie were on right before the ACM's - talk about strategic planning.

And yeah, he has been setting this up in the press. He's certainly turned into quite the savvy businessman. If this were Brad or Trace or Dierks or, or, or and they were doing the same thing would y'all feel so slighted? Doubtful, you'd probably give them credit for being smart businessman in marketing their careers.

It appears to me that Keith has finally got direction and an actual plan for coming back to the place he rightfully belongs - at the top.

Imahick said...

I agree that being on AI is a good move. It certainly gets Keith some well deserved attention and exposes him to a broad market. Hopefully he performs something that will impress everyone. KAG is not the song that will do it, in my opinion. We'll see what he performs. Plus, if he does well, it's good for country music.

Strategic promotion is necessary for anyone in the business. When Brad was on AI, I didn't hear him set it up in every interview he did in the weeks prior to the show. The "I love AI ... famous wife, you know her...Nicole Kidman?... she got me into it." statements for the last six weeks were obviously well placed. I knew that there was a reason for those plugs. I think it seems just a bit too planned to feel like he's sincere. But maybe he does love AI.