Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Hunger wins

"I love working with hungry people."

So says Simon Cowell, who, according to an article last week on the Business page in the Los Angeles Times, is all but salivating over Pepsi sponsoring "X Factor," his new singing competition show which has been a smash hit in the U.K and will debut here in the U.S this Fall. It is widely thought that "X Factor" will give "American Idol," which is sponsored by Coke and has persistently topped the T.V ratings, a run for its money.

Cowell, who was arguably the most popular element of "American Idol" with his snide judging until he left last year to start the new show, loves this. Not only does he love it that Pepsi was the most aggressive, the most hungry sponsorship rival after passing up the chance to back "American Idol" when it launched. He loves it that the Coke-Pepsi rivalry, in which millions of dollars are at stake, will ratchet up the competition between the two shows.

"Bring it on," Cowell says. "I love it."

Never mind the stupidity and absurdity of artistic expression being in competition, on - more accurately - the chopping block. Or what it says when snide, humiliating judging is so popular. (I don’t think I need to say that I’m not one of the millions who watch the show.)

On the same page where this big, multi-million dollar soda story made a big splash, there were not only articles about the economic havoc caused by the earthquake in Japan but also an article saying that food prices are going up, probably permanently, and that there’ll no doubt be more hungry people in the world.

2 comments:

  1. We are dancing while Rome burns ... and I state that in all seriousness and sorrow.

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  2. When I ask how do you think Berretta is going to make out in the scandal of decade past, you said, and I will always remember,"that is why we are at war!" As I read the artical or essay of the who won and what did we really win, when it comes to celebrity showtime and distracted scandals, I have to agree with the absurdity of societal judgement versus reality checks for the TV sit com , reality, CNN , KTTV and all competitive viewing of sports, clips, world affair news broadcast and the standard programing , not to mention political talking heads, we as a society need more reality based knowledgable people rather than the Simon says, phenomona predicting the latest craze stand up vocal singer, especially when the judgement as I have seared in my memory when Cowell said, the contestant reminded him of a Bushman from the iconic classic Lord of the Rings. As I recall the laughter protruded through my lips as disgusting as the inference of someones facial features to the embarassment of us all, God bless you John, the one who can understand, study and transfer absurdity to what is important, peace, like you need me to say it.

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