This just in...

[le pire]

so many Simons

Simon FULLER is the guy responsible for the success of the Spice Girls (and S Club 7) and Simon COWELL is the host on
American / Pop Idol and he is responsible for Westlife and the WWF Rock and Wrestling Albums.

Simon FULLER, however, is the guy who created American / Pop Idol.

I know way too much about this, don't I?

[pablo]

American Idol

Rolling Stone's new cover features Cowell, Paula Abdul - ooh-la-la, check out that cleavage! - and the other dude.

[Lauren Muney]

They just called me directly

Originally posted by Mr.Taxi Trix
NBC has picked up a new talent competish from "Idol" producer FremantleMedia North America and Cowell's Syco Television shingle.

This show "America's Got Talent" just called me directly. I'd never heard of it until this 'talent director' found me online. After I hung up the phone I looked up Performers.net to see if you-all were talking about it.

Since I hate American Idol on principle (only seen it for 5 minutes) I asked as many questions as possible while seeming curious. Of course, I got the old schmooze-o-rama about how great the show will be, and all the wonderful exposure, yada yada.

Then I admitted that I am professionally and personally opposed to shows which not only vote one person/act against another, but who insult the people involved. The girl giggled, "Oh no! Only the bad ones get the bad comments. And they really don't know how bad they are... that's why it's so funny".

Ugh. Not my cup of tea. When I die, I want someone to say, "That Lauren, she was wonderful, helpful, and she really cared about people"... not "That Lauren, she really put on a brave face while B-list judges insulted a performance she has done for over 15 years".

I was on the Steve Harvey Big Time show. It was an interesting experience. Once. I'd rather jump out of an airplane (which I did also).

However, if YOU are interested in sending in a tape, here's the info. I was told to spread this around. This girl is nice but they don't know variety talent. Her background is 'reality shows' (*the girl giggled*) and she certainly didn't read my website. So if you call, don't expect them to read anything or watch anything you send. ("oh, no, we don't have time to watch online videos!")

Here it is, direct contact to her:

Becky Cattie (talent director)
NBC's America's Got Talent
323-782-0430 ext 201
nbcvariety@yahoo.com

First prize for surviving the humiliation is $1,000,000.00

Mention my name if you contact her. Maybe I can get the prize for the Most Networking Done By A Person Not interested In The Show.

Good luck.

Lauren Muney

[Juggalicious]

i called out of inrtuige. i got the machine... im excited to see what she calls back with.

[le pire]

"Reality" shows

On reality shows:

Think of this as a casting, like any other:

Lead Role: A vegas style act in the vein of Sigfried and Roy. (They said so themselves)

Supporting Roles:

The young hopeful

The vindictive backstabber

The whore who will sleep her way to the top

The doofus from the midwest

Black guy from the streets who wisecracks and "keeps it real"

the token gay guy

The over the hill magician who is going for one last shot at fame

(possibility of more roles)

Other roles:

Need approximately 2000 people talented or otherwise, to serve as the butt of jokes and are willing to be humiliated on national TV (possibility of rebroadcast via internet!!).

No pay, except lead role.



Which role do you see yourself playing?

[pablo]

That's me!

I see myself as the doofus from the midwest...

...who winds up in the sack with Paula and her irresistable cleavage. She winds up preggers with our love-child, and we both wind up in the tabloids with Britney, Jessica, Jennifer, J-Lo and Angelina.

Hot damn! This could be a whole new career for me.

I'm sure my wife & kids will understand.

Fame is a jealous mistress.

[mrbill]

beware...

see

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=149377&forum=36&65&start=60

for some info regarding ownership of your material!

[mrbill]

whoops.. forgot to mention, scroll down to Skip Ways Comments Mrach 30 2006 10:14pm

[scot]

mrbill; duh

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Jesus, Scott, you can be such an ass. The guy's 10th post, a decent enough, pertinent link, and a follow-up to clarify. When you have that mean urge to mark your territory, consider stuffing a sock in it, will you?


That post, here pasted.



Be very careful with this concept. I'm friends with a Last Comic Standing and an AI runner-up...and while they don't regret the AI experience at all, they explain that LCS and AI flat out own you...lock, stock and barrel. Read the contract VERY carefully...even for the auditions...because (according to them) the LCS and AI contracts claim ownership of all submitted promotional materials, all offers originating from your televised audition and competition and all future appearances that occur due to your LCS and AI audition or competition appearance.

Both performers say that while they are earning far more than they probably would have on their own, it is a very small percentage of what other stars at their level are drawing...and while the LCS runner-up has some control over his appearance schedule, the AI runner-up has no control over his appearance and recording schedules. The AI star explains that he'd heard that AI filed suit to claim a huge chunk of William Hung's appearance and recording incomes because he was "discovered" through AI.

It seems to me that if you submit your hard-worked and expensive magic promo materials, photos, demo videos and so on to the AI-type program...they will claim ownership over it and you...and anything you succeed in doing through their promotion and exposure of your skill...whether you make the finals or not. Any act that you perform during the audition or competition becomes theirs.

I admit that I'm getting this second hand...and both performers had to beat around the bush because they are forbidden by contract to discuss their contracts or speak negatively against the LCS and AI experience...so I may have easily misunderstood by reading between the lines. Still...it seems right in line with what I understand about the "Big Time". I am not an accomplished performer any where near that level...but if I were...I would have serious second thoughts about simply signing over all rights to an act that I've sweated blood and tears over.

[jester]

Originally posted by le pire
be careful with this one...

For every one or two talents that Cowell promotes, he purposefully humiliates 1000's. This has the potential to do GREAT damage to you and your career.

In 2004 The "Today" program on Radio 4 edited an interview with me to try and humiliate me. It backfired on them enourmously. Suddenly I had lots of media interest and instead of backing off (which everybody advised) I just stuck to me guns and kept smiling....

I got much more positive exposure which many more people saw and heard. The phone went mad and I even had a phone call from the editorial staff at "Private Eye" who felt I had been treated cruelly. It made them look nasty but it didn't make me sound as stupid as they intended.

Exposure is exposure. If that show comes to the UK I'm auditioning.

[jester]

Re: They just called me directly

Then I admitted that I am professionally and personally opposed to shows which not only vote one person/act against another, but who insult the people involved. The girl giggled, "Oh no! Only the bad ones get the bad comments. And they really don't know how bad they are... that's why it's so funny".

[/B]

It is good to know what you are up against. And with editing, anybody can be made to look bad.

[le pire]

apples and oranges

Maybe this is stating the obvious, but there is a BIG difference between "Today" on Radio 4 and a Simon Cowell "Talent Contest" TV show.

Oh boy... here we go. Now Jester is going to have to argue his point / prove me wrong. What have I DONE????!!!?!?!?


etienne

[YoYo Guy]

My vote...

...goes to Rudi. I mean he already lives in Las Vegas. ( www.ilikeyou.tv )

*gasp!

[scot]

etienne, why are you so much more likable these days?

Mr. Taxi Trix, I spell your name right even though it includes a cheesy cks replacement.

No matter where I am, if someone says something obvious, I'd say "duh."

mrbill, I hope you're not as sensitive as Taxi and I hope you find more influential things to post.