ABSTRACT
In February 2002 Britain was a nation divided. Glued to the finale of ITV’s ‘reality’ talent show, Pop Idol, more than 13 million TV viewers were torn between voting for boyish crooner Will Young or puppy-like cherub Gareth Gates. A huge success, the show’s grand final prompted nearly nine million votes from the public, with Will narrowly pipping Gareth to the winning post. But former choirboy Gates did not lose out. His endearing stammer and fashionably gelled hair had won the hearts of the nation, and his subsequent records twice unseated Will from the premier slot in Britain’s singles chart. The format of Pop Idol was also a triumph. Exemplifying the global flow of media texts, Pop Idol was sold to TV networks in more than twenty different countries, versions
of the series appearing in evening schedules from Poland and Germany to South Africa and the United States (where Texan cocktail waitress, Kelly Clarkson, scooped 58 per cent of 15.5 million votes to become the first winner of Fox TV’s American Idol).1 But Pop Idol was not a hit with everyone. Some commentators were appalled by the brazen delight the show took in the process of manufacturing a pop singer to meet recording industry expectations. Roger Daltrey (lead singer with rock band The Who) was an especially forthright critic, arguing that Pop Idol judge (and record industry executive) Simon Cowell was a:
dreadful piece of crap who drags the music business down whenever he rears his ugly head…Pop stars today have no longevity. Rock ’n’ roll is not about singing perfect notes or being a showbiz personality. It’s about the anger and the angst. I hate what Pop Idol has done to the business.
