I\u2019m in the heart of New York City this week, which is considered by some to be a business mecca of some renown. I was having dinner in the hotel restaurant earlier this evening when three nattily dressed, middle-aged, business professionals took the table next to mine. I had to assume that they were somewhat successful based on the cut of their clothes and the brightness of their “bling.” That might even lead one to assume that they might be well educated and somewhat experienced. However, I could be wrong.<\/p>\n
I say that because I couldn\u2019t help overhearing their very loud, intense, argumentative conversation. I kept reading my paper as I finished dinner when they almost came to blows. I was more shocked by the subject of their argument than I was by their near confrontation. They were debating whether Sanjaya Malakar\u2019s continued presence on American Idol<\/em> would lead to its inevitable\u00a0demise!<\/p>\n I could easily understand contrasting views on the subject of politics, the war in Iraq, trade balance concerns, or the threatening nor\u2019easter we\u2019re experiencing here in the Big Apple at the moment. But Sanjaya\u2019s assault on \u201cRappin\u2019 Randy,\u201d \u201cPouting Paula,\u201d and \u201cSassy Simon\u201d? Come on! By the way, they weren\u2019t having a friendly gab session over drinks \u2026 they were at each other\u2019s throats!<\/p>\n I guess I found it somewhat surprising that none of them seemed to grasp the reality that most anything they see on television has more to do with business than it does with entertainment. Everyday common sense would shed a fair amount of light on that Idol<\/em> situation. This ratings leader has recently been accused of losing some of its luster after several very successful seasons so it\u2019s quite evident they need to liven things up with some scandal. Now we must decide if Sanjaya\u2019s longevity is the product of Howard Stern brainwashing his radio listeners to vote this young man to victory, an Internet web site conspiracy (VoteForTheWorst.com) to keep the least talented contestant in the competition to the end, or a strategy to give Simon Cowell an opportunity to pursue other interests after declaring that he will quit if Sanjaya should become this season\u2019s American Idol<\/em>.<\/p>\n Regardless of the truth you must admit that this is a \u201cno-lose\u201d situation for everyone involved as it creates coveted publicity for all and gives fans a reason to tune in every week to see the latest twists and turns. I doubt if we\u2019ll see this young man take the title as it would cause many to question the credibility of American Idol<\/em>. Should Stern and the popular Internet web site continue to influence the voting, you can bet that the producers will simply control the voting results. The reason is simple. This \u201ccash cow\u201d is producing hundreds of millions of dollars every season via advertising dollars, merchandising products, recording contracts, tour income and on and on. They\u2019re not going to allow that tremendous cash flow to subside. This is a business, BIG business, not entertainment. Why do you think you continue to get \u201cYo, Dog,\u201d \u201cCrocodile Tears,\u201d and \u201cThumbs Down\u201d week after week? Relax, enjoy the performances, but don\u2019t take it too seriously. These young people are very talented and put on a good show. Sit back, relax, and enjoy what they offer. And, more importantly, if you see these three businessmen having dinner in Times Square \u2026 find a table as far away from them as possible!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019m in the heart of New York City this week, which is considered by some to be a business mecca of some renown. I was having dinner in the hotel restaurant earlier this evening when three nattily dressed, middle-aged, business … Continue reading