Back to another familiar topic here at Remote Patrolled – the soap opera that is the American Idol judging panel!
Last month I wrote about the departure of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez after just two seasons on the show, a fact that has to give some comfort to the jettisoned-too-soon Kara DioGaurdi.
Now we know that Mariah Carey is on board as a season 12 judge, and it looks likely that she’ll be joined by pint sized rapper Nicki Minaj. But are Mariah and Minaj enough to save the slipping show?
Okay let’s first start with Mariah. Most people in the entertainment industry know that Carey has been circling an Idol style show for some time now, having almost signed on to season 1 of the US X Factor. She’s a big name and brings huge credibility as probably one of the finest voices of her generation (along with Whitney, Christina and Celine). Plus this is a good fit for Mariah who now has children and could do with the exposure following a slip in sales.
Mariah may also remind viewers of Paula Abdul, given her penchant for wackiness and self-absorption. The difference – Abdul was likable. Carey is not. And she has a truly terribly reputation in the music world for bad behavior and brattiness. Trust me the rumors are true.
Add Nicki Minaj to the mix and the results could be explosive. Minaj – if she is indeed confirmed – would be an unusual talent show booking since she is arguably at the peak of her career, unlike pretty much every other reality star on similar shows. Britney and Christina have both likely peaked, ceding their pop crowns to Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Adam Levine has soared on the back of the success of The Voice, but before the NBC show launched Maroon 5 were starting to stagnate. Cee Lo Green was coming off a big hit in the form of F*** You, but his career is so scattershot it’s hard to figure out what his status is. And Demi Lovato will likely never be a pop queen, more an occasional hit singer who gradually morphs into TV and movies.
But Minaj is hot at the moment. Rihanna and Katy Perry hot! Starships was huge and Pound The Alarm is racing up the charts. And she’s relevant. She’s who kids are listening to. Trust me, they haven’t been listening to Mariah for a long time. Idol could well do with this kind of credibility boost to counter the sluggishness of Fleetwood Mac and Beatles’ Weeks!
For Minaj, American Idol provides a weekly platform on a still huge show that will enable her to gain even more pop culture dominance and promote and sell records. And as Levine has proved on The Voice, it’s perfectly possible to balance a music competition show and a busy recording career, despite what J.Lo says!
Together Mariah and Minaj could make great TV. But as I say, they could also be explosive and I wonder if viewers will warm to them? The Idol format has the judges essentially working together – they’re not in competition as is the case on The Voice and The X Factor. Can Carey join forces with a younger and more relevant music star… hmm! It’s All About Eve all over again… or Showgirls.
Just as importantly will the aging Idol audience respond to the pairing? Carey fits the demo, Nicki doesn’t. And who on earth sits on the panel with those two? Nick Jonas is apparently in the running but would be so bland he’d be lost in the mix. Kanye West would be great – but it would be the panel from hell and potentially repulsive to viewers. And do enough people really know who Brad Paisley is?
The saga rolls on and the soap opera continues… stay tuned!
