So you’ve read: Simon Cowell has fired everyone at “X Factor” except LA Reid, who’s also the head of Epic Records. Paula Abdul, Nicole Pussy Cat, and Steve Jones (who was not from the Sex Pistols) are all gone. The show had poor ratings and no buzz. It’s time to start over. Even though Reid got a lot of criticism, he has to stay: Epic/Sony is where “X Factor” winners will go to record albums.
Meanwhile, “American Idol” starts featuring Madonna this week. Unless you are totally clueless, you know that “American Idol” is wedded to Jimmy Iovine of Interscope Records. That’s where their winners–like Scotty McCreery–get contracts. Iovine has also signed Madonna for her “MDNA” album. So of course, “AI” will feature teasers for the new album, all sorts of promotions, a Madonna night, you name it.
Everything here is branded. There are no coincidences. Madonna’s album could be her greatest ever or just more post-90s junk. “American Idol” will be pushing it down the throats of their viewers non stop.
Meanwhile, dear Madonna: now, after botching her charity, and never explaining where the money went, she’s announced that she’s building a bunch of schools in Malawi. Listen: there is no available tax filing for Raising Malawi, her Kabbalah-backed charity that reneged on building a “leadership academy” in Malawi already. No one knows what happened to $3.7 million raised at a 2006 celebrity fundraiser in New York. Don’t believe a word of any press released. Kabbalah is still involved.
Meantime, I implore you: Jimmy Iovine is a smart guy. He’s a great record man. But do you know that annually he wrestles control over who performs at the Super Bowl? Some years he wins, some he loses. Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney were not his choices. Let’s review, shall we? Last year it was the Black Eyed Peas and Usher. This year it’s Madonna. According to Wikipedia, her set list is “Vogue,” “Ray of Light,” “Music,” and her new single, “Gimme Your Luvin’.” What did you think she was going to sing? “Like a Virgin”? “Masterpiece”?
The Madonna marketing plan is in motion, boys and girls. Let’s hope the music is good. Really. PS I loved Elton John’s bitchy comments about Madonna lip-synching. He is dead on right. What she does, as do many modern performers who must also perform Jack LaLanne calisthenics on stage, is occasionally add live vocals to pre-recorded tracks during shows. All the tracks are pre-recorded before the TV shows. Who doesn’t do this? Performers who simply perform their music– Elton, Billy Joel, Sting, McCartney, Springsteen, Steve Tyler. But all the top 40 krapola stars do it.
