Popstars

Note: Bardot was also the inspiration for my `We are all Popstars rejects' sticker/t-shirt slogan.

There's a Canadian version of this reality tv show, featuring a group called Sugar Jones or some such nonsense.

Actually, it's sort of funny. A bunch or A&R guys get together and audition thousands of girls, settling on five of them for their voices, talent, and personality over their looks. Then they find that these five don't really want to be recording pop songs written by forty-year-old men, as they start writing their own songs, and negotiate royalty contracts. This prompts the group's manager to say (paraphrased):

"I think we've given the girls too much freedom, too much rope, and they keep demanding more. From now on, I think we put them on a need to know basis." So this is how the pop music industry works!

It's also funny that the girls often comment on the lameness of the songs, and the manager keeps saying "this sounds like a good American record." (Remember, this is the Canadian version, and so it's assumed that if you want to make money you have to sound like Destiny's Child.) Oh yeah, and one of the original members was busted for credit card fraud during an early episode.

The concept was not conceived in Australia; Australia merely bought it off New Zealand. Many tv networks across the world have also bought into the concept, which manufactures a pop group. The idea is that the network gets huge ratings each week, the group makes tonnes of money off all the publicity generated and everyones usually happy.

America's 'Making the Band' was indeed a rip-off of POPSTARS, being filmed just after New Zealands success caught the eyes of the ABC. Both shows did differ slightly, however the foundations were the same. On top of that, the BBC created Upside Down (aka Orange Orange) on a similar program.

'I wanna be a Popstar!' was the catchphrase that attatched itself to the tv show. Not a day would pass when I could watch tv without this irritating phrase being repeated over and over on my screen. However POPSTARS has seemed to have ditched it now -- a HUGE thankyou goes out to whoever gave the producers their much needed wakeup call.

Numerous groups have been created, with more on the way. So far these have been the products of POPSTARS:

The CD Cover designers assigned to the Australian groups are highly uncreative. They seem to think its alright to pick a photo, add on the groups logo, and publicly release it. One team of these cheeky buggers used the same photo for a single and album cover -- the only difference being the recoloring of clothes from red to blue!

The show's appeal was lost a long time ago. Thankfully POPSTARS will die out soon, along with all other forms of reality tv. I think I'm not alone when I say that this will be a day to rejoice.