Asians look for own ‘Idols’ after US TV phenomenon

SINGAPORE – Forget about “reality TV” shows’ mock tribal councils, steamy sexual liaisons and other gimmicks.

The hottest US television series in Asia in recent months has been the ‘American Idol’ show, which has spawned franchises and copycat versions of what is basically a karaoke contest with an interactive audience of millions. In its latest season which ended last week, ethnic Asians like Filipina-American finalist Jasmine Trias and Hong Kong-born Will Hung, who was eliminated early but become an unlikely pop star, boosted the show’s appeal in the region.’American Idol’ is an amateur singing contest whose winners are chosen by mobile phone subscribers sending votes by text messaging after hearing the views of judges hired to deliver heartwarming praise or withering scorn.Despite the fact that only US residents are allowed to vote, Asians have become devoted followers of the Fox Television show.”It’s unbelievable how many people watch it,” Indriena Basarah, Asian general manager of the show’s distributor Fremantle Productions, told AFP.”It’s like the (soccer) World Cup.”She said it was the inspirational storyline of the show that appealed to audiences worldwide.The latest winner is African-American singer Fantasia Barrino, a 19-year-old single mother.When a 17-year-old Hawaii student of Filipino ancestry, Jasmine Trias, was booted off the talent show earlier this month, the Philippine government expressed disappointment and her shattered fans wept on live radio.”Deep down, a lot of people aspire to be stars and celebrities and they like to see the journey, they can relate to them,” Basarah said, adding that viewers identify with underdogs.The previous ‘American Idol’ season was won by portly talent Ruben Studdard, while bespectacled camp counsellor Aiken finished second.The fact that even the untalented have managed to become stars through the show gives it an even wider appeal, Basarah said.”I think the beauty of this programme is you don’t just find people who become heroes because they can sing, but also people who become heroes because they cannot sing,” she said.Will Hung, an engineering student in California of Hong Kong parentage, became the first contestant from the latest season to cut a recording deal.This despite having been rejected during the first round of auditions when he performed a tuneless and robotic rendition of Latin heart-throb Ricky Martin’s ‘She Bangs’.His recently released album, ‘Inspiration’, includes similarly unpolished covers of popular songs as well as ‘Inspirational Thoughts’ on perseverance, passion and being true to oneself.”The show is about making heroes out of somebody that would otherwise be unknown.It’s a very feel-good story,” Basarah said.In Singapore, where viewers were allowed to text in messages to be flashed at the bottom of the screen during ‘American Idol’, fans expressed support for Hung even in the last weeks of the competition, when he was no longer in contention.Over 30 countries worldwide have developed local versions of the show, including Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore.’Indonesian Idol’ is now in the elimination stages, drawing over 30 000 aspiring singers to audition, with many citing their American counterparts as their inspiration.’Malaysian Idol’ drew 8 000 participants to the first round of auditions, which Basarah said was “a very good number for Malaysia.”In Singapore, auditions will be held on June 5 by broadcaster MediaCorp, which aired ‘American Idol’ and decided to launch a local version due to popular demand.’American Idol’ drew an average of 300 000 viewers in the city-state each week, almost 10 per cent of the local population, beating other syndicated US television shows.Thailand has had a number of local talent shows for years, but winners rarely become national stars or tabloid fodder.In Japan, the land that invented karaoke, there is no plan to create a local version but a spokesman for New Broadcasting Japan (Fox Japan) said they may air ‘American Idol’ at an undetermined date.In Australia, ‘American Idol’ regularly attracts more than a million viewers but does not feature in the nation’s top 20 shows.Australians have been far more enthusiastic about ‘Australian Idol’ which captured the second largest audience of 2003, with 3,3 million viewers during its final show – claimed as the largest television audience for a non-sporting event in Australian history.- Nampa-AFPIn its latest season which ended last week, ethnic Asians like Filipina-American finalist Jasmine Trias and Hong Kong-born Will Hung, who was eliminated early but become an unlikely pop star, boosted the show’s appeal in the region.’American Idol’ is an amateur singing contest whose winners are chosen by mobile phone subscribers sending votes by text messaging after hearing the views of judges hired to deliver heartwarming praise or withering scorn.Despite the fact that only US residents are allowed to vote, Asians have become devoted followers of the Fox Television show.”It’s unbelievable how many people watch it,” Indriena Basarah, Asian general manager of the show’s distributor Fremantle Productions, told AFP.”It’s like the (soccer) World Cup.”She said it was the inspirational storyline of the show that appealed to audiences worldwide.The latest winner is African-American singer Fantasia Barrino, a 19-year-old single mother.When a 17-year-old Hawaii student of Filipino ancestry, Jasmine Trias, was booted off the talent show earlier this month, the Philippine government expressed disappointment and her shattered fans wept on live radio.”Deep down, a lot of people aspire to be stars and celebrities and they like to see the journey, they can relate to them,” Basarah said, adding that viewers identify with underdogs.The previous ‘American Idol’ season was won by portly talent Ruben Studdard, while bespectacled camp counsellor Aiken finished second.The fact that even the untalented have managed to become stars through the show gives it an even wider appeal, Basarah said.”I think the beauty of this programme is you don’t just find people who become heroes because they can sing, but also people who become heroes because they cannot sing,” she said.Will Hung, an engineering student in California of Hong Kong parentage, became the first contestant from the latest season to cut a recording deal.This despite having been rejected during the first round of auditions when he performed a tuneless and robotic rendition of Latin heart-throb Ricky Martin’s ‘She Bangs’.His recently released album, ‘Inspiration’, includes similarly unpolished covers of popular songs as well as ‘Inspirational Thoughts’ on perseverance, passion and being true to oneself.”The show is about making heroes out of somebody that would otherwise be unknown.It’s a very feel-good story,” Basarah said.In Singapore, where viewers were allowed to text in messages to be flashed at the bottom of the screen during ‘American Idol’, fans expressed support for Hung even in the last weeks of the competition, when he was no longer in contention.Over 30 countries worldwide have developed local versions of the show, including Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore.’Indonesian Idol’ is now in the elimination stages, drawing over 30 000 aspiring singers to audition, with many citing their American counterparts as their inspiration.’Malaysian Idol’ drew 8 000 participants to the first round of auditions, which Basarah said was “a very good number for Malaysia.”In Singapore, auditions will be held on June 5 by broadcaster MediaCorp, which aired ‘American Idol’ and decided to launch a local version due to popular demand.’American Idol’ drew an average of 300 000 viewers in the city-state each week, almost 10 per cent of the local population, beating other syndicated US television shows.Thailand has had a number of local talent shows for years, but winners rarely become national stars or tabloid fodder.In Japan, the land that invented karaoke, there is no plan to create a local version but a spokesman for New Broadcasting Japan (Fox Japan) said they may air ‘American Idol’ at an undetermined date.In Australia, ‘American Idol’ regularly attracts more than a million viewers but does not feature in the nation’s top 20 shows.Australians have been far more enthusiastic about ‘Australian Idol’ which captured the second largest audience of 2003, with 3,3 million viewers during its final show – claimed as the largest television audience for a non-sporting event in Australian history.- Nampa-AFP