SLOAN'S MOAN
SO the TV pop-reality bubble has burst... what a surprise. Hate to say I told you so.
The Fame Academy tour has been scrapped because those telly show nonentities on the bill wouldn't have drawn flies to a rubbish dump.
And Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus may be at No. 1 but she is already living on borrowed time.
Gareth Gates' deal is reported to be ''under review'' after his last single bombed, while Darius and the rest are in musical no-man's land.
It speaks volumes that Dido and The Darkness got most Brits nominations striking a blow for real music.
The fickle public would buy a single by a chimp if it was pumped out on Fame Academy. I rest my case.
SHAME ACADEMY
THE Fame Academy rejects have seen their final bid for stardom snatched away after bosses axed their UK tour.
TV producers had promised the 13 finalists fame... no matter the outcome of the BBC show.
They told wannabes, including Scot Lorna Grant, they would play a series of gigs at Britain's biggest venues in February to help launch their careers.
But last week, telly chiefs ruled out a reunion placing the final nail in the coffin of the Fame Academy series and leaving the contestants crushed.
Brokjen-hearted Lorna said: ''They have just wiped their hands of us.''
It now looks unlikely any finalists, except winner Alex Park and runner-up Alistair Griffin, will make amark on the pop world. And it looks unlikely the show will ever return to our screens.
It is believed the concerts were scrapped because record company Polydor want nothing more to do with the reality TV show.
An insider said: ''Although they would never admit it, Polydor regret being linked to the show particularly because of its poor ratings. There is no way they would agree to a UK tour.''
Last October, the show's grand finale scraped just 6.4 million viewers when Alex won the second series.
Rival Pop Idol pulled in more than 12 million viewers when Scot Michelle McManus stormed to victory. Nursery nurse Lorna, 21, of Bathgate, West Lothian, is devastated the plug has been pulled on the tour.
She had been looking forward to meeting the other finalists, including Louise Griffiths, Audley Anderson and Simone Stewart.
And she slammed the programme's bosses for doing the dirty on her and her fellow contestants.
She said: ''Although there was nothing in print, we were led to believe we would be singing at a number of venues, including the Albert Hall and the SECC.
''In our contracts we were warned, we must be available in February for rehearsals. It also said that if a tour did take place we couldn't back out.
''We were led to believe the tour would be similar to the one last year and most of us hoped it would give us the chance to show fans our true selves.
''But since leaving the show, the producers have wiped their hands of us. I haven't heard from them in ages.
''In fact, they haven't even officially told me there won't be a tour. How bad is that? It's only common decency to let us know what is happening.
''I have spoken to some of the other finalists, including Alex, in the last few days and they all feel the same.
''It would have been a dream come true to sing at the Albert Hall or the SECC. To have that opportunity taken away is very disappointing.''
BBC chiefs are keen to find a new talent show to replace Fame Academy.
It is rumoured they are launching Rock Idol a new programme where a rock band battles against a pop band.
Yesterday, programme makers Endemol said: ''We had hoped to have a tour before Christmas, as was the case last year. But this led to a number of problems with venues which could not be overcome.''
― gillian M, Monday, 19 January 2004 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)
― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 19 January 2004 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)
The book is withdrawn by the way... (Boy sonny was pissed..)
― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 19 January 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)
It is rumoured they are launching Rock Idol a new programme where a rock band battles against a pop band."
This is obviously due to the success of The Darkness. So we can look forward to legions of even poorer rock wannabes being foisted on us by record companies THEN the BBC gets in on the act with Rock Idol.
― Gillian M, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― pete b. (pete b.), Monday, 19 January 2004 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)
"The fickle public would buy a single by a chimp if it was (sic) pumped out on (sic) Fame Academy."Given that Lemar's debut single was one of last year's best, am I alone in despising this wannabe BNP manifesto of a sentence?
― Phoebe Dinsmore, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― ........, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man's Mum, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)
It's political correctness gone mad!
I wouldn't credit Billy Sloan with the intelligence to put a hidden meaning in a sentence.
― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 19 January 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gillian M, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gillian M, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)
― Phoebe Dinsmore, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ferrrrrrg (Ferg), Monday, 19 January 2004 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― Gillian M, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/content_objectid=13825934_method=full_siteid=89488_headline=--WE-CAN-T-LET-THAT-FAT-BITCH-BE-NO-1-AGAIN--name_page.html
`WE CAN'T LET THAT FAT BITCH BE NO 1 AGAIN' Jan 17 2004
What slimy radio DJ told listeners about Michelle By Karen Bale
A DJ who called Pop Idol Michelle McManus a ''fat bitch'' on air was suspended by his bosses last night.
Furious fans swamped the radio station with phone calls after Alan Lake told listeners to stop buying Michelle's debut single, All This Time, which went into the charts at No.1.
Lake said: ''We can't let that fat bitch be No.1 again.''
The DJ is a freelance who was standing in for regular breakfast presenter Simon Nicks at Manchester's Galaxy 102 Radio.
A spokesman for the station said last night: ''Galaxy 102 apologise unreservedly for the comments made on air early this morning regarding Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus.
''The views expressed are not the thoughts of the station and the presenter involved, Alan Lake, has been suspended. We wish Michelle all the best of luck.
''Galaxy 102 regular breakfast show presenter Nicksy will return to the show next week.''
Thousands of listeners heard the DJ ridicule 23-year-old Michelle, from Baillieston, Glasgow, shortly after 6 am.
Galaxy is the UK's biggest dance radio network and the Manchester station is broadcast to almost half a million people.
One listener, Davie Prescott, 33, was furious when he heard the comment.
Davie, of Glasgow, said: ''I was completely shocked. I wasn't really paying attention until I heard him talking about Michelle.
''He called her a fat bitch and said that she can't get away with being No.1 again.
''It is not very professional and very insulting.
''I stopped the car straight away and phoned the producer.
''He told me Alan had already been spoken to and apologised for the comment.
''But he said I could take the complaint further if I wanted.
''You could tell the other people on the show were a bit taken aback by the comment because the girl told him the comment was a bit harsh.
''I don't think I will listen to the show again after that.''
Michelle is the first Scots woman ever to go straight in at No.1 with her debut single.
Sales are expected to double to 250,000 in the next few weeks.
Back
― Billy Sloane, Monday, 19 January 2004 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)
― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 19 January 2004 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)
Is it just me or does this make him sound like a character from the Beano?
― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 19 January 2004 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)
― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 19 January 2004 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)
― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 19 January 2004 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― Phoebe Dinsmore, Monday, 19 January 2004 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)
He looks like one too - some fat cunt who eats all the pies perhaps?
― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 19 January 2004 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)
― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 19 January 2004 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)
The Kane/Simon Reynolds discussion interview in Blissed Out is a great read, I have to say.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 January 2004 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)
― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 19 January 2004 16:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― C-Man (C-Man), Monday, 19 January 2004 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)
Then he sets his miniature Texas & Runrig cyborgs on you.
― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 19 January 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)
― Billy Sloan, Monday, 19 January 2004 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)