idols of american idol

Whilst going through this week’s reading for Pop Idol, I was struck by a point made about how the Idol shows are about making ordinary people celebrities. I think this can be seen to function beyond the performers themselves, for example Simon Cowell has become a widely recognizable celebrity, even in tabloids, even though he is not a performer himself (as opposed to Paula Abdul, although much can be said about how this show has revived her previously-dormant celebrity status). In a way, Simon’s personality – quite ordinary although annoying – is translated into stardom because of the context of the show.