Sadly, I was watching "American Idol" a couple nights ago and witnessed the most ingenious self-promotion trick I’ve ever seen. After several contestants were ridiculed for being terrible singers/dressers/human beings, they exited their audition determined to let everyone know how they felt with four-letter words and middle fingers. Ordinarily, blurs or black bars would have been used, but the masterminds behind the show placed a miniature "American Idol" logo over every vulgar mouth and obscene gesture. To the home audience, it went something like this:
"Those 'American Idol' judges, saying I can't sing! Who the 'American Idol' do they think they are?! 'American Idol!' 'America Idol!' 'American Idol!' 'American Idol' you, Simon! 'American Idol' you all! You 'American Idol' 'American Idol's!' Go 'American Idol' yourself!"This is a revolutionary advertising concept. Every middle finger and curse word is a mini billboard. It’s cheap, easy, and anyone pissed off can do it. I hope other shows will jump on the obscene bandwagon. SpongeBob will get a tad more adult, and talk show guests will be instructed to tell Jay Leno how they really feel. What a golden age of television that will be, when people will be able to express themselves freely, for marketable gain.
