Tuesday 10 May 2005

American Idol Spin's Off New Born-Again Virgin Show

All Christian Music Format; Special Segment For Declaring New, Multi-Born Again Status

Desperate to get past its latest scandal, American Idol announced yesterday a new spin-off program that will begin next fall, called AI: Born-Again Virgin Tour and featuring a multi, all-Christian music format and contest.

The announcement came as the allegations that show judge Paula Abdul had a physical, intimate relationship with Corey Clark, a contestant on the program earlier this year.

While being, primarily, studio-theatre based, AI: Born-Again Virgin Tour will have its' debut at the Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, the site of the recent Justice Sunday event. Along with regular host Ryan Seacrest, and judges, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Williams, and an all-star studded line-up from Gospel and Christian Rock will be on-hand.

There will be a special appearance at the mega-church, with former Attorney General John Ashcroft joined by the three-time Grammy Award-winning gospel group, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, for a rendition of Ashcroft's 'When Eagles Soar'.

The program will open, each week with a special video greeting from Senator Bill Frist and other mega-churches and Christian music sites will be integrated into the program. Along with the competition, there will be a "Witness" segment when one of the evening's contestants declares himself or herself a 'Born-Again Virgin' or, just a plain 'Born-Again Christian'

Tony Perkins, head to the Family Research Council, hailed the news of AI: Born-Again Virgin Tour as "return of good Christian values to mainstream television"

Dr. James Dobson, one of the featured speakers at Justice Sunday declared that "It will be the highest rated program in the history of television because Jesus will be watching it"

Producers for American Idol, Fremantle Media and the Fox Network, said in a statement that they were influenced, recently, by the outpouring of faith displayed during the Terry Schiavo situation, as well as the very recent discovery of runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks' fiancé, John Mason, and his declaration of being a 'Born-Again Virgin'.

The statement also indicated that "Christian music is an under-publicized niche of our industry and American Idol is happy to bring it out of the shadows"

Critics of the program, laced with scandals and snafu's in each of its' first three-seasons, believe that American Idol is pandering to the conservative right and exploiting a private, personal family situation. Some are calling for the FCC to take action and revoke Fox's broadcast license.

On the MSNBC news program, 'Countdown', anchor Keith Olberman is still speechless as to the news of someone being a 'Born-Again Virgin' and continues to ask, "when did they change the rules?"

Host Seacrest advises Olberman, and others to 'tune in next Fall to AI: Born-Again Virgin Tour … It will be like nothing you've ever seen …"


Amazon Says "I Do"; Opens Wedding Registry

Offers Free Shipping For Weddings With Over 100 Guests

Amazon.Com, the internet retail giant, is venturing into yet another new market niche - weddings.

Beginning this Friday, couples setting up their nuptials can open a registry with Amazon.Com, giving them a potential gift haul from over 70,000 items - including selling a complete wedding party with church, minister, ushers and bridesmaids.

Amazon, taking on the already staked out cyberspace of WeddingChannel.com and TheKnot.com, believes the wedding registry will fit very well with other Amazon services, including it's new A9 Yellow Pages for wedding-related vendors and it's soon-to-be launched DVD service.

"We see a lot of synergy in this" offered Amazon chief, Jeff Bezos.

Bezos declined to project when www.amazon.com/wedding will turn a profit.

As reported by The Garlic (26 April 2005; Amazon Earnings Due Today; Modest Bump Up). Amazon is targeting 2017 as when the DVD division will come out of the red and kept 2045 for when, overall, Amazon will begin to see profit.

Bezos indicated that many familiar features to Amazon users will be in place with the wedding registry.

Any item, including the complete wedding, can be shipped overnight. Additionally, at the testimonial section will be a place for friends and family to post reviews of the wedding, or, in the case that either the bride or groom was previously married, a section for the former spouses to offer their comments

And, for any wedding member with cold feet, you can also view and review other weddings that you might like to purchase or participate in.