American Idol

The currency is fame, and it's bigger than money, more desired than power. Each season American Idol delivers on a promise whose epic scope is unparalleled in the annals of competition: to take an unknown dreamer from the middle of America and turn him or her into a genuine star. It has become not only the biggest show on television, but the biggest force in all of entertainment; its alumni dominate the recording charts and Broadway, win Academy Awards, and sweep up Grammys. In fact, American Idol has reshaped the very idea of celebrity. But it didn't start out that way. When the little singing contest debuted as a summer replacement on the U.S. airwaves, it was packed between reruns and low-cost filler. The promise that it would find America's next pop star produced a hearty round of guffaws from the country's media critics. Now, some ten years and millions of records later, no one is laughing. American Idol: The Untold Story chronicles the triumphs and travails, the harrowing backstage drama and the nail-biting onstage battles that built this revolutionary show. In this revealing book, veteran journalist Richard Rushfield goes deeper inside the circus than any reporter ever has. Candid interviews with Idol alumni, including Simon Fuller and Simon Cowell, shed new light on the show that changed the entertainment industry. And because Rushfield had full access to the people who created the show, starred in it, and kept it atop the pop culture pyramid, this book is the first to take Americans behind the curtain and tell what has really been happening on the world's most watched and speculated-about stage.

Feeding off the frenzy of fleeting fame and image overload, Hostetler takes anecessary look at the false gods in modern society. This timely book can helpreaders realize and overcome their own idolatries.

A must-have for all fans! -Exclusive pix of the audition process, set, and contestants -"American Idol" explained! Everything you wanted to know and more! -Weekly recap and personal profiles of the Top 12 contestants -The Best of the Worst: Profiles of William Hung, Scat Girl and others -Behind the scenes gossip from the sound stage to the red carpet -What the judges had to say

A celebration of the hit show "American Idol" chronicles each season with profiles of the finalists, judges, and winners, and includes more than seven hundred images depicting memorable moments from the show's ten-year history.

The television programme American Idol provides a stage where the politics of national, regional, ethnic, and religious identity are performed for millions of viewers. Meizel demonstrates that commercial music and the music industry are not simply forces to be criticised or resisted, but critical sites for redefining American culture.

Go behind the scenes of Season 4! ·Up close and personal with the Top 12 ·Sneak peak at creating an Idol ·Candid backstage photos ·Lifestyles of the Top 12 ·See what happens when the cameras aren't rolling ·Exclusive poster of your favorite contestants

This dazzling little book explores the role of US media in foreignpolicy, not only at the present moment, but with an eye to thefuture. Written by a veteran Hollywood film executive and aninternationally known columnist in foreign affairs Explains how American movies, TV shows, and pop music providethe images of America to the rest of the world, and the rest of theworld to Americans Includes discussions of the cartoons of the Prophet MohammedDanish daily newspapers, Tibetan monks censored out of Chinese TVnews reports only to show up on You Tube, and the Vatican's assaulton the Da Vinci Code movie Argues that Hollywood is a key player in the 'deep coalition'required to support a 'smart power' foreign policy and build aglobal cultural infrastructure that will make the world safe forinterdependence

A collection of revised essays which appeared previously in various journals. Presents the thesis that "Jewhatred" is a philosophic question, founded in idolatry. Modern academic scholarship is historicist rather than philosophic, and "is therefore unprepared to consider the possibility that the hatred of Judaism may be a form of idol worship". Contends that American liberalism is grounded in the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson on freedom and that Emerson was an antisemite who understood that Judaism was an obstacle to unbridled freedom. also discusses Hitler's ideas in terms of his aspirations toward absolute freedom (which leads ultimately to self-annihilation), and Nazism as the ultimate form of idolatry, and their antisemitism stemming from Judaism's opposition to these goals.

Fans of this rising star of several recent major motion pictures ("Pearl Harbor, Blackhawk Down, 40 Days and 40 Nights")--who has been compared to Gary Cooper and Leonardo DiCaprio--can get the inside scoop on Hartnett's life story and his insights on his meteoric rise as an actor. Packed with full-color photos.

Easy-to-read text, oversized color photos, and captivating graphics introduce young readers to the host and judges of the popular television show American Idol. Readers will learn about host Ryan Seacrest and judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi. Each person's family background, education, and career are covered, as well as his or her experience and qualifications that led to American Idol. Also discussed is the background of American Idol, Paula Abdul's work as a judge, and famous American Idol winners, such as Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and Jennifer Hudson. The addition of host Ellen DeGeneres for the 2010 season is included as well. Features include maps, "Did You Know" facts, a "Snapshot" page with vital information, a glossary with phonetics, and an index. Buddy Books is an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.