AMERICAN IDOL BEATS GRAMMY RATINGS

AMERICAN IDOL SHOW BEATS GRAMMY RATINGS! .....really....THE LOS ANGELES TIMES has a great story about this and attributes the scores to the "virtual revolution" going on where the latest rivals are SPECTATORS VERSUS CELEBRITIES....call it Hollywood backlash if you want. The figures don't lie -- 28.3 million for AMERICAN IDOL versus 15.1 million for the Grammy show. A FAN BECOMES AN IDOL at the end or the competition..the ultimate dream for today's generation! THE LOS ANGELES TIMES calls this "mediational magic" - a phrase I've never heard of but then the author probably knows his stuff-- he's the HARPER'S MAGAZINE Guru Thomas DeZengotita, professor of anthopology at NYU. We lead mediated lives he maintains. And a recent newspaper report says it's kind of like the band "Bare Naked Ladies" says "we've seen it all before". That's why I blog so much about REAL versus REEL...as the popularity of virtual online communities and ARG (augmented reality gaming) continues to thrive and evolve, we become increasingly aware that the Media is the Message! OR IS IT?