Towards a Part II

The WB is going to begin airing a show called Superstar USA, a take-off on American Idol, in May (according to a Variety article that ran 4/14). The necessary twist is that instead of picking the "good" contestants, judges, who include Tone-Loc and Vitamin C, will pick the bad ones. The contestants are, of course, unaware of this and believe they have been chosen because of their talent. In order to keep up the charade, judges heap praise upon the contestants, who are also given fake fans. The show's premise will be revealed in the series finale, when two finalists go head to head to be named Superstar USA. To soften the blow, the "winner" will receive $100,000 and a recording contract.
Mike Fleiss, the show's executive producer, explains "These people believe they're the next pop-superstar, even though they're horrible singers. It's not funny seeing bad singers doing karoke. This is about people who are clearly delusional and watching them butcher song after song." Or, in other words, this is funny not because bad singing is funny, but because delusional people are funny. Cool. I bet retarded people singing would be funnier.
Fleiss thinks this show is going to have people talking, "Calling their friends saying, "You won't believe what they're doing."

This show is going to be a huge hit. And it’s because shows like this, unethical, but car-crash watchable and funny, flourish, that moral indignation about shows that "cross the line," like The Swan, falls on deaf ears and remains insincere.