FX making American President show

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

From the Drudge Report (wasn't sure if this should go under CE or TV, but figured since it dealt with politics that it'd fit better in CE)

 

<<<Move over American Idol. Here comes American President:

 

A Rupert Murdoch TV game show that may choose the outcome of the next White House race!

 

Cable channel FX is set to mount an ambitious two-year endeavor that will culminate in the American public voting on -- a "people's candidate" to run for president of the United States in 2004!

 

MORE

 

100 candidates will start the series.

 

During subsequent episodes, candidates will square off in numerous competitions, like debates.

 

The number of semifinalists will be whittled down each week, based on live audience response and telephone/Internet voting.

 

Each episode will originate from all-American locales such as Mount Rushmore or the Statue of Liberty.

 

But the final episode of the series will be an "American Candidate" convention, held live on the National Mall in Washington around July 4, 2004!

 

Viewers will determine the winning candidate from among three finalists.

 

The series will be seeking "the Jesse Venturas of the world, finding messages people want to hear," added Kevin Reilly, FX's president of entertainment. "Hopefully, we'll find some very qualified civil servant who lacks a power base and maybe also a plumber from Detroit who (tells) it like it is."

 

"It's like a cross between 'The War Room' and 'American Idol,"' producer RJ Cutler tells this weekend's Daily Variety.

 

"We will be making available to every American who is qualified, by virtue of the Constitution, the opportunity to run for president."

 

Just as "American Idol" went searching for undiscovered musical talent, Cutler said "American Candidate" will be on the hunt for untapped political and leadership skill.

 

It is not clear the ethical ramifications of Murdoch's NEWS CORP financing a presidential candidate's launch.

 

The game show appears to be inspired by a Buenos Aires television channel which is launching a series called "The People's Candidate" -- where the winner will be nominated as a candidate for the '03 congressional elections in Argentina.

 

Developing...>>>

 

I'm actually intrigued by this show. Imagine the type of candidates FX is likely to get. It'd be great seeing some far-right gun nut going up against some pseudo-hippie who thinks aliens abducted him/her. Of course, seeing how it's Fox, all the candidates will be 20 somethings fresh out of modeling school...

[Guest danielisthor]

wonder where you sign.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

I'm sure about 1/2 this board will probably register...

[Guest Cancer Marney]

Anything that gets more people involved in politics is good, even if it's really, really stupid, as this will certainly be. 99.99% of the participants will be trash, but the .01% remaining might actually do something with their lives.

[Guest Some Guy]

I bet Al Gore will sign up.

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

That's really...bizarre.

 

I wonder if the winner will be a white male.

[Guest EricMM]

you DO have to be 35 right???

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

I was getting ready to say, how many people here are of legal age to run for President?

Its a cool idea, and the person who wins the contest gets a ton of FREE promotion and their name will be out there. I would definitely be willing to vote for the person. This would be an awesome oppertunity for a woman or minority to get a shot at running for president as well.

[Guest danielisthor]

you DO have to be 35 right???

something i did forget, that whole 35 thing. Got 5 years to go then. I guess i could run for Congress and try and take Torricelli's or Corzine's Senate seat here in Jersey. Though Corzine would spend 100million dollars of his own money to defeat me or anybody else running against him. better start getting the old war chest started.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"I bet Al Gore will sign up."

 

LOL -- being how FX is owned by Rupert M. I have a feeling Gore's application will somehow make it to the nearest shredder...

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Not unless Gore signs up under an alias.

 

 

Ladies and Gentleman: Please welcome Hal Gore

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Or Gal Whore...

[Guest Vern Gagne]

He could be the complete opposite. His wooden demeanor would give him away, and security would be forced to remove him by force with "Whore" kicking and screaming yelling Recount...Recount, over and over.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Dammit, they do this when I'm only 18. Ergh.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest Some Guy]

Don't worry Kotz, 17 years is plenty long enough for the "reality shows" to die off and recycled at least 2 or 3 times.

 

Fo Sheez

SG

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Dammit, the first year I'm eligible is 2020. They'd better still be around then, because there's no way in hell I'll ever get any kind of party support.

 

Oh, and did I mention that they'll probably make some fine print rule on this show that prevents the winner from actually winning the election?

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest Some Guy]

I don't think they need fine print for that, just common sense should suffice. Whoever wins this thing has no chance in hell of winning the election. For starters it cost millions upon millions to run a campaign and some game show winner ain't gonna get it.

[Guest Cancer Marney]

Any rule preventing a native-born American citizen of 35 years from running for President would be illegal and therefore nonbinding as it would directly violate the Constitution.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Plus like I said, the show is basically free campaigning for 2 years for whovever wins it.

Its just like the American Idol crap, they got plastered on 20 million tv sets every week for a couple of months and now their breaking records in CD sales.

 

And like I said before, its probably the best shot at a Minority or Woman running for President this decade. I mean, its painfully obvious in 2004 its going to be Bush Gore II, and I cant stand either of them, so it stands that I would vote 3rd party again in 2004 like I did in 2000. If that vote happens to be for a game show contestant, then so be it, but at least I voted.

[Guest Cancer Marney]

A President from a minority should never be a goal in and of itself. That denigrates both the office and the candidate.

[Guest MrRant]

Plus like I said, the show is basically free campaigning for 2 years for whovever wins it.

Its just like the American Idol crap, they got plastered on 20 million tv sets every week for a couple of months and now their breaking records in CD sales.

 

And like I said before, its probably the best shot at a Minority or Woman running for President this decade. I mean, its painfully obvious in 2004 its going to be Bush Gore II, and I cant stand either of them, so it stands that I would vote 3rd party again in 2004 like I did in 2000. If that vote happens to be for a game show contestant, then so be it, but at least I voted.

You don't vote just to have a woman or minority in office you vote to elect the official that you believe would do the best job. If a guy of Chinese heritage were to run and I believed he would do the best job then I would vote for him. I'm not going to vote for woman/minority just because none have been president yet.

[Guest Some Guy]

Plus like I said, the show is basically free campaigning for 2 years for whovever wins it.

Its just like the American Idol crap, they got plastered on 20 million tv sets every week for a couple of months and now their breaking records in CD sales.

 

And like I said before, its probably the best shot at a Minority or Woman running for President this decade.  I mean, its painfully obvious in 2004 its going to be Bush Gore II, and I cant stand either of them, so it stands that I would vote 3rd party again in 2004 like I did in 2000.  If that vote happens to be for a game show contestant, then so be it, but at least I voted.

You don't vote just to have a woman or minority in office you vote to elect the official that you believe would do the best job. If a guy of Chinese heritage were to run and I believed he would do the best job then I would vote for him. I'm not going to vote for woman/minority just because none have been president yet.

You might be suprised by how many people vote just because a person is a certian sex or race or they use those factors as a tie breaker. Here in MA Shanon O'Brien took a huge amount of the female vote to win the Dem primary for Governer. Robert Reich (former Clinton Labor Secretary) got most of the Jewish vote and came in 2nd.

I voted for Mitt Romney (Gov) and Kerry Healey (Lt. Gov), Romeny was unopposed becasue we don't have a GOP in this state adn Healey was running against Michael Rappaprot, I chose Healey because she is Romney's pick and she seemd more sensible than Rappaport.

To me gender or race has nothing to do with it, it's about content. I'd vote for Colin Powell over Gore any day of the week, but I'd vote for Bush before Powell, because Bush better fits my politics.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"And like I said before, its probably the best shot at a Minority or Woman running for President this decade."

 

Who gives a crap -- gimmie an old white guy over Jesse Jackson or Hillary any day.

 

I remember reading a U.S. News and World Distort column by Dave Gergen (sp?) during election season where he said having a female VP is the only fair thing to do.

 

Fair?!?!

[Guest The Czech Republic]

What if we had the first-ever husband-and-wife ticket? With our luck it'll be James Carville, that snake-looking guy, and his wife whose name I forget.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Mary Matalin (sp?)

 

Carville looks like a penis...

[Guest MrRant]

God that would be horrible. To be remembered because you look like a dick.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Rant, have you seen this guy?

 

http://convention.ptk.org/speakers/carvging.htm

[Guest MrRant]

I have and he does look like a penis

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Oh, didn't mean to sound like a dick...