[Since they don't provide money or organization, no one will actually choose to run. (Bush spent $186 million on his campaign) It'll be a gyp, like American Idol, only more so. But still, wadda country.]
Joe Public for president
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/22/1032055036162.html
September 23 2002
American Idol, a hit reality show in the United States, allowed television viewers to crown the pop stars of tomorrow from a slate of would-be celebrities. Now a new TV show is upping the ante, with contestants vying for the chance to run for the ultimate prize: the US presidency.
The winner of the two-year long American Candidate contest will earn a shot at the White House in the November 2004 election, producers at Rupert Murdoch's FX cable channel said. "We expect to receive thousands and thousands of applicants," said the show's producer RJ Cutler, in Saturday's Washington Post.
Reality shows depicting ordinary people in a challenging situations have proved to be a popular and lucrative format for US TV networks. The most successful reality TV shows are protracted endurance contests, like Fear Factor which calls on contestants to prove their toughness with stunts like munching on worms, or Survivor, which pits participants against each other in the most extreme circumstances. For withstanding such ordeals, winners can garner cash prizes ranging from several thousand dollars to a cool million bucks. The networks also profit handsomely: American Idol reaped in millions of dollars in ad revenue and cost a pittance to make, compared to sitcoms or dramatic productions.
The producers of American Candidate insist however that they have not just potentially stratospheric ratings in their sights, but also hope to teach US viewers a lesson about civic responsibility and the democratic process.
"We see this show as tapping into grass roots politics," Cutler said.
American Candidate will allow viewers to handpick their choice for the White House from a list of about 100 pre-screened contenders, the show's producers said.
The remaining contests will be introduced to television viewers during the early episodes of the show, which is set to debut in January 2004.
And just as American Idol went searching for undiscovered musical talent, American Candidate will be on the hunt for untapped political acumen - along with the telegenic presence Americans demand from their political leaders.
"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," said Kevin Reilly, FX's president of entertainment.
Applicants will be required to fill out a lengthy questionnaire, then submit a video explaining why they want the job of leader of the free world. Contestants also will be required to produce a petition signed by 50 supporters.
Those who make it past the initial rounds will square off in several competitions, including debates, with contestants eliminated each week based on live audience responses and telephone and Internet voting.
The two-year long endeavour will culminate in the summer 2004 with the US television viewers choosing a "people's candidate" for president, network officials said - one whom they hope will be outspoken and photogenic.
Ideal contestants would include types like "the Jesse Venturas of the world", Reilly said, referring the professional-wrestler-turned-politician and current governor of the state of Minnesota.
A successful candidate will also be blessed with a knack for "finding messages people want to hear," Reilly added.
For the final episode of American Candidate - to be broadcast sometime around July 4, US Independence Day -- the show's producers envision an outdoor political convention to be aired live from the National Mall - the grassy strip that runs for several blocks between the US Capitol building and the Washington Monument.
During that grand finale, the winner will be chosen from among three finalists, Fox executives said.
The network then will continue to track the candidacy of the winner - should he or she actually decided to pursue the presidential race - through the November election.
-AFP