An Open Letter to Kara DioGuardi
Dear Ms. DioGuardi:
I realize that, by virtue of our longtime Facebook friendship, I could probably go out on a limb and address you by your first name, but I wouldn’t want to lean on that too heavily.
Besides, this is a serious matter.
I’m sure you’ve been following my coverage of the 2011 Winter TCA Press Tour here in Pasadena, so it won’t surprise you that I was in attendance for your panel for Bravo’s new reality competition, “Platinum Hit.” Given your experiences with us TV critic folk on previous tours (not to mention all of the interviews you’ve done outside of the tours), you surely must have known what to expect when you sat down in front of us…
But I’m being rude to the other readers. Since this is an open letter, I should offer my readers a quick blurb about the show you were there to promote.
Here’s what it has to say about “Platinum Hit” on the NBC-Universal website:
Bravo’s new music competition series “Platinum Hit” showcases emerging singer-songwriters on their quest to become the next big hitmaker. The series will give viewers a front row seat to experience the journey and aspirations of these gifted songwriters and an inside look at this unique creative process for the first time. The series will follow 12 musicians as they battle through innovative songwriting challenges that will test their creativity, patience and drive. From dance track to love ballad, every episode will feature a different theme that will require the contestants to write and perform lyrics from multiple genres. Their intimate life stories and personal drama will unfold within the show and in their lyrics as they compete and live together. In the end, only one will be crowned the ultimate hit-maker and walk away with a $100,000 cash prize, a publishing deal with Sony and BMI Songwriters and The Writing Camp, and a recording deal with RCA/Jive.
So there you go.
I know you’re the head judge on “Platinum Hit,” Ms. DioGuardi, and I know that’s what you were there to talk about. I get that. But with that said, you sat before an audience of TV critics, one of whom asked you to offer us some insight into your departure from the show you had previously been here to talk about, “American Idol.”
It was a perfectly reasonable question, one which you and the executive producers of “Platinum Hit,” Evan Bogart and Glenda Hersh, had to know was coming. Instead of answering the question, though, your feathers seemed instantly ruffled. You didn’t want to talk about anything but “Platinum Hit,” and after a throwaway one-liner (“it was an incredible experience, it really was”), the onstage conversation suddenly descended into a defense of your accomplishments as a songwriter…which, of course, we already know all about from all of the pieces we wrote about you when you were on “American Idol.” Worse, when the critic who’d asked the question tried to press the issue to get something of substance on the subject, you said that you’d address it later, but when you were approached after the panel…well, my close friend and Canadian equivalent Bill Harris, man on the scene for the Toronto Sun, wrote it best in his article:
Then afterward in a small scrum, DioGuardi literally scooted away from reporters before cornering herself at the side of the stage. She was asked, “So you really have nothing to say about your memories of Idol, good or bad?”
“You know what? There’s going to be a time when you’ll know all about that,” DioGuardi said.
She then was asked, “When? In a book?” That was when DioGuardi’s personal publicist stepped in and revealed DioGuardi has a book coming out in the spring.
Wow.
Ms. DioGuardi, I don’t even know what to say. You’re certainly within your right to keep the focus on “Platinum Hit,” and you’re also within your right to save the juicy “American Idol” stuff in order to sell copies of your book, but I just have to believe that you could’ve handled that situation better. I mean, you got booed. Better you should’ve put on a happy face, offered some token tidbit, and then teasingly said, “If you want more, you’ll have to read my book!” Admittedly, that would’ve been frustrating, too, but it still would’ve been better than acting like it was some sort of affront that we should’ve dared to ask you about a legitimate credit on your resume.
Actually, I realize I’m using “we” a whole lot. In truth, I’m really only speaking for myself. But I’m pretty sure that if I performed an informal poll among the critics in the room with me at the moment, the majority of them would agree that you didn’t exactly endear yourself amongst the populace.
Sorry for the tough love, Ms. DioGuardi, but I thought you needed to hear it. Maybe you disagree with what I have to say. If so, keep an eye out for me at the NBC-Universal all-star party this evening. I’d love to hear your take on the situation. But that’s mine, for what it’s worth.
Best,
WILL HARRIS
Bullz-Eye.com
Posted in: American Idol, News, Reality TV, TCA Blog 2011, TCA Press Tour, TV, TV Reality
Tags: 2011 Winter TCA Blog, American Idol, Bravo, Evan Bogart, Fox, Glenda Hersh, Kara DioGuardi, Platinum Hit
So your problem isn’t that she wouldn’t give you any idol gossip to print, but it was how she handled the situation? Why don’t you try sitting in front of a group of reporters that hate you for no apparant reason asking questions about a show you are no longer on and not there to promote, and see how you handle the situation? I was not there, but I am sure that Kara handled herself with grace and dignity as she always does.
Let me get this straight, Lisa. You were not there and Will was, yet you’re questioning his take on the Q&A? Will’s problem is with the tone of her non-answers, as if the TV critics there didn’t have a right to ask completely legitimate questions about an item on her resume. (Why does her reason for leaving or any other tidbit have to constitute “Idol gossip”?) Obviously, if she was candid and the questions went on and on, she’d have a right to get upset, but that doesn’t sound like the case at all.
Lisa, I can tell from your tone and approach to what I’ve written that you don’t read my stuff and haven’t followed my coverage of the TCA tour, so I’ll just tell you that I don’t give two hoots about gossip. My issue was with Ms. DioGuardi’s decision to skirt a legitimate question about her departure from the show that, at least as far as television goes, brought her to prominence.
This is precisely how the question was asked:
“Kara, I hope you’ll entertain at least one ‘American Idol’ question and only because I know it’s behind you, you’re doing this now. We get that. But can you clear up the circumstances under which you found out you were no longer with the show? And did you feel you were treated rather shabbily?”
Ms. DiaGuardi’s response:
“You know what? I am happy to address that with you privately, but today I’m really here for ‘Platinum Hit’ and to celebrate that.”
Now, in her defense, I don’t blame Ms. DiaGuardi for getting somewhat up in arms and defending her not-inconsiderable songwriting achievements when the critic tried to argue, “You’re here because of that show.” But nor is it impossible to build a reasonable argument around the concept that Ms. DiaGuardi’s profile was raised inestimably by her stint on “American Idol.”
Either way, it doesn’t change the semi-sketchiness of Ms. DiaGuardi telling the critic that she’d address the matter privately, only to ultimately deflect the answer in favor of letting her publicist announce that a book is imminent, one which will – we are led to presume – include all of the secrets of her departure from “American Idol.” If that was the real reason she didn’t want to enter into the discussion during the panel, then she should’ve said as much…but, then, I already touched on that in my letter.
Again, your issue is that you do not like the way she handled the situation. And again, I’d like to see you, or any one of these people who are criticizing her, sit in front of a room of reporters who are hostile and booing, and handle the situation any better. The question was not relevant to the promotion of Platinum Hit, which is why she was there. Not to mention I’m sure she’s been instructed by everyone from her publicist to her book publisher not answer any idol questions. So basically it seems she was backed into a corner, and she did her best to answer, and end that line of questioning.
I may not have been there, but I have met Kara many times and I have never seen her be anything but kind, generous and gracious in her dealings with fans, reporters and paparazzi. This was not a Kara DioGuardi press conference to discuss other jobs on her resume, she was there to promote Platinum Hit, period.
Lisa, I don’t know what else I can say here, because I feel like your ultimate argument is still going to be that Ms. DioGuardi has always been kind, generous and gracious in your experience with her, but I’ll reply nonetheless.
Yes, my issue *is* about how she handled the situation.
I didn’t address the “I’d like to see you do any better” aspect of your argument because this isn’t about me but, rather, about Ms. DioGuardi.
Was the question specifically relevant to “Platinum Hit”? No, but it was an open forum, it was a question about her previous television project, and as her audience consisted solely of television critics, it was absolutely in no way unreasonable to ask. You don’t think “American Idol” came up during panels for Paula Abdul’s “Live to Dance”?
If the reason she didn’t want to address the “American Idol” situation was because she has a book coming out, then she should’ve said that during the panel, not imply that an answer would be forthcoming after the panel, especially when she knew it wasn’t. Was it a panicked move without any forethought when she said it? Perhaps. But, then, she should’ve had a game plan in place to prepare for the eventuality of the “American Idol” question.
And “backed into a corner”? The question began, ‘I hope you’ll entertain at least one ‘American Idol’ question,” and it was very reasonably phrased. It wasn’t even one of the first few questions. It’s not like they came at her with all guns blazing.