Pop culture sings an 'American Idol' tune

By LYNN ELBER

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In 2001, Simon Cowell figured a singing contest snapped up by British TV would be an easy sell in America. Instead, network responses ranged from lukewarm to hostile.

"I was thrown out in one pitch meeting. After 30 seconds, the guy told me to get out," recalled Cowell, making the rounds with entertainment mogul Simon Fuller. "The main thing we were being told was music doesn't work on TV in prime-time. We tried to explain that there's lot more than music on the show."

So much for Hollywood acumen: The international "Idol" empire founded by Fuller has made a hit TV show seem an obvious, even puny ambition as Idolmania has swept across the pop culture realm.

The talent contest has "created this whole zeitgeist, and it's really about Americans and participating in creating a celebrity of their own," said media analyst Shari Ann Brill of Carat USA.

Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson are among the singers rewarded with instant careers in music, movies and in theater. A chorus of enterprises has gotten a dusting of "Idol" magic as well, from Dreyer's ice cream (Cookies N Dreamz among the novelty flavors) to a Disney World attraction to the "Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol" video game. A deal with iTunes for exclusive show video and song downloads last season coincided with Apple's emergence as the nation's leading music retailer.