Fox Trying to Decide Details on ‘Joe Millionaire’ and ‘American Idol’ Sequels

Will American Idol return in the Fall, or will they hold out until Spring? And what about Joe Millionaire? These are the questions that many people are asking now after Simon Cowell has changed his tune about returning for a third AI and Fox has changed theirs about a sequel to Joe.

Previously, Simon had said that he would not do a third show. But a few days ago, he told the New York Post that he would, in fact, be willing to do a third as long as it’s not this Fall, but rather they hold it until 2004. He is apparently afraid that if they keep pushing ahead quickly – as they did with the second series – it will not give the winner enough time to come into his or her own – as has so far happened with Kelly Clarkson.

Besides, Simon needs more time to get albums out by all the other people he’s signed. Remember, he didn’t just get Kelly’s contract, but also Justin Guarini and Tamyra Gray. Plus, he’s already signed booted contestant from this season, Frenchie Davis. That’s a lot of albums to put out in a short period of time, not to mention the Justin/Kelly movie, concerts, and who knows what else.

Simon told the Post that he doesn’t think Fox will push to have American Idol in the Fall, and says it “would be a mistake” for them to do so without him. Some media watchers believe Fox will do whatever it can to get AI back in the Fall because of its high ratings on two nights. But Zap2it.com reported that Fox Broadcasting Entertainment President Gail Berman told reporters after February sweeps that it was their intention to hold the show until next Spring. However, this would not be the first time a network has taken a look at the ratings and changed its mind.

Indeed, that is exactly what has happened with Joe Millionaire. Originally, Fox had said there would be no way to bring the show back now that the secret is out. However, after the finale pulled in huge ratings, Berman told TV Guide that there will be a sequel, though the twist will be “slightly different.”

What could that mean? Well, they aren’t saying much – for obvious reasons. Butler Paul Hogan may be back, but “host” Alex McCleod almost certainly won’t be. So what might the next show entail to keep viewers watching? That is the question of the hour. The answer probably won’t be known until Fall, when the new Joe makes his appearance.

Fox is relying heavily on both shows for ratings, so there is plenty of pressure to get workable products from each of them. Can American Idol work without Simon Cowell? We’ve seen other shows, like Star Search and Are You Hot? with judges that seem like attempts to emulate him, but all others have fallen rather flat. Just as Joe Millionaire won’t work without a good twist, American Idol won’t work without Simon.

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at rno@pobox.com.

Be sure to sign up for our e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on the site! And take a look at the rest of the site. You can find all of our recent AI2 articles at the American Idol 2 page -- and don’t forget to check out The Foxes On Idol Website for more great coverage!

For more news about reality TV, be sure to check out SirLinksALot!