Winnerbäck v. Idol 2006
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Swedish folk rocker Lars Winnerbäck has withdrawn an ad for his new ‘best of’ album from TV4 at the eleventh hour. The reason, he writes in DN today, is Idol 2006.
Winnerbäck, who eschews celebrity as much as possible, says that the show – the hunt for Sweden’s next big pop sensation – encourages bullying.
Young people with dreams and ambitions come to TV4′s Idol believing and hoping that they have a talent. Some are rejected and derided on nationwide television.
He also slams TV4 boss Jan Scherman’s defence of the show, which was that lots of people like it so it must be OK.
When it’s bullying we’re talking about…that’s like a headmaster defending a gang of bullies because he has five hundred other pupils who aren’t doing anything about it.
Idol is lowest common denominator television. It glorifies disposable celebrity. But it doesn’t sanction bullying. To compare a starstruck wannabee truthfully being told that he or she can’t sing with a child in a playground being singled out, isolated and tormented is, at best, misguided.
Winnerbäck’s musical career has to some extent been built on his principles. His songs ooze with the stuff. And his audience is the polar opposite of the Idol brigade.
So a cynic might suggest that taking such a high profile ‘stance’ against the show would enhance Winnerbäck’s credibility and save a few million kronor in ad costs. All things considered, it might not be a bad commercial decision.
