# "Artists" corporations thought would be the Next Big Thing so they were pushed relentlessly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699 "2015-01-01T18:33:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/61 "2015-01-04T18:05:06Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I don’t know…like her or hate her, I think she already has happened… But that’s just it. Despite all the push, all the publicity, she _hasn’t_ really happened. [The ratings for Girls just do not support the amount of publicity she gets](http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2014/01/22/looking-ratings-weak-girls-crashes/). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/62 "2015-01-04T19:47:48Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Julian Lennon just never seemed to clear the trees at the end of the runway. And Sean is as talented as his mother. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/63 "2015-01-04T23:48:41Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > But that’s just it. Despite all the push, all the publicity, she _hasn’t_ really happened. [The ratings for Girls just do not support the amount of publicity she gets](http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2014/01/22/looking-ratings-weak-girls-crashes/). ARRRGH!!! You made me look at [breitbart.com](http://breitbart.com) and left me agreeing with the writer! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/64 "2015-01-05T00:05:28Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > ARRRGH!!! You made me look at [breitbart.com](http://breitbart.com) and left me agreeing with the writer! :mad: Hey, it wasn’t pleasant for me either. But you know, a broken watch is right twice a day and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/65 "2015-01-05T05:30:20Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/66 "2015-01-05T05:44:30Z")
The comments in that link made me sad ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/67 "2015-01-05T16:32:14Z")
A useful tip for the 21st century: never read the comments after an online article. You’ll live a longer, happier life, maintain all your gray cells and avoid tooth decay. ---
**Author:** ![Tess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@Tess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/68 "2015-01-06T01:28:09Z")
Asia Argento was everywhere for a few months when ‘xXx’ came out. Then it was like every celebrity magazine simultaneously said, “Meh.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/69 "2015-01-06T15:06:36Z")
Pia Zadora had her 14 minutes and 55 seconds of fame, too. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/70 "2015-01-08T01:38:06Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > But that’s just it. Despite all the push, all the publicity, she _hasn’t_ really happened. [The ratings for Girls just do not support the amount of publicity she gets](http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2014/01/22/looking-ratings-weak-girls-crashes/). Numbers are very difficult things in this world of piratebay and HBOGo. My peer group is the target demo for that show, and I would say it’s extremely well-watched amongst people I know. It may be niche saturation, but it’s a vocal niche and it’s been going on for several years. It remains to be seen if she has staying power or a second wind after Girls runs out, but she’s made a legitimate name for herself. I say this all as somebody who doesn’t like Girls and doesn’t much care for her. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/71 "2015-01-08T13:05:20Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Susan Anton Yep. I remember NBC pushing the hell out of Susan Anton. Never quite fulfilled her promise, but at the time she was the great hope of the network. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/72 "2015-01-08T14:54:20Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Yep. I remember NBC pushing the hell out of Susan Anton. Never quite fulfilled her promise, but at the time she was the great hope of the network. From what I’ve read, she was the pet project of Fred Silverman. He had helped make ABC the top rated network and was widely publicized as “the man with the golden gut”. So when he moved from ABC to NBC in 1979, Anton was one of the many projects he indulged in. Problem is she failed as badly as other Silverman ideas as “Supertrain” and “Pink Lady and Jeff”. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/73 "2015-01-08T15:27:09Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Pia Zadora had her 14 minutes and 55 seconds of fame, too. But that wasn’t a case of a corporation pushing a star. She was the trophy wife of elderly Israeli zillionaire Menachem Riklis, and he was willing to shell out a lot of his own money to give her a show biz career. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/74 "2015-01-08T15:34:26Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Numbers are very difficult things in this world of piratebay and HBOGo. My peer group is the target demo for that show, and I would say it’s extremely well-watched amongst people I know. > > It may be niche saturation, but it’s a vocal niche and it’s been going on for several years. > > It remains to be seen if she has staying power or a second wind after Girls runs out, but she’s made a legitimate name for herself. > > I say this all as somebody who doesn’t like Girls and doesn’t much care for her. Yes, a niche that gets attention all out of proportion to its numbers, because it’s young and has money, or at least has the prospects of having money. Just like Dunham. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/75 "2015-01-08T15:54:42Z")
Numbers \<\> quality. The numbers for something like **House of Cards** (or even **Game of Thrones** ) are probably less than _Manhattan Love Story_, but the show gets publicity because it’s good. I don’t watch **Girls** , but there are many people who think it’s an excellent show, so they write about it. This isn’t hype (which is PR by the someone involved on the production end). It just people raving about a show they like. You may not, but it doesn’t fit into the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/76 "2015-01-08T17:27:46Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Numbers \<\> quality. The numbers for something like **House of Cards** (or even **Game of Thrones** ) are probably less than _Manhattan Love Story_, but the show gets publicity because it’s good. Girls getting one million viewers is low, even for an HBO program. Per Entertainment Weekly (about the last GoT finale): > [@](#): > > Sunday’s “The Children” episode had 7.1 million viewers was up 32 percent from season three’s finale. That’s just shy of the show’s 7.2 million record, which was repeatedly struck this season. > […] > Some other HBO data points from the year: Freshman comedy Silicon Valley averaged 5.7 million viewers; Veep 4.6 million (its highest season). New talk show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has averaged 4 million. Game of Thrones had seven times the viewers of Girls for their respective finales. I get the “Numbers aren’t quality” argument but Girls doesn’t even have numbers for an HBO pay channel show. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/77 "2015-01-08T17:42:54Z")
I nominate [Fabian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Forte). I was a young teen when he was being hyped. I think they wanted him to be the Philly version of Elvis. It looks like he’s had somewhat of a career, but nothing like what his handlers were aiming for. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/78 "2015-01-08T17:48:58Z")
Let’s put it another way: _ **NCIS** _ has waaaaay more fans than _ **Girls** _,\*\*\* Game of Thrones\*\*\* and _ **Dr. Who** _ combined. It’s not even close. But does \*\*\*NCIS \*\*\* get cover stories in major magazines, or think pieces in the New York Times? Does anyone start web sites devoted to _ **NCIS** _? Of course not! That’s a reflection of several things. Among them: 1. Demographics. The tens of millions of people who watch NCIS skew older. A 45 year old Midwestern housewife who loves Mark Harmon isn’t considered a desirable reader by most magazines. The younger, single, urban females who relate to Lena Dunham ARE considered desirable readers. 2. Passion/Fanaticism. The tens of millions of people who like\*\*\* NCIS _ **will watch an episode, enjoy it, and then pretty much forget about it. People who get into Girls, Game of Thrones, or** _ Dr. Who\*\*\* tend to get into it in a big way, and enjoy thinking about it, reading about it, talking about it incessantly with other fans, and trying to figure out What It All Means. Hence, there are numerous websites devoted to those shows, and hardly any devoted to _ **NCIS.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/79 "2015-01-08T18:02:56Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Does anyone start web sites devoted to _ **NCIS** _? Of course not! It’s a sucker bet to say ANY television show doesn’t [have](http://ncis-source.org/) [fan](http://www.ncisfanwiki.com) [sites](http://www.ladies-of-ncis.com/). That said, “Big thing” means numbers. That’s what makes it a “big thing” and not some niche or cult product. Girls doesn’t have big numbers even allowing for the fact that it’s on a pay channel. It’s an excellent example of something being pushed far beyond what its numbers actually deserve. Heck, even Dr. Who got above 2million viewers for 2014 (on BBC America, over 5 million in the UK) – over double what Girls got. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699/80 "2015-01-08T18:45:40Z")
Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Miley Cyrus. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-corporations-thought-would-be-the-next-big-thing-so-they-were-pushed-relentlessly/708699.md?page=5)