THE Mogul Who Swallowed Pop Culture is perched in his office high above bustling Sunset Boulevard, scheming. His groundbreaking project is the behemoth that has come to rule not only television, but also much of the entertainment landscape.
But if you thought Simon Fuller, the British creator of "American Idol," would be sitting back by now celebrating his success, think again.
"I'm hungry," he says, and he's not talking about his next meal.
Next item on his agenda: taking the unscripted talent show to, yes, even higher heights, this time with a songwriting competition that will be incorporated into the show and produce a song that will be sung by the next "American Idol."
After that, he plans to revolutionize the entertainment arena further through his production company, 19 Entertainment, and other partnerships. He wants to start using unique strategies that, in his view, will change the way talent is developed and exposed.
Even by the lofty standards of the unassuming, soft-spoken Fuller, 46, who first came to prominence as the marketing and creative force behind the Spice Girls, it has been a heady year for him and his production company.
Fox's "American Idol," already a cultural phenomenon, has seen its domino effect begin to be felt in theater ("American Idol" alumni are now regularly appearing on Broadway), summer concerts (the 2006 "American Idols Live" tour is the most successful edition in the show's history) and even politics (the "Idols" were invited last week to the White House to meet President Bush). The series finale scored a record 36.3 million viewers, and the show received eight Emmy nominations, the most for any unscripted series. Former "Idols" such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood have been transformed into bona-fide hit-makers. And Lifetime will soon air a movie based on "Idol" winner and single mom Fantasia Barrino.
Auditions for the sixth season start Tuesday -- this year, there's one at the Rose Bowl -- and predictions are for yet another massive crowd of wannabes.
Then there's "So You Think You Can Dance," which Fuller co-created with 19 executive Nigel Lythgoe. It is the top-rated summer show among the coveted 18-to-49 demographic, and Fox renewed the series for a third season weeks before the season finale, which airs Aug. 16. Tickets for a national tour of the top dancers from the show go on sale Saturday.
