The Paradox of National Identity: Region, Nation, and Canadian Idol

Abstract

This paper focuses on the 2006 season of the reality television show Canadian Idol and the manufacturing of Canadian identity. Our analysis looks specifically at the way Canadian identity was articulated in the production of the show, the comments of the judges to contestants, the comments in news releases, and the viewers' discussions on the message board accompanying the show. We argue that the show produces a version of Canadian identity that sustains a logic of regional difference, with a key point of distinction between urban and nonurban Canadians. However, we also indicate that this representation is ruptured by the viewers' debates on their feelings of Canadian identity.Keywords: Articulation; Canadian identities; Canadian Idol; Regionalism, nationalism, globalism; Representation; Viewer response Résumé : Cet article porte sur la saison 2006 de l'émission réalité Canadian Idol et la fabrication de l'identité canadienne. Notre analyse porte spécifiquement sur la manière dont l'identité canadienne s'articule dans la réalisation de l'émission, les commentaires des juges sur les participants, les commentaires dans les communiqués de presse, et les discussions sur les babillards électroniques menées par les amateurs de l'émission. Nous soutenons que Canadian Idol produit une version de l'identité canadienne qui perpétue une logique de différences régionales, y compris un élément clé portant sur la dichotomie urbaine/rurale. Nous ajoutons cependant que les spectateurs, dans leurs débats sur leurs propres sentiments d'identité canadienne, mettent en question une telle représentation.

Anatomy of a Format

“…the production into local communities” (Baltruschat 2009), and the use of regional identities (Byers 2008; de B’béri and Middlebrook 2009) all attempt to localize Canadian Idol for Canadians. All authors, and in greatest depth Byers (2008) and de B’béri and Middlebrook (2009), successfully critique Canadian Idol’s version of Canadian culture. Byers (2008) analyzes the ethnic identities of Canadian Idol and demonstrates how this show presents a problematic view of multicultural Canada through its whitewashing of talent.…”

“…Winnipeg, for example, which has a thriving dance community, was never an audition city, despite both its known talent and the show’s lack of audition cities anywhere between Toronto and Alberta. The audition cities point up commercial nationalism—they are vaguely representative, metaphorically spanning the vastness of Canadian terrain, but instead of truly representing all provinces/territories, they represent industry interests, population density, and urban bias in the political economy of the show’s production (see Byers 2008; de B’béri and Middlebrook 2009). Locations that can easily and efficiently support on-site production, as well as draw on a higher population of contestants (enough talent to make a “quality” hour of television), are selected (see Byers 2008; de B’béri and Middlebrook 2009).…”

“…This research is important in that despite its strong television industry, Canada is underrepresented in the literature on formatting and reality television. To date, there have been several key articles that have more directly addressed Canadian formatted programs, and these mostly focus on Canadian Idol (Baltruschat 2009; Beaty and Sullivan 2006; Byers 2008; de B’béri and Middlebrook 2009). While the focus to date on Canadian Idol is appropriate given the high ratings of the show, its prominence in formatting in Canada, and its cultural weight in the global cultural industries, there is much more room to contribute to the emerging discussions of formats in Canadian contexts begun by these scholars.…”