'Australian Idol' Stars Barred from God Talks
"Australian Idol" finalists were prevented from talking about God or anything Christian, according to reports emerging from Australia-based publications.
The final six competitors of the music talent competition have been told that they must not answer questions about their religion or personal beliefs, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
"[A]lthough no wrongdoing has been proved (most Idol contestants have huge communities supporting them, whether it be a country town or a church community) television chiefs are concerned about the effect of the stories on the 'street cred' of the show," the Herald claimed.
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After initially canceling an interview with The Sun-Herald because it was going to include questions about the contestants' beliefs, a spokeswoman for Australia's Channel Ten said the interview did eventually get the go-ahead following an agreement that Christianity would not be talked about.
"They (Sun-Herald staff) promised the Idols they wouldn't have to talk about Christianity," the spokeswoman said.
Although the contestants were initially shocked by the ban, they have since then agreed to abide by the show's demands.
"I don't really mind [talking about religion], but obviously I won't if they say so," said contestant Matt Corby.
"I think sometimes it can overshadow what we're here for," Sydney contestant Daniel Mifsud said.
"That's not the point of being on Idol," he added. "I don't have any real religious affiliations; I'm not here to push my religious views on anyone. It's already been stated that some people go to church. Let's leave it at that."
However, another contestant, Tarisai Vushe, was not happy to find out she was being prevented from giving her views.
"It's not allowed? I didn't know about that," she said.
This month, criticism was leveled at the fairness of the program's telephone voting system as 50 percent of the remaining contestants were noted to be members of the Assemblies of God denomination, raising concerns of vote-stacking by the church congregation.
Like the hit British TV show "Pop Idol," which it is based off of, "Australian Idol" is a talent competition that gives music star hopefuls the chance to win a million dollar recording contract. During the show's finals competition, viewers each week telephone (or SMS) their vote(s) for who they want to stay for the following week.
On elimination shows, the contestants with the three lowest amounts of votes are taken into the "bottom three," before being read first who is safe for another week and finally who has been eliminated.
In the United States, "American Idol" is one of the nation's most successful television programs bringing in 26 to 37 million viewers per telecast last season.
Christian Post reporter Joshua Kimball in Washington contributed to this report.
