as long as they spell your name right ...

If the intent was to create a buzz, then it certainly did what was intended. As horrified as I was to hear that George S will be hosting The One, I have to admit that the chatter about this move has been pretty intense. From a flurry of comments on this blog, to a full-page article in today's Calgary Herald, to a smack-down contest as to who will be the top reality show host - Ben Mulroney or George Stroumboulopoulos - on Radio One's Freestyle today, everybody has an opinion.
The cynic in me is speculating as to whether this is all a well-crafted publicity stunt. You know what they say about publicity, good or bad...
But despite my personal distain for this type of programming, despite my belief that the death of this type of reality show is long overdue, despite the inward cringing that I am suffering through by watching someone whose high standards and whose integrity I have always admired, be swayed by the whore of Babylon, I have to step back and say George is a big boy and it's his life.
I still think this is a huge mistake and I hope that this is not the thin edge of the wedge of the lure of the American media market, but it is not my place to interfere in someone else's decisions.
I am not mad, I'm just disappointed (and you know it hurts so much more to hear that).

Barbara B

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I've had a good 24 hours to digest the news, and though I agree with Barbara B. that George is a big boy and can handle his business, and though I agree with a lot of the points Jeremy made in the previous post's comment section, that it will bring a lot more attention to The Hour from American viewers come October and if anything it will increase the traffic for The Hour's website...I'm still bothered by it all. I think one of the reasons so many of us respect George is that he's always refused to be a sell out, he always seemed to put up such a fight against "the man" that all of this The One information is like a unseen punch in the face, leaving us bewildered and wondering where it came from.

In a sense, I feel kind of dooped. Yes, I can make my own decisions and I'm at liberty to have my own taste in media, but since we're part of the Stroumboulopouli and should be up on what he's doing so in turn we can discuss it and share it with you, it's like I've just signed my soul over to the devil known as reality tv just because George is taking part in it, and as Barbara B. mentioned, I'm cringing. To say that reality tv is another immoral way to stomp on your own IQ is a gross understatement, and though I know it's only for a couple months and George will return to The Hour and get back to being informative and globally aware, I can't help but bite my nails and cross my fingers that what we all see in George won't be altered.

But it's not all bad, right? As it's been pointed out, George has the opportunity to bring charisma to a reality genre that smacks of "buy this" hype and overprocessed bubble gum music, and if given the chance he'll be able to bring a new perspective to the American Academie VJ Search Talent Idol monster, and with every ounce of my being I hope that's exactly what he does, instead of pulling a Seacrest and therefore forever changing himself into a pompous fame hungry cheeseball with no self respect. George can do so much better.

Crossing my fingers (and toes),

Alana

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Not to completely echo the previous sentiments, but I have to agree with Barbara B, I'm a little disappointed. And I agree for the most part that this will bring The Hour's audience to another level (one hopes), but really at what cost?

I can really only think of one thing to compare it too; its the feeling some music fans feel when they hear their favourite band playing over top of an M&M's commercial, or racing down the desert roads in a Land Rover ad. I remember a Newstand segment from The Hour featuring K-OS, where he talked about this very issue, and how he did not want to be an artist who was heard about via a song playing over a commercial, it should be the other way around. I feel that George hosting another ridiculous reality singing competition is one in the same.

Hosting a national singing competition with all the pomp and circumstance that is American TV just doesn't scream Strombo to me. Was not that one of the reasons he left MuchMusic in the first place? Clearly, George is a big boy, and can make his own decisions...but one things for sure, I'll be able to read more this summer by not turning on the telly.
Allison
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Okay, first thing's first, wasn't George the one who always expressed his dislike for American Idol? The fact that he said this and is now taking part in a show so similar to Idol is, to me, selling out. Which, of course, disappointed me.
I always looked upon George as a credible journalist who used Much as a way to first get his work out there, but nothing more than that. And now, like Barbara B said, it seems like he's taking a giant step backwards. I hate to say this, but by George taking this job, even if only for the summer, I lost a lot of respect for him. I agree with Allison that's it's like fave-artist-in-a-commercial scenario (Yes Feist, I'm talking to you, you and your Lacoste ads), or as my dad just said, it's like when Bob Dylan went electric.
Barbara is right in saying that it's certainly making quite the splash, not only in the comments as she mentioned, but also in the Stroumboulopouli themselves. If not displayed here, there is quite the variety in opinions about the subject, something pretty new to these blog members (although, I really think it strengthens the group).
Anyway, sorry to be so hard on you George, but what did you expect? I, like many of the Stroumboulopouli, definitely won't be watching.

Becky

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What is he thinking? It seems to be a different George than the one hosting The Hour. When I read the news on this blog I thought that I misunderstood, that it couldn't be true... but unfortunately, it seems to be true? A career move to be known outside Canada, yeah but at what cost?

But it's his life, he can do whatever he wants with it, yes it's going to deceive some (no, a lot) of us, but if he's back in fall with The Hour and if he hasn't changed (still the down to earth guy saying his opinion and giving a hard time to some guests) I'm kinda okay with it, I'm not sure I'll watch (maybe once, to see how it is, but hating reality tv I don't think I'll be watching on every night). But it's not because George is the host that I'll love this show, I don't think it's the smartest move of his career but, we'll see what's going to happen (oh, and please, don't become an other Ben Mulroney).
Evelyne