the buzz log

Record producer and "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson is taking aim at TV production. His latest project, "America's Best Dance Crew," moves classic dance battles off the streets and onto MTV beginning February 7.

A host (Mario Lopez) and a trio of judges (Lil Mama, JC Chasez, Shane Sparks) still rule and voting still matters, but the competition doesn't have that "Idol" middle-America vibe. Instead, a hip hop undercurrent powers the synchronized dance moves of 5- to 7-member crews, who boast names like BreakSk8, Fysh n Chicks, and Kaba Modern. The moves may be street, but the diversity cuts across region, race, and gender. Pre-premiere enthusiasm measured put the show in the top 60,000 searches, thanks to interest from a broad age range (13-44).

While TV observers warn of a footloose burnout, that hasn't been the case online: In the past 30 days, searches for ABC's latest reality competition "Dance Wars" stepped up nearly 450%. Auditions for FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance" might explain an 11% spike even when the show's between seasons.

Incidentally, the Thursday premiere of "Dance Crew" coincided with the Lunar New Year, which has been sparking Search movement for “lion dance,” the acrobatic tradition with kung-fu overtones. Say, Jackson, doesn’t that give you an idea…?