the buzz log

The surveys are out, literally. "American Idol" may still be number one in its time slot (as well as number one and two in overall primetime ratings), but viewership is down 7%, and that means endangered profits. According to Entertainment Weekly, the show is bypassing feedback on its message boards and is now resorting to the tried-and-true market research survey.

As the questions casually propose possible changes (e.g., axing host Ryan Seacrest), maybe what "Idol" producers are really trying to find is their soul. Could this explain the religious fervor noted this season by bloggers and critics alike? During country week, mentor Dolly Parton belted out her new song "Jesus and Gravity," and the Clark Brothers (winners of "The Next Great American Band") did a sweaty bluegrass-punk rendition of "This Little Light of Mine." While the New York Times partly blamed the song "Jesus Christ Superstar" for Carly Smithson's ouster, Kristy Lee Cook's turnabout was popularly credited to the savvy song selection "God Bless the U.S.A."

Sheer coincidence, but in a year when former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney's presidential campaign highlighted his Mormon faith, the competition's two most-wholesome finalists (arguably Brooke White and David Archuleta) are of that same affiliation (a fact happily noted in the "Idol" forum, as well as a callback to previous Mormons Carmen Rasmusen of Season 2 and Jon Peter Lewis of Season 3).

Still, the awkward path to righteousness hasn't always rung true on the rabidly secular Fox show. On "Idol Gives Back," the contestants performed "Shout to the Lord" not once, but twice ... and doubled the controversy of singing a worship tune by changing, then restoring, its lyrics.

Ironically, last season might've been the time for "Idol" to find its religion. The competitors included a preacher's son, two choir singers, and a frontman for a Christian rock band. The show didn't capitalize on that circumstance, although others have: The Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards booked a bevy of those "Idol" finalists, as well as winner Jordin Sparks, to perform at its ceremony this week.

Ultimately, "Idol's" downfall may lie in its own lack of faith. The show holds sacred the idea that the masses can create idols from scratch, but machinations designed to sway the results (such as the songwriting contest) have become transparent. Forget the earlier brouhaha over contestants with previous record deals: Critics like the PhillyBurbs.com complain about promotional distractions (like choosing mentors based on their album releases, rather than their relevance) that do a disservice to the finalists.

USA Today believes "Idol" already committed the worst primetime sin of dullness as it focuses on format rather than performance. If producers truly rely on marketing-survey results rather than the feedback of the faithful and their own finalists, then salvation may truly be lost.

Filed under: TV, Reality TV, American Idol, Religion

Five years ago, Tom Cruise was about as controversial as a romantic comedy. Not anymore. His outspoken support for the Church of Scientology has led to increasing amounts of buzz. Now, thanks to a Scientology-sponsored video that's leaked onto the Web, searches on the toothy actor are approaching an all-time high.

The nine-minute clip, which has been pulled from YouTube and other sites, features Mr. Cruise waxing about his religious beliefs while the theme to "Mission Impossible" plays in the background. In it, Cruise explains that Scientologists are the "authorities on the mind" and can bring peace and unite cultures. The comments sparked huge interest in "tom cruise scientologist video," "tom cruise scientology," and "tom cruise beliefs." They also led to increased lookups for "what is scientology" and "l. ron hubbard," the church's late founder.

Clearly, this is a tough time to be Tom. The video, coupled with a recently released unauthorized biography, have placed the star's private life under a microscope. There's no question that Cruise is passionate about his beliefs. Interest in the video indicates that most fans are still struggling to understand why.

Filed under: Religion, Tom Cruise