--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor…" description: "\"Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of drama, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png" --- # Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the… ![“Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of drama, comedy and suspense is moderately ingenious.” quote by Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png) > “Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of drama, comedy and suspense is moderately ingenious.” [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The shows blend drama, comedy, and suspense, creating a hybrid format that deviates from classic variety shows. **In simple terms:** Shows mix different entertainment styles. Key Takeaway Embrace genre blending for fresh content. Themes media entertainment innovation Mood critical analytical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - TV programming - creative production - marketing strategies Key Concepts genre hybridization audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How does blending genres affect audience expectations? - What balance keeps shows coherent? A Different Perspective Hybrid formats may dilute clear identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idols/) [Ingenious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingenious/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Suspense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspense/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) ## Related quotes > [The Smothers Brothers have a good show, bul CBS is going to have to spend an awful lot of money to keep it going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/the-smothers-brothers-have-a-good-show-bul-cbs-is-going-to-have-to/) [Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/) > [I've done a lot of drama, and comedy was the one genre I was not being offered. So I became obsessive about getting one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-drama-and-comedy-was-the-one-genre-i-was-not-being/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [There's a reason Tony Stark makes fun of 'Thor,' and mentions 'Shakespeare' in the park in 'The Avengers.' It's great to play high drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/there-s-a-reason-tony-stark-makes-fun-of-thor-and-mentions/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I feel really comfortable with going for the reality of the drama, but I'm not much for the comedy of it. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-feel-really-comfortable-with-going-for-the-reality-of-the-drama-but/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [I'm really silly. That's the thing that people don't get. I think I'm a stronger comedic actress than I am a dramatic actress. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taraji-p-henson/i-m-really-silly-that-s-the-thing-that-people-don-t-get-i-think-i-m-a/) [Taraji P. Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taraji-p-henson/) > [It's a very important skill set for an actor to be able to bring the humor into any moment, whether you're doing drama or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-buzolic/it-s-a-very-important-skill-set-for-an-actor-to-be-able-to-bring-the/) [Nathaniel Buzolic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-buzolic/) > [You can play yourself and make a very good career out of it. Do the same type of role, the daring, good-looking, dashing kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-carroll/you-can-play-yourself-and-make-a-very-good-career-out-of-it-do-the/) [Rocky Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-carroll/) > [I always have considered Michael Keaton to be a phenomenal actor because he navigates drama and comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-always-have-considered-michael-keaton-to-be-a-phenomenal-actor/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I don't understand why people think it's harder to do drama than it is to do comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-mann/i-don-t-understand-why-people-think-it-s-harder-to-do-drama-than-it/) [Leslie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-mann/) > [I really like people who can do both drama and comedy and not some like middle of the road do both drama and comedy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-really-like-people-who-can-do-both-drama-and-comedy-and-not-some/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [Obviously, when you do something with drama and comedy in it - and by that, I mean a scene that has drama and comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/obviously-when-you-do-something-with-drama-and-comedy-in-it-and-by/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-was-never-yet-an-uninteresting-life-such-a-thing-is-an/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I think it's true of every great comedy that it's rooted in some dramatic, incredibly personal truth. And it's true of all great drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-hedges/i-think-it-s-true-of-every-great-comedy-that-it-s-rooted-in-some/) [Lucas Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-hedges/) > [Slice of life and dramedies are the pieces that I most gravitate toward, because I think that's life - life is not all drama,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ego-nwodim/slice-of-life-and-dramedies-are-the-pieces-that-i-most-gravitate/) [Ego Nwodim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ego-nwodim/) > [I don't chalk out my career thinking that I want to first do serious drama, then a comedy or an action. I take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-don-t-chalk-out-my-career-thinking-that-i-want-to-first-do-serious/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) ## More by Tom Shales > [Maybe it's the hair. Maybe it's the teeth. Maybe it's the intellect. No, it's the hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-it-s-the-hair-maybe-it-s-the-teeth-maybe-it-s-the-intellect-no/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jimmy Kimmel still comes across like a guy who crashed a party and got caught at it, yet adamantly refuses to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jimmy-kimmel-still-comes-across-like-a-guy-who-crashed-a-party-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [In city after city, newspaper after newspaper has diminished its staff of critics, sometimes to zero. Film and T.V. critics have been dropped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/in-city-after-city-newspaper-after-newspaper-has-diminished-its-staff/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Kukla, Fran and Ollie' occurred in real time and was a benign and bewitching example of pure television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/kukla-fran-and-ollie-occurred-in-real-time-and-was-a-benign-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Maybe Larry Kings cannot thrive or even survive in a world where the norms for discourse are rage, vehemence and character assassination. King wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-larry-kings-cannot-thrive-or-even-survive-in-a-world-where-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Robert Osborne either has the best job in the world, or comes very close. As millions of viewers know, Osborne is the resident host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/robert-osborne-either-has-the-best-job-in-the-world-or-comes-very/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [For those who don't like Dave Letterman, there's Jay Leno; and for those who like neither, there's Craig Ferguson; and if you're still feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/for-those-who-don-t-like-dave-letterman-there-s-jay-leno-and-for/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The once inviolate frame within which programs or commercials were displayed on television - always separately - has been violated to a pulp. Program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-once-inviolate-frame-within-which-programs-or-commercials-were/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Leave It to Beaver,' which ran from 1957 until 1963, was one of the strangest, sweetest, most distinctive domestic sitcoms of television's celebrated Golden Age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/leave-it-to-beaver-which-ran-from-1957-until-1963-was-one-of-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The original and very basic 'Law & Order' series has always seemed to me to be 100-percent exposition, with no filler, no pesky nuances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-original-and-very-basic-law-order-series-has-always-seemed-to-me/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Gimmicks come and go; the cop show seems one genre that will never leave - not as long as people like to sit at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/gimmicks-come-and-go-the-cop-show-seems-one-genre-that-will-never/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [If the networks can get audiences to tolerate pop-up promos by the dozens, maybe they'll start selling pop-up commercials, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/if-the-networks-can-get-audiences-to-tolerate-pop-up-promos-by-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jerry Seinfeld is amazing in many ways, not the least of them his ability to find humor, and convincing us to find it, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jerry-seinfeld-is-amazing-in-many-ways-not-the-least-of-them-his/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [“Keith Richards I remember. There was a horse backstage that week, and I was in my dressing area and I saw Keith Richards go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/keith-richards-i-remember-there-was-a-horse-backstage-that-week-and-i/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) [Explore all 54 Tom Shales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## More American idol quotes > [I learned about this talent show on TV that was basically the Estonian version of 'American Idol.' So I lied about my age, went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerli/i-learned-about-this-talent-show-on-tv-that-was-basically-the/) [Kerli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerli/) > [I'm cute - and God I hate that. Because that's not cool. I'm like your niece, and nobody wants to date their niece. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/i-m-cute-and-god-i-hate-that-because-that-s-not-cool-i-m-like-your/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [Being on 'American Idol,' the blessings of glasses have rained from the sky. I really would like to start a Danny line or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/being-on-american-idol-the-blessings-of-glasses-have-rained-from-the/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) > [I tried out for American Idol, I got a record deal, and now it's like my best days are ahead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/i-tried-out-for-american-idol-i-got-a-record-deal-and-now-it-s-like/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) > [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [The brutality of the pace. This was my third presidential campaign and it was a thousand times faster paced than my first one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-madden/the-brutality-of-the-pace-this-was-my-third-presidential-campaign-and/) [Kevin Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-madden/) > [Since we launched the original 'Pop Idol' in England, I've remained close with Simon Fuller. Working as executive producer on 'American idol' for its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/since-we-launched-the-original-pop-idol-in-england-i-ve-remained/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [I've never seen American Idol but I am grateful to them. That show is one of Fox's biggest moneymakers, and some of that money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-ve-never-seen-american-idol-but-i-am-grateful-to-them-that-show-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [American Idol allowed us to find Carrie Underwood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/american-idol-allowed-us-to-find-carrie-underwood/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [At the end of the day, it is about the album and book and also about setting the record straight, because 'American Idol' has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-clark/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-is-about-the-album-and-book-and-also-about/) [Corey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-clark/) > [I think American Idol is a great career launcher. A blessing for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latoya-london/i-think-american-idol-is-a-great-career-launcher-a-blessing-for-all/) [LaToya London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latoya-london/) > [When one person does something that works, everyone else wants to do it. So it didn't surprise me at all to see people come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-studdard/when-one-person-does-something-that-works-everyone-else-wants-to-do/) [Ruben Studdard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-studdard/) > [What made 'American Idol' different from 'The Voice' and all these other singing competitions... 'American Idol' just gave regular old normal people like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-porsha-renae/what-made-american-idol-different-from-the-voice-and-all-these-other/) [La'Porsha Renae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-porsha-renae/) > [I can't watch American Idol... it's like karaoke without the booze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-can-t-watch-american-idol-it-s-like-karaoke-without-the-booze/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [On 'American Idol,' I felt like one of my challenges was picking songs because I've definitely been exposed to a lot of music. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/on-american-idol-i-felt-like-one-of-my-challenges-was-picking-songs/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) Browse all 262 American idol quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of drama, comedy and suspense is moderately ingenious.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Shales" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American idol" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b1/tom-shales-12468_american-idol_obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-danc_455745.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but…” — Tom Shales", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Shales", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```