E! dumps on Dunk!

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on January 24th, 2006

The last two paragraphs of an E! Online story written on the occasion of the release of a syndicated version of season one of American Idol, starring erstwhile AI host Brian Dunkleman:

Dunkelman was dropped after the first season. According to IMDb.com, he most recently appeared in Comedy Hell, a $130,000 independent film.

An attempt to reach Dunkelman for comment on American Idol Rewind ended Friday when his last known talent agency of record said he was no longer a client.

Do we detect a bit of snarkiness here? An attempt to bury Mr. Dunkleman? Perhaps. It was a popular pasttime to make snide comments about Dunkleman back a few years ago. We were mystified by it at the time. We thought he acquitted himself quite well on season one of AI. But there’s that little matter of his being a comedian. The H-wood media has a problem with the funny people.

It is all the more possible that E! is taking potshots at Seacrest’s old partner when you consider that Mr. Seacrest recently signed a multi-million dollar deal with E! and, upon signing that contract made his first order of business the dismissal by that cable outlet of one Kathy Griffin. Griffin, you’ll recall, has made great hay publicly mocking Seacrest at every opportunity. The message is clear: Don’t piss Ryan Seacrest off.

We hasten to point out that the “$130,000 independent film” they speak so dismissively about was produced/written/directed by Scott Larose. Since when is appearing in an independent film an indication of one’s decline (or an indication of one’s lack of seriousness)? We’ll tell you: When you’re a comic and when the film is produced by a comedian. Like we say, it’s not paranoia if they’re really out to get you.

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