‘Idol’ spotlight shines on charity

After 5 1/2 seasons, the “American Idol” juggernaut has, like a devourer of planets, reshaped a battered television landscape in its image. The show has taken the oldest of talent competition saws -- the singing contest -- and turned it into a national obsession.

This week, “American Idol” takes reality TV into its most foreign and unlikely terrain yet -- charity. Tonight and Wednesday night, it will turn its stage over to messages of hope in the name of helping the poor and suffering of the world for an event called “Idol Gives Back.”

“I think our main thing,” “Idol” cornerstone judge Simon Cowell said by telephone, “is to make sure that for anybody who is a fan of ‘American Idol’ that they don’t feel too uncomfortable and most importantly they enjoy the event as an entertainment show. That is the No. 1 priority because, if we fail on that, this has all been a waste of time.”

Committed performers include Sacha Baron Cohen, Gwen Stefani, Pink, Annie Lennox, Bono and the return to the “Idol” stage of original winner Kelly Clarkson. In addition, the show is hyping a mystery duet as the highlight of the night.

Cowell agreed that for a show built around a brutal Darwinian race to the top of the pyramid, charity and compassion might be an awkward pairing, “We’ll find out whether it does fit. I think the most important thing for anybody watching the show over the two days is that they will be seeing a much, much bigger entertainment show than they would normally be watching in that particular week.”

Cowell’s involvement with the show began with a conversation with British writer-director Richard Curtis. “My only proviso was that if we were going to do it that we were going to have to give at least 50% of the money to American charities,” Cowell said.

Signing on for a charity event, Cowell soon learned, was a responsibility with strings attached. In some of the unlikeliest moments of this season, “Idol” has promoted the event with footage of a trip to Africa Cowell took with host Ryan Seacrest.

“It was surreal, to be honest with you. We’re probably the last people on Earth you’d expect to see there. But Richard said to me, ‘Look, if you’re going to do something like this, you’ve actually got to meet the people who are going to benefit, otherwise it doesn’t make sense.’ Which I completely agreed with. So he asked if I’d go to Africa and I said on one condition, that Ryan comes as well.”

On tonight’s show, the contestants will sing songs with the theme of hope. And because this remains a competition, surviving in this turbo-charged environment filled with heart-wrenching appeals on the behalf of the world’s poorest people will certainly present a challenge for the contestants.

“On a night like this,” Cowell said, “it’s going to be about the emotion as well and how you emote the song.

“Reminding people why we’re doing this, in terms of the charities, but not forgetting the fact that it’s still a competition and it’s going to end with who goes home. I just think the stakes are much higher this week.”

And so perhaps, just as “Idol” has perhaps saved network television, the recording industry and musical theater by sending a steady parade of stars to Broadway, so perhaps can it show the way to that other dying medium -- the telethon. Perhaps a healthy dose of Darwinian death match is what these events need. If the Jerry Lewis telethon voted someone off at the end, who would not be more likely to watch that?

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richard.rushfield@latimes.com

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