Thursday, July 19, 2012

Emmys 2012: Mark Burnett on 'The Voice's' Noms, 'Idol's' Snub: 'It's a New Era'

The Voice's Christina Aguilera

Im in a very good mood, says uber-producer Mark Burnett, who was awoken hours earlier to a flurry of calls and emails congratulating him on his combined five Emmy nominations, including reality and reality-competition nominations for ABCs Shark Tank and NBCs The Voice.

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If only you knew the amount of people who said to us, Youre crazy making another music competition show. Americas got enough of them and no one is going to watch another one with spinning chairs, he recalls of the general skepticism surrounding The Voicebefore its launch, adding: But my instincts with NBC were that this would work, and I think that it did because this show plays on an idea of making ordinary people feel powerful.

As he sees it, The Voice's recognition marks a new era: For the Academy to have made the only nominee for a music competition show be The Voice was a big statement that says, You guys are fresh, you guys are relevant, and its good programming, explains Burnett, a former Emmys producer who is no stranger to accolades.

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That longer-running rival American Idol, recently rocked by the departure of A-list judges Jennifer Lopez andSteven Tyler, was not among the reality competition nominees did not surprise him: I think things move along, he says, noting that his own Survivor, which didnt receive a best series nomination, falls into the same category. Idol has had lots of nominations, but I feel like theres been a shift. Today is a new era.

Though hes yet to see and celebrate with his A-list cast, which includes Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and host Carson Daly, hes been in contact with all of them over email. Were in such heavy productions that its fun to take a minute and enjoy it, he adds of a series that will add a second installment this fall.

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Whether those bold-faced coaches will return for both the fall and spring editions will come down to scheduling.

These are current touring artists, so its a matter of balancing schedules, he says, remaining strategically coy as he notes that he wouldn't be surprised to see coaches depart for a period of time and then return to the show over the next several years. Theyre all in demand and were just balancing it all.

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose


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