Simon Cowell's Walk of Shame Ceremony: Star Gazing Fakery In Plain Sight

On June 22, 2018, Simon Cowell was announced as one of twelve inductees to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Television.  Although honorees have two years to schedule their ceremony, what a surprise that a mere eight weeks later, Cowell used the opportunity to promote his largesse image, along with the upcoming 15th season of the X-Factor on ITV, set to air in the UK on September 1, 2018.  

After noticing the expedited timeline for Cowell's induction ceremony, it would be an error in judgment to simply correlate the breakneck speed of the event with a marketing scheme to raise broadcast ratings. Especially, since the X-Factor has a British audience, hardly impressed with some American sidewalk installation of an embedded star for a show that in 2015 garnered only 5.95 million viewers during its final show; in 2016 5.5 million; and in 2017 an abysmal 4.4 million. By comparison, X-Factor's head-to-head competitor, Strictly Dancing, brought in nearly 10 million viewers last December.

To show how far Cowell has fallen throughout the years, let's compare these steadily declining numbers with the remarkable headline from December 2010, when One Direction competed in X-Factor's Final Three category.
 

X Factor final peaks at nearly 20 million viewers

• The X Factor surges to record with a 55% audience share

Which now brings us back to last Wednesday, August 22 and Simon Cowell's personal induction ceremony in Los Angeles. It  was no surprise that Cowell made sure that the house was packed with cameras and those kinds of celebrity types who most likely were made the kind of offer they simply could not refuse. From Kelly Clarkson to Adam Lambert to David Foster, and Heidi Klum. All there to effusively shower Cowell with congratulations and extravagant words of praise. No surprise there considering that a once leaked X-Factor contract, which ran for 80 pages, also reportedly stated that the rules were enforceable anywhere "in the world and solar system" and that artists may not be "considered unduly negative, critical or derogatory of the company – – including its personnel and, in particular, Simon Cowell".  That's right.

In particular, Simon Cowell

With that background in mind, two particular notables attended the gathering which stood out not only because of their relationship to Simon Cowell, but because of their association with each other;  Louis Tomlinson, and one of Cowell's longtime friends and collaborators Sony Music Entertainment's CEO, Rob Stringer. The latter's connection dating back over fifteen years to the beginnings of Syco Entertainment in 2002.

Curiously enough though, Rob Stringer, who was ranked in 2018 as No. 5 on Billboard Music's POWER 100 (just a notch below Irving Azoff) did not sit next to the man of the hour, Simon Cowell; the guy who was supposed to be his longtime business associate as well as friend. But, instead was strategically seated right next to Louis Tomlinson. 

Rob Stringer's chair next to Louis, just in case

Brings back murky memories of another curious moment of the two together, just after One Direction's Hiatus from Hell began, and only three weeks after the "birth" of Fraudie (oops! I meant Freddie) "Tomlinson" became tabloid fodder. Because after the photo op below, Louis never attended another high profile music industry event in America that year (or since, for that matter), yet somehow he found the time just a few weeks after his "Daddy Cool" image had been officially unleashed upon the public to pop in for some post-Grammy mingling. Almost like Mr. Stinger, or is it Stringer? (snark) wanted to prove to the world that his hands were clean of any rumored involvement with Louis' current "baby" situation, the continued enforced public separation of Louis and Harry, or the carefully packaged hiatus of One Direction. Surely a prominent ringleader of such shenanigans would not want to be photographed with his most visible closeted victim. Right? I mean who cares that Louis looks like he would rather be gnawing that guy's hand off rather than faking a smile for the camera.

Sony Music Entertainment February 15, 2016 Post-Grammy Reception 

Fast-forward to Cowell's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last week and weirdly enough Simon's close buddy is not seated next to him in rank or status as a fellow music titan. Instead, Robbie-boy is positioned right next to Louis Tomlinson. Optically hinting, like a sledgehammer against a window pane, that they must be best buds and on the best of terms. Right? In other words, no bad blood between those two. At least in front of the cameras that is.  In fact, both Stringer and Cowell seemed overly intent to use this special occasion, with the constant hugs, fake smiles and Stringer's awkward head on Louis' shoulder gesture, to create video and other photographic evidence that they were not only close to Louis Tomlinson, but that Louis "adores" them as well. Put another way, nothing to see here. Those fandom rumors about Louis' career being sabotaged have to be false. Right? So what if Louis still has not released that album he's been talking about for well over a year. Who cares if his twitter account, with nearly 33 million followers, is never used to promote his music. Surely, it means nothing that Louis' amazing "Miss You" record received zero promotion after Cowell so "magnanimously" allowed the song to be sung on his X-Factor show in December, 2017. Just enough effort on Cowell's part to make it seem like he was supportive of Louis' work.

All that "Attaboy, Louis" messaging, obviously designed to distract from what's really going on behind the scenes. Sony/Syco's gaslit business model of appearing to be encouraging, while undermining Louis' career at every opportunity. A steady stream of fake girlfriends, baby stunts, lack of music promotion and industry support, and the creation of a chav persona meant to portray Louis as a reckless and irresponsible guy.  In other words, the possibility of powerful, outside forces actually sandbagging Louis' career is countered with strategic "love fests" to confuse and confound.

According to this carefully orchestrated narrative, signing up to be a judge on Simon Cowell's failed talent show, instead of releasing that long awaited album, seems completely normal. After all what does Louis care about moving forward with his music career when he can take three steps backward and return to where he started when he was 18. In this Kafkaesque world, what a treat for Louis to shelve his musical ambitions to work with  his mentor and "father figure" (blech), who has always been there to guide him. Right?

Oh, and let's not forget that Rob Stringer is the same guy who was announced as the next CEO of Sony Entertainment on October 18, 2016, while he was still the Chairman and CEO of Columbia Records. Coincidentally, Columbia Records was the label Harry Styles just happened to sign with a mere three months earlier on June 23, 2016.  The same record label that since 2012 had brutally closeted Louis and Harry while they were with One Direction. All the while creating an uber-hetero image for Louis from the very start, with a "supermodel" girlfriend that until this day he has been unable to shake.

And, let's not forget this little tidbit of conspiratorial serial coincidences from Billboard, (one of their "credible" sources being Cowell's mouthpiece, The Sun).  Published on August 25, 2015, while One Direction was still touring, the unexpected breakup story was already being planted in the media before 1D's fifth album had even been released in November. Moreover, the statement about Sony's exclusive interest in Harry Styles, appeared only one day after Niall and Louis had announced that the group was taking a temporary hiatus. The obvious intention to plant the seeds for blaming "narcissistic" Harry for the group splitting up. After all, Harry must have been sneaking behind the other boys' back (including Louis') negotiating with Sony all along. How else could an article like this appear only 24-hours after the group's hiatus announcement? With Louis saddled in baby stunt land in 2016, while Harry was rewarded with film stardom in Dunkirk, the stage was set for the dismantling of the formidable Larrie fandom through tried and true divide and conquer tactics. The meme that Harry gets everything and Louis nothing taking hold after years of disappointments and Sony/Syco "Solo Harry" narratives.

 

Sony Wants to Sign Harry Styles to Solo Deal 

 

Following reports of a 2016 hiatus for One Direction (which Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson confirmed with tweets), The Sun reports that Sony is trying to sign Harry Styles to a "mega deal." Sony did not immediately reply to Billboard's request for confirmation.

Niall Horan Says One Direction is 'Not Splitting Up' But Will Take a Break Next Year

The Sun notes that top execs at Sony have made launching Styles' solo career their top priority for 2016. "Harry has always been One Direction’s most popular member and it’s obvious that we want to secure him -- he’s a global superstar," an anonymous Sony insider told The Sun. “Zayn will get to release an album first, as he left the band earlier, but the most excitement is about what Harry is going to do. Everyone wants to know what his solo material will sound like, there’s also a lot of pressure to get it right.”

Over the weekend, a One Direction spokesperson said they won't comment on "speculation." One Direction are currently touring until October. Their fifth studio album is expected in November. 

Although it's tempting to fall prey to the winner-loser narrative that's been expertly crafted for years (as early as 2012-2013), don't be fooled. We are witnessing the spinning cogs of the Music Industry at work. The same corporation that destroyed the likes of Michael Jackson. The same record label under which George Michael was closeted and, when unwilling to play the game anymore, saw his career implode in the 1990s because of ironclad contractual clauses. No coincidence that Harry had the lyrics, "Never Gonna" (R) "Dance Again" (L) tattooed along the ankle bones of his right and left foot sometime in June 2013. 

Sony, the same record label that has continued to aggressively closet Louis and Harry since One Direction's introduction to America in 2012.  Louis saddled with a "girlfriend" and a homophobic public image; Harry allowed to be LGBTQ-friendly, and eventually marketed as sexually open to anything, except Louis, of course. Rob Stringer and Simon Cowell who would love nothing more than to see Louis and Harry go their separate ways because that would be considered a win within their business model of indentured servitude. The same two music industry players who publicly can't seem to keep their grubby hands off of Louis Tomlinson, while covertly working to sabotage him from behind the scenes. 

Despite the challenges, even when times seem the bleakest, remember that the best disinfectant is always sunlight. And, that Larries continue to stan some pretty incredible shining stars who try, as often as they can, to light the way amid the darkness. Don't be fooled or distracted by shiny objects or confused by all the seemingly supportive professional displays of affection. What you are seeing is what Cowell and Stringer want you to see. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Triangles anyone?

                                        "Miss You" music video

Harry next to an upside down triangle 

 Pink Triangle and "Style" graffiti

1D final concert, Sheffield England October 31, 2015

PR narratives can't change this

pic sources:  Zimbio, Miss You music video stills, Daily Mail, Variety, Google Images

playlist: Fireproof - One Direction
              I Knew You Were Waiting for Me - Aretha Franklin &  
              George Michael
              Money - The Beatles