If, as some media people argue, reality is replacing sitcoms as the place for humor on television, there may be no better example of that than VH1’s new spoof series “The (White) Rapper Show.”
The show, which channels “American Idol” by way of Kevin Federline and Vanilla Ice, has become the network’s latest reality-comedy hybrid success, but in a departure from VH1’s most recent hits, it doesn’t focus on celebrity. It allows the outrageous contestants to provide most of the laughs.
“Rapper” has averaged more than 1 million viewers 18-34 through three outings, making it VH1’s No. 2 show last month in that demographic.
The program, which airs Mondays at 10 p.m. after the network’s No. 1 show, “I Love New York,” retained an impressive 84 percent of “New York’s” audience in that demographic last week. It also made the top 25 on basic cable among 18-49s.
“Rapper” and “New York” gave VH1 a huge boost in January, as its primetime average rose 50 percent in 18-34s, from 275,000 in 2006 to 412,000 this year, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Turner Networks. It ranked No. 5 in the demo on basic cable.
VH1 has dabbled in realicomedy with shows like “Hogan Knows Best” and “Flavor of Love,” which tap the outsized personalities of one-time stars like Hulk Hogan and Flavor Flav to find a surreal humor.
Seeing Hogan, who regularly tussled alongside gals in little more than a thong, blanche when he sees his teenage daughter’s skimpy outfit or watching women fight for the attention of the diminutive Flav is oddly fascinating.
But while “Rapper” sticks to the absurd humor, it moves away from the celebrity angle, which is smart because it gives another dimension to VH1’s programming.
The show is actually similar to “Flavor of Love” in format. Ten white amateur rappers, not all of them men, are chosen to live together and compete for a $100,000 music contract.
They square off in rap and musical contests that eliminate one rapper per week. What makes the show amusing, in the way the best silly reality shows are, is that the rappers themselves seem to realize how ridiculous the program is, and they’re willing to play along.
“Almost despite itself, The White Rapper Show has somehow become the most engrossing thing on TV,” writes Village Voice blogger Tom Breihan.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Jan. 28:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, TNT, Spike, A&E
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TBS, TNT, Fox News, A&E
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “Men in Black II” (Saturday, 7:58 p.m.) 2.36 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): USA’s “WWE” (Monday, 10 p.m.) 5.73 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.); Bravo’s “Top Chef” (Wednesday, 10 p.m.); TBS’s “Men in Black II” (Saturday, 7:58 p.m.); USA's "2 Fast 2 Furious" (Sunday, 7 p.m.)
Show on the rise: Spike “Pros vs. Joes” Thursday 10 p.m. The second-season premiere of the reality show averaged 2.4 million total viewers, the network’s third-best premiere ever, and 900,000 men 18-34, best for any cable or broadcast network on the night.
Show on the decline: Versus, “NHL All-Star Game,” Wednesday 8 p.m. Though well above Versus’ season average, the game drew just 691,000 viewers, an all-time low in its first cable appearance.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
2259 |
NICK |
1647 |
|
2 |
TNT |
1589 |
USA |
1070 |
|
3 |
TBSC |
1526 |
TNT |
1003 |
|
4 |
FOXN |
1415 |
NAN * |
996 |
|
5 |
AEN |
1242 |
ADSM* |
902 |
|
6 |
LIF |
1187 |
TBSC |
900 |
|
7 |
TOON |
1054 |
TOON |
839 |
|
8 |
SPK |
1048 |
LIF |
838 |
|
9 |
HIST |
993 |
AEN |
790 |
|
10 |
NAN |
963 |
FOXN |
767 |
|
11 |
FX |
944 |
HIST |
604 |
|
12 |
HGTV |
935 |
HALL |
584 |
|
13 |
HALL |
932 |
DISC |
562 |
|
14 |
DISC |
931 |
ESPN |
558 |
|
15 |
CORT |
924 |
HGTV |
554 |
|
16 |
ESPN |
843 |
SPK |
542 |
|
17 |
AMC |
832 |
CORT |
536 |
|
18 |
CMDY |
823 |
AMC |
531 |
|
19 |
SCIF |
783 |
FX |
529 |
|
20 |
TLC |
773 |
CMDY |
525 |
|
21 |
VH1 |
739 |
TVLD |
508 |
|
22 |
CNN |
736 |
FOOD |
493 |
|
23 |
TVLD |
733 |
CNN |
461 |
|
24 |
ESP2 |
693 |
MTV |
453 |
|
25 |
MTV |
668 |
SCIF |
428 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3742 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3688 |
|
3 |
Monk |
USA |
3529 |
|
4 |
State of the Union 2007 |
FOXN |
3320 |
|
5 |
State of the Union Analysis |
FOXN |
3227 |
|
6 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3062 |
|
7 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3024 |
|
8 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2840 |
|
9 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2822 |
|
10 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2803 |
|
11 |
Men In Black II |
TBSC |
2769 |
|
12 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2637 |
|
13 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2611 |
|
14 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2606 |
|
15 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2601 |
|
16 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2585 |
|
17 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2577 |
|
18 |
St Union/Democratic Repsonse |
FOXN |
2553 |
|
19 |
Psych |
USA |
2505 |
|
20 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
2488 |
|
21 |
Screen Actors Guild Award |
TNT |
2474 |
|
22 |
Jimmy Neutron |
NICK |
2464 |
|
23 |
Ned Declassified |
NICK |
2440 |
|
24 |
Ned Declassified |
NICK |
2429 |
|
25 |
2 Fast 2 Furious |
USA |
2425 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
573 |
ADSM* |
396 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
564 |
NICK |
346 |
|
3 |
TNT |
423 |
TBSC |
344 |
|
4 |
SPK |
397 |
NAN * |
316 |
|
5 |
VH1 |
386 |
USA |
281 |
|
6 |
FX |
385 |
TNT |
280 |
|
7 |
MTV |
368 |
MTV |
243 |
|
8 |
CMDY |
367 |
CMDY |
237 |
|
9 |
AEN |
355 |
AEN |
227 |
|
10 |
DISC |
337 |
ESPN |
218 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1620 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1446 |
|
3 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
1437 |
|
4 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
1246 |
|
5 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1191 |
|
6 |
Pros Vs. Joes |
SPK |
1180 |
|
7 |
The Hills |
MTV |
1179 |
|
8 |
White Rapper Show |
VH1 |
1073 |
|
9 |
Real World XVlll |
MTV |
1032 |
|
10 |
2 Fast 2 Furious |
USA |
1027 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1269 |
TBSC |
669 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
1182 |
USA |
605 |
|
3 |
TNT |
925 |
TNT |
596 |
|
4 |
SPK |
790 |
NICK |
557 |
|
5 |
AEN |
745 |
NAN * |
546 |
|
6 |
DISC |
710 |
ADSM* |
504 |
|
7 |
FX |
706 |
AEN |
480 |
|
8 |
CMDY |
642 |
LIF |
440 |
|
9 |
TLC |
573 |
DISC |
414 |
|
10 |
HIST |
562 |
CMDY |
403 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2967 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2659 |
|
3 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
2361 |
|
4 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
2010 |
|
5 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1933 |
|
6 |
Top Chef |
BRAV |
1930 |
|
7 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1853 |
|
8 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1848 |
|
9 |
2 Fast 2 Furious |
USA |
1789 |
|
10 |
Men In Black |
TBSC |
1772 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1335 |
TNT |
628 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
1128 |
USA |
628 |
|
3 |
TNT |
1006 |
TBSC |
610 |
|
4 |
AEN |
767 |
LIF |
483 |
|
5 |
SPK |
764 |
AEN |
480 |
|
6 |
DISC |
722 |
NAN * |
467 |
|
7 |
HIST |
643 |
NICK |
462 |
|
8 |
LIF |
637 |
DISC |
403 |
|
9 |
FX |
635 |
HIST |
382 |
|
10 |
SCIF |
599 |
SPK |
372 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Jan. 28 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2778 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2482 |
|
3 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
2248 |
|
4 |
Monk |
USA |
2110 |
|
5 |
Top Chef |
BRAV |
1913 |
|
6 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1814 |
|
7 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1796 |
|
8 |
Dirty Jobs |
DISC |
1722 |
|
9 |
Men In Black Il |
TBSC |
1699 |
|
10 |
2 Fast 2 Furious |
USA |
1695 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
