YOU, ME AND DUPRE
As the adage goes, "all publicity is good publicity." Or is it? That remains to be seen in the case of 22 year-old “Kristen,” a.k.a singer Ashley Alexandra Dupre, the suddenly (in)famous call girl to New York governor Eliot Spitzer. Yes, we said singer. Can the downfall of one governor pave the grandiose ascent for an aspiring recording artist?
If Wednesday was any indication, then yes, it can. Must-read internet Rumor Mill “The Drudge Report” pasted Dupre’s press photo-worty pic front and center, as soon as her identity as Spitzer’s “escort” was revealed by the media gumshoes. The link Drudge used was Dupre’s “Myspace Music” page, where the singer had just one not-horrible R&B track called “What We Want” ("I know what you want and you got what I want. I know what you need, can you handle me?") posted on her Myspace jukebox.
Let’s be generous and estimate that “What We Want” got 15-20 plays on Tuesday.
By midnight Wednesday, the song had been played over 1.4 million times.
Which struggling independent artist, pounding the cyber-pavement to build a fanbase via social networking, wouldn’t kill for a day like that? What major label artist wouldn’t welcome that surge of exposure over 24 hours?
Curiously, Dupre’s page was taken down by Thursday. Any guesses as to why? Surely she is not concerned with the avalanche of new Myspace fans and friends and/or potential friends with benefits. Might the reason be that someone in the industry contacted Dupre and convinced her that her new Spitzer-fueled fame would allow for a more “professional” music-career launch in the coming days? Do her confessional blogs have to be erased to create her new musical starlet persona, available soon, in a press release near you?
We've seen it so many times before: anyone that can grab the mainstream public's attention for 15 minutes – sometimes even less -- can emerge from the media feeding frenzy with a record deal. Recall American Idol failure William Hung and his so-bad-it's-good rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" or Paris Hilton's infamous sex tape? Both incidents led to a record deal. (It does still count even if it's only one album, even if it's bad.)
Unlike the Hiltons and the Hungs of the world, however, Dupre is at least moderately talented (ok, fine, multi-talented). And as we learned in this morning’s above-the-fold, front page New York Times piece (more to-die-for -- or at least to-whore for – publicity), the Jersey Shore native has been grinding it out (musically!) in New York clubs since she was 17. Until her unprecedented break. Courtesy of a governor. With a sex addiction.
If Amy Winehouse can wade through her bad girl image even if her stunts eclipse her actual music, can Ashley Dupre make it with her permanently stamped call girl reputation? Sex sells, and sex scandals sell even more (even Monica Lewinsky had a successful albeit brief moment as an entrepreneur and handbag designer).
Many of us musicians whore ourselves from time to time for our craft – though that's supposed to be figurative, not literal. Sleeping around to get on top is nothing new, but if sleeping with reputable governors can equate to record contracts and sales then maybe Spitzer has found his unusual post-Albany career path: A&R rep. He's got the sleazy Hollywood formula down; and as sordid as the music industry is, and proudly so, it’s nothing compared to politics.
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The Altruistic Messiah ~ Ben Vandagriff ~ The CEO of Rock & Roll ! says
The Altruistic Messiah is auditioning a new FLUTIST ~ who can also do backing vocals !