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ABC’s Reality Chief Talks About ‘Idol’ Plans, Why He Passed on ‘The Voice,’ and the Celebrity He’d Most Like to See on ‘Dancing with the Stars’

May 15, 2017  •  Post A Comment

In a new in-depth interview, ABC reality chief Robert Mills talks about the network’s plans to bring back “American Idol” in 2018 along with insights into the rest of the network’s reality lineup.

In the interview, published in the new edition of The Hollywood Reporter, Mills suggests that one of his biggest mistakes may have been passing on “The Voice,” which went on to be a hit for NBC.

“When ‘The Voice’ was pitched, I didn’t get it,” Mills admits. “I thought the chair thing was a joke — like, you’d hear a voice, think it was Britney Spears, and it would be a 300-pound woman in a Rascal scooter. I thought it was supposed to be mean! You have to really think these pitches through, because maybe your idea of something isn’t what it actually is.”

Asked who the “ultimate get” would be for “Dancing with the Stars,” Mills says the “get of gets” would be Richard Simmons.

Much of the wide-ranging interview focuses on ABC’s acquisition of “Idol.” We encourage readers to click here to go to THR to read the full interview.

4 Comments

  1. Well, I can see why this guy missed out on “The Voice.” If he REALLY thinks the “Get of Gets” for Dancing With the Stars would be Richard Simmons…Good Grief…

  2. Simmons would be a big draw for one episode because everyone thinks he is either dead or fat. But after the first 10 minutes the watchers would return to Netflix.

  3. This guy thinks small. Barbra Streisand would be a big get. Tom Selleck even would be a big get. Sam Elliot/Katherine Ross would be a big get. Tom Brokaw. Robert Redford. Warren Beatty/Annette Benning. Eva Marie Saint. Michel Pfeifer. Sharon Stone. Michael Douglas. Kim Bassinger. David Beckham/Victoria Beckham. Simon Cowell Richard Simmons while entertaining would be a little get. We want to see people who take it seriously and learn from the experience. I am sure you thought Charo was a big get. Huge disappointment. Arguing with the judges is not what the show is about. Think bigger than Richard Simmons.

    • Good job spelling Barbra Streisand’s name correctly … a lot of people get that one wrong. You could stand to brush up a little bit on the five names you did get wrong, but no biggie. It shouldn’t take away from your point, even though some people might respond to your misspellings by thinking it diminishes your credibility … especially when you get both the first and last name wrong, as in the case of “Michel Pfeifer,” an error that’s only slightly compounded by “Michel” generally being a man’s name.

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