The whirlwind called Mariah
Get ready for Mariahvision. Mariah Carey, ready to step back into the media spotlight following a highly publicized "rest" period last year, will kick off a round of smallscreen appearances next week to pump up interest in her new album, "Charmbracelet". The singer, last seen in the movie flop "Glitter", will turn up Dec. 3 on the syndicated talk show "Oprah" and that night on NBC's "Dateline". Carey taped "Oprah" last Thursday and spent time with NBC's Matt Lauer last week. Her sit-down with Lauer will air first on "Dateline" and then on the Dec. 10 edition of "Today". Carey will conclude her NBC run on the Dec. 11 edition of "Today", with a live performance from the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
But the media train won't stop there. Carey also will appear on ABC's "The View" Dec. 17. "The View" visit is ironic in that just before her July 2001 meltdown, Carey had agreed to an exclusive sit-down with ABC's Barbara Walters - executive producer of "The View". Then Carey had what was reported as a physical and emotional breakdown, being rushed to a hospital emergency room after her mother called 911. She later was taken to Silver Hill in Connecticut, a rehabilitation facility that specializes in mental illness and addiction.
The illness forced cancelation of an appearance on MTV and a delay in the release of "Glitter". But "Glitter" - both the film and the CD of the same name - bombed and Carey changed record labels. At the time of Carey's troubles, Walters said she would do the interview whenever the singer-actress was ready to speak again. However, brass at her new record label, Island Records, decided to go with Oprah Winfrey's daytime talker as Carey's coming-out party, leaving Walters to wait until she appears on "The View". "They wanted Oprah first," said Carey's spokeswoman. "There was a new label, new decision."
In launching a television campaign, Carey becomes the latest musical artist to turn to the medium to sell a new record. Last summer, Bruce Springsteen, used appearances on "Today", ABC's "Nightline" and MTV to launch his latest, "The Rising". In the first week, he sold more than 525,000 copies. (New York Daily News)
|
