Abstract
A new celebrity identity has been created in and by the media in Indonesia in the twenty-first century: the Idola who have come to fame on reality television shows, particularly talent quests such as Indonesian Idol, AFI, and KDI. Of these, Indonesian Idol is often regarded by fans and viewers as 'the original and the best', and has been identified by producers and advertisers as one of the most popular reality show imports in Indonesia to date. This article examines different frameworks for approaching the fame, fortune, and fantasi of Indonesian Idol, and considers issues of cultural imperialism, globalization, audience interactivity, and 'glocalization'. The programme is a rich source for exploring issues of celebrity production and consumption in Indonesia today, and for examining the notion of the 'active, interactive audience' within a context of globalization and increasing commercialisation of cultural products and practices. What emerges from this study is that not only is there a new celebrity in Indonesia, but also a new fan, forcing us to reconsider traditional notions of the celebrity-fan relationship in Indonesia and beyond.