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Rock veteran Alice Cooper is urging youngsters not to watch reality TV shows, as he fears children will aspire to fame instead of carving out a proper career.

The musician says he can't stand shows that give participants a fleeting moment in the spotlight, and he worries young people are being unduly influenced by the lure of instant fame.

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In a blog for the Huffington Post UK, Cooper writes, "There's one thing that really gets my horned goat in this grand scheme of things. Reality TV! Please, don't get your head turned in an 'Exorcist' style and think it's the way to fame and fortune, kiddies!

"Believe me. I might be a rock star, all glitter, fake blood, make-up and theatrics (with awesome rock anthems of course) but you've no idea the hard graft and craft that's gone into my career.

"The problem is with wanting to be a reality TV star, you're only famous for a little while. You can't live on that fame forever. That's one of the major problems with the whole schtick."

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Cooper even disapproves of TV talent shows such as "American Idol" and "The X Factor," saying they don't give talented artists a fair chance.

He adds, "The only thing I have against 'X Factor' and 'American Idol' and things like that is that they just keep putting out the same person. They keep putting out these cookie-cutters that can go, 'Oh yeah, I can sing Barry Manilow!' Well, how about you write your own song?

"If Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, David Bowie or myself were auditioning for 'American Idol,' we wouldn't get past the first audition, because that's not what they're looking for. They're looking for the next guy that 10 years from now, is going to be a singer on a cruise ship. ... That's really what their career is going to be, because there is no creativity in it."