to think X Factor exploitation and humiliation has reached a new low

[Servalan]

So tonight on the X Factor there was a woman in her 50s humiliating herself - likening herself to Madonna and murdering a Lady Gaga song

OK, fair dos, she's put herself up for it, anyone entering the competition could be setting themselves up for ridicule - it's been the format of the audition shows from day one.

That aside, I am horrified at the decision by whatever producer was responsible to film her 2 teenage children in the wings and to make entertainment out of their crippling mortification. The woman's daughter looked like she was about to burst into tears.

I would bet anything that they are going to be getting a shit time at school next week - and who knows for how long :(. I think the show has crossed a line here and there is absolutely no justification for humiliating children for the sake of entertainment

Op I totally agree. I turned it off after that, was awful watching those children's humiliation. At least Tulisa tried to soften things by saying the children had no need to be embarrassed though I fear she just confirmed they did.

It's been crap and formulaic for a long time now, can't watch it in the death throes.

Reading this, I actually am not surprised Wilson, at all. I made my decision that it was a load of shite using vulnerable people years ago, and haven't tuned in since.

Just because children are took along, does not make it ok for the producers to use them too. So just because the mother doesn't mind humiliating herself, the children must be fair game?

They are kids. They should not be used in this way to boost their ratings. Sickening.

So you are commenting on something you didn't even watch?

My first comment was about people moaning about it, yet continuing to watch. Then my second was in reply to what you posted. I know how it works. I have family who watch it(and who I have expressed my thoughts to), I read about it, it does not take a genius to figure out that the children being filmed and aired on tv was out of order. They used innocent children to boost their ratings. Are you saying that is ok?

I think the mother is at fault. She took them there, so if anyone exploited them she did. And, TBH, there will be a lot of children at the school who would know she was their mum, even if they hadn't have been shown on screen, so they would still have been in for a hard time.

I wouldn't have done that to my DC if I were her.

So just because the mother's let her kids down, they are fair game to be exploited by others?

I hope not.

I'm saying a deluded woman took her kids out of school for a day and trotted them down to the X factor for reasons unbeknown to me, and no, that wasn't ok. But it was her choice. She didn't seem vulnerable btw, simply deluded.

I feel sorry for the kids, of course I do, but they shouldn't have been there in the first place.

The X Factor continues to be popular because SO MANY PEOPLE WATCH IT that this is big money for advertisers.

I agree with you, OP, and you could try switching off next time it's on.

Personally this show was responsible for me throwing my TV away 2 years ago. We haven't regretted it even once.

I didn't want Simon Cowell informing my DCs view of the world. Public entertainment by way of ritual humiliation is not my idea of a good society in which to live.

Exactly linerunner. Just because the mother did it, doesn't make it right. I really wish people would stop watching many vulnerable adults and children being humiliated. Makes me sad to think many get a laugh and a kick out of it.

Actually, I think that because a parent is so deluded is precisely why the producers owe those kids a duty of care. One was only 14 ffs.

What about the childrens choice though? They will likely be ridiculed and the subject of many conversations at school now. They didn't ask for that. They probably prayed their mother wouldn't make it onto the tv.

At 14 (and now at 16) my dd would have just left me there. No way would she stand to be filmed whilst I made a twat of myself

Perhaps other children are different.

The thing is, you're doomed if you do and you're doomed if you don't.

Many on here have said they wouldn't leave their children overnight at home, or for long periods of time till 16. What if this mother had to travel and stay overnight? She would of been ridiculed for leaving them home alone.

Just because she was deluded to think she was any good, and took her children along, maybe for reasons unbeknown, does not give the producers the right to take advantage of the situation.

Oooooo...I clutched my babies tight, smoothed their heads and reassured them I would never do that to them......

those poor poor children....

I can kind of see what motivation the mother might have had...some attempt to demonstrate that you should be who you want to be/try anything/ dont bow down to what others think/ridicules etc etc etc BUT...does she not know her own kids????? Some 16year olds/ 14 year olds could have worn that well...not those kids. They were devastated

kabooom she knew she was awful..

yy to producers needing to take responsibility. Ultimately.

Otherwise it's just exploiting the vulnerable.

Well I suppose that is where I can't comment, seeming how I haven't watched it.

But I do think the producers should be ashamed, along with everyone who works for the like of the X Factor. I wish people would stop watching it. I would prefer to watch an old DVD than that trash.

its really lovely to watch the good singers...but you're right, even if it was just all the good ones...its too exploitative

I won't be watching it again anyway.

The only way you can change it is by switching off. Or complain to OFCOM. The more complaints, the more likely they are to investigate.

I work in telly & the threat of that and a dip in ratings are the only things that freak us out.

I was just about to say the same thing ifancyashandy.

I can't believe how many people are on here saying how awful it was, yet they carried on watching and will continue to do so.

We don't watch it. We saw some when DS was younger and he wanted to, but even he thinks it's awful now.

If you feel that strongly about it, don't watch it!

My problem is that there are audutions before you reach the celeb judges. When the producers at the first auditions let the bad/funny acts through that gives them a false sense of 'I must be really good' only to verbally get the shit kicked out of them at the filmed auditions. I think thats terrible. Some people you see getting humiliated up there appear to have some form of learning difficulties and they're getting told they're rubbish singers when they got through the first auditions.

I also caught Mel B being horrible to an 82 year old man last week. Fair enough he wasn't the best singer but at 82 years old to get up and sing in front of an audience and on television shows a hell of a lot of guts. Just so rude. She isn't exactly known for her amazing vocal skills either.

Small minded post there mosschops. Feel sorry for you. Perhas take motice bullying can have devestating serious consequences all over the world. I hope you have learned a lesson.

I refuse to watch it, I try to refuse to have it on in the house but ds1 tries to sneak a look when I am out of the room. He is only 9 and still learning, and I can forgive him for being interested in it - he prefers the good singers though, I think he likes to think how it would feel to get famous etc etc.
He doesn't really absorb the exploitatative stuff, and I've told him how cruel and fake it is.
I have a friend who watches it all the time with his children, as a family ritual and it's something that really puts me off him as a person.
I put it in a similar category as You've Been Framed.
Mindless, manipulative shite.