...to think that the X Factor is manipulative shite and why the hell do I watch it?!

[mynameismskane]

How could two of the best singers NOT be put through? First Sharon and her stupid decision to let Joe Wheelan go (and put that AWFUL Shelly through instead) and then Louis let Paul - who was one of the best singers ever to grace X Factor's doors - go.

Why the fuck do I watch this shit and get so irate? They don't give a toss about the people who go on there do they?

Arghh!

[mignonette]

It was no coincidence that they have Nichole Appleton as a judge then I hear that an All Saints song was sung at Judges Houses. So transparently cynical. And sleazy too with all this Sinitta back story and oiling all over those young boys in a slutty 'Perve over me' way in that bikini. Would it be appropriate if I did that to my young teenage sons friends?

[mrsjay]

Sinnitta still thinks she is 20 , those young boys are 16 - 20 it was vile,

[mignonette]

It was vile, MRsJay. If that had been a man doing that to the young girls it'd be a different story in the press. She is so sleazy. They looked not that impressed thank goodness and clearly none of them had ever heard of Nicole Appleton either. They looked blank.

Although Nicole Appleton is very very pretty.

[mrsjay]

the people who louis had wasn't relevant to the boys at all maybe him from westlife, I am not sure why sinitta has to be in it anyway ,

[DameFellatioNelson]

The formula for X Factor is so transparent now as to be laughable. I do still get drawn in, but it has lost a lot of its shine for me.

I detest the tragic back stories. Absolutely loathe them. Adopted? Granny in a wheelchair? Childhood in care? Blind, deaf, one legged little brother? Where there ten of you crammed into a shoebox in the middle of the road sharing one cardigan between six for bedclothes? Great. You're in.

I detest the sending home of great people only to bring them back in again, when it suddenly turns out that some other contestant is fired for some past scandal or misdemeanor that the production team claim to have had no former knowledge of, but conveniently for them it fills the papers for the next two weeks.

I maintain that they pretty much know even before the initial audition stage who they want to win, at least down to a top three, and they do everything they can to manoeuvre those people into pole position, pitting them against vastly inferior people who may give them a bit of a run for their money for a while, but not enough to rock the boat in the end.

I say 'before initial audition) because I firmly believe that most of the really good ones are not just random hopefuls who turned up on the bus with their sandwiches in a tupperware thing. They've been scouted, groomed, the researchers have been working closely with their stage school or whatever, for years and when they finally make it onto our screens it's because it's been by prior appointment, sometimes years in the making.

Often the people who get sent home early are sent home precisely because they are so good. They don't want anyone messing up their plan and getting more public votes than their ear-marked potential top three. It doesn't mean they aren't good - they just don't fit the brief for this year.

And the rest are just filler. A couple of useless people with novelty appeal, a few plucky underdogs, (I've been doing this for 25 years and you are my last chance) some people who have huge potential as rock musicians (I suspect this is compromising my artistic integrity but I'm prepared to give it a bash in the hope of some higher paying gigs for my band) but are totally wrong for the X Factor format, etc.

Sometimes they send someone home because in spite of being amazing, they just don't want another young, black female RnB singer (or boy band or whatever) because they've had two of those winners on the trot and they want to keep it fresh. And maybe Simon Cowell's record company is currently putting money and effort into another artist who is too similar. The fact that that person might turn out to be who the public like best is too risky so they ditch them before it can get out of hand.

They absolutely control it all from the beginning. We are idiots if we think we ever hold much sway in any of it. It has gone spectacularly wrong for them in the past, and their have been winners they never anticipated. So each series has become markedly more manipulated and controlled to avoid that happening again.

[mignonette]

I think she is turning into a bit of a Glenn Close Fatal Attraction figure for Simon Cowell. Keeping her onside is the only way of preventing her from destroying him in print I think. The tales she could tell.

All the song choices were wrong. Old, dated, innapropriate for their range and pitches. Then telling contestants that they weren't 'versatile' because they tended to sing in a particular style is like saying to Guns N Roses that because they do not do pop/RnB/Soul, they have limited appeal. Acts like Beyonce, Rihanna, Blondie, The Clash, The Stones- do any of them cover more than one or two musical styles? Ridiculous!

[mignonette]

Dame You have it in a nutshell.

People are scouted for audition now.

Not getting to judges house because of 'Visa' issues- a bullshit reason that could have easily been sorted out. ie choosing a different country for Judges houses.

The fact that the auditionees have to run the gauntlet of several audition panels before seeing THE judges so no excuse for putting through mentally ill people other than to provide Bedlam inspired public amusement.

All this nonsense about 'projection' and 'engagement' with the audience. Some of our greatest singers go into their own little bubble and engage very little w/ the audience. Others just sit there and sing. Joni Mitchell anyone? Lou Reed? The best you'll get from Lou is a menacing stare having seen him eleven times. Rebecca Ferguson's audition had her staring at the ground and singing and it made the hairs on my neck stand because she sang from deep inside of herself and stepped away from the audience. But of course that had to be changed.

[FavoriteThings]

Trouble is, many many people, millions, are not remotely fussed about any of the above. And I think Mr Cowell and co know that. And they are the people that is their real target audience. It is all very clever stuff.

[forehead]

Dame - excellent post. I totally agree with everything that you have said. I have already decided not to watch X Factor . I think i will stick with Strictly, which is good old fashioned family entertainment

[Scholes34]

Bit unfair that those who didn't get through had to make their own way home from the airport, along with all their family, whilst those who did get through got a taxi all the way home.

[mignonette]

I am still really troubled by some of the distress I saw on this show. The family invests so much and the process takes a long time. When you think that they may have waited six months or so to find out with all the weight of expectation from their families, the tears and 'over reactions' are more understandable.

[FavoriteThings]

I am surprised he hasnt been sued tbh. Sued for what I am not quite sure. But sued!

[FavoriteThings]

The point where I gave up watching was when someone in the final 12 complained that she or he was made to change their song choice for some reason last minute. So they hadnt had time to prepare properly, coupled with the fact that their mentor "for some reason" wasnt available for most of the week. Had to be abroad or something. Had an epihany moment, and realised how manipulated the whole shebang is, right the way through from the audition process to the finals.
And in the last few years, it has been seen to be manipulated even before that.

[Writerwannabe83]

I wonder if they will have the Wildcard option this year.....

My guess is Paul and Melanie will be in the group we can select from...

I'm actually surprised Nicole didn't put Melanie through - I thought she was far better than that other piano playing girl?!

I know it it is crap TV but for some reason I can't help myself.....

[Tiredemma]

The crying last night was just ridiculous.

[ShakeAndVac]

I gave up watching a couple of years ago for the exact same reason you're describing, OP.
Have not missed it ONE bit. It had just turned into a joke, and I got so fed up of Louis putting through joke acts or terrible singers at the expense of really good ones, that I just couldn't watch any more.
Much more interesting things to watch than X Factor!

[mrsjay]

My dds friend auditioned for x factor a few years ago he is a good singer handsome lad they do pre audition auditions and he didnt make it through to judges so the Queues we see on the telly is actually the Queues for the pre audition

[mrsjay]

Talking of sueing that scottish girls granny was in the scottish papers ranting about simon cowell how cruel they were to her wee jade and yet wee jade auditioned again

[mignonette]

I think if Jade was sent through to Judges Houses because seeing her rejected yet again would make 'good TV' in the eyes of the producers (Cowell) then it could be described as cruel. If they never had any intention of putting her through then it is cruel and crude.

[mynameismskane]

How the fuck could they keep Shelly this week?! What's the agenda?!
34 - my fucking arse.

[fridayfridayfriday]

Man I an done with xshitter


probably kept shelley as there would be too many blacks. Don't put anything past them. 34 my arse. She's about 53 on a good day.

[LayMizzRarb]

If Marks and Sparks had a list of Christmas items, and you had to text in (50p from your text going into the chairmans pocket) which items you wanted them to stock; and then you had to pay for said items you would say they were bonkers.
X factor : paying Simon Cowell to tell him which artist you want to pay to go and see in concert and whose cd you will buy.

Madness. (Haven't watched it in 5 years)