Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to think these talent shows are now fraudulent

26 replies

pleasemothermay1 · 06/09/2016 22:01

I was watching x factor the other day and saw a lady they named the living doll it terns out she is a Dutch artist who is award winning went on you tube she is really huge there

There were making out like she was some odd ball of the street my thing is its fraud these shows take money off people to vote on acts that are not what the public teenagers are lead to belive

I think it's all well and good but taking money off people to vote on joe blogs when really they are a international artist who have won awards is fraud and should be taken more seriously by the regulatory bodies

OP posts:
Original poster
pleasemothermay1 · 06/09/2016 22:03

My husband was told by one of his clients that

BgotT they scout for the acts all over the world and invite them to audition

I really don't think that that's what most people expect

OP posts:
Original poster
pleasemothermay1 · 06/09/2016 22:05

Even big brother the non cleb one they literally had all been on telly before so it wasn't people who did a on line video and sent it in really

It's really sapped the fun out these shows for me tbh

OP posts:
Itrytoohard · 06/09/2016 22:05

I think most people know now. It's entertaining at the end of the day so people will keep watching.

Redglitter · 06/09/2016 22:06

They've always been like that though. BGT has to be the worst offender
They don't claim that everyone on other is new/just off the street etc so I shouldn't think there would be anything to investigate.

CaptainCrunch · 06/09/2016 22:07

Teenagers don't really watch it, it's mostly pensioners or people with young families who can't get out on a Saturday night, it doesn't matter anyway, the whole thing is a vehicle to sell advertising space, the phone votes and the ultimate winner are totally irrelevant to the producers.

ABloodyDifficultWoman · 06/09/2016 22:07

My husband was told by one of his clients that........

And? That doesn't make it true. It might very well be true - who gives a shiny one? Unless your husband's client was Simon Cowell. Was it?

JaneAustinAllegro · 06/09/2016 22:09

X Factor has always scouted. I think one previous winner (was it Leona Lewis or Alexandra Burke??) had already demo'd with Syco and was placed in the programme by them. UK X Factor have previously taken people straight out of the Irish version of The Voice, and I'm pretty sure that lots of Voice contestants have been in various other competitions around the world (though when the winner is formerly a member of a band that won Popstars The Rivals, it's all a bit pop will eat itself - but they have never pretended it's about novelty). It's absolutely nothing new at all. They approach artist management companies for suitable people and a lot of managers have contracts with singers to say that they'll only represent them if they get through to certain levels of whichever show it is. Inviting them to audition is one thing but telling people they are through the audition and paying their travel to get there is not at all unlikely - remember at that stage there's no public vote so it's within their control. It's why I love it when the great british public get involved and vote winners so off the wall that they'll never make Cowell millions (especially when it's a dog).

JaneAustinAllegro · 06/09/2016 22:15

Captain Crunch - the eventual winner is MASSIVELY important to the producers because the prize is a record deal with another part of their own company! I'm sure that doesn't influence the way they edit people in the programme at all, oh no...
It's Cowell's evil genius - earn money by creating a programme that gives about 15 hours' prime time advertising for your own product which is launched immediately after you've thoroughly market tested every aspect of how that product is presented so that you can make as much money as possible from the product. His market research and advertising are not only paid for, but he makes money on the production. It's absolute win/ win.

alfagirl73 · 06/09/2016 22:17

They always have been set up - all of them.

Whohasnickedmyvodka · 06/09/2016 22:18

My daughter has just auditioned for Britain's got talent with her dance team we don't know yet if they have got through to the tv auditions but i will let you all know

ImperialBlether · 06/09/2016 22:22

My son's friend (studying music at university) was scouted by BGT and guaranteed to get through to the semi finals. He refused.

CaptainCrunch · 06/09/2016 23:12

The winner isn't remotely relevant, it's touted as a £1 million contract but they don't get it in cash, it's all eaten up by studio time, producers, writers, pr and marketing...all on the syco payroll which means the winner is paying syco back for the prize. If the winner becomes successful it's a bonus but totally unnecessary, 75% have sank without trace yet the stupid show rumbles on because it's NOT about the winner and never has been. If it had been it would never have been recomissioned after the first year when Steve brookstein tanked.

AuntJane · 06/09/2016 23:34

I personally know of two people (one singer, one "variety" who have been approached by BGT's scouts and asked to audition; I have seen the letter One of them received. One of the two says many if his friends have been similarly approached and I have no reason to doubt him.

paddlingpool · 06/09/2016 23:48

Ultimately it's a TV production that needs to create a good 'show'. All shows are shows and always have been.

paddlingpool · 06/09/2016 23:50

By 'show' I mean a pretense and therefore slightly false, it's all just part of the story and therefore the entertainment.

TheWitTank · 06/09/2016 23:58

Every "reality" tv show is scripted and planned to an extent. They need to create a show, and that means drama, the odd heartbreaking tale, a love story, sex (depending on the target age) and good looking people/odd looking people with a huge, surprising talent. Of course they scout about. Celeb bb is dreadful for scripting, didn't they get busted rehearsing a scene on the live feed?

Ledkr · 07/09/2016 07:04

My dd has been asked to audition for the voice kids are being spotted singing in a local show.
She can't do it cos she cannot have turned 15 before April and she does but it shows how it's not always applications who get through.
My dil did 3 X factor audition rounds some years ago and still never got to see "the judges"

That1950sMum · 07/09/2016 07:11

I thought everyone knew it was all set up.

Still good teatime telly with the kids though. My children love it!

GinIsIn · 07/09/2016 07:18

They have never hidden the fact that some people are invited to audition though? And it's not illegal? They can invite who they want to audition. And they can put who they want through to the semi finals. Once it is opened to a public vote becomes when they relinquish control as to rig that is indeed illegal.

allthecarbs · 07/09/2016 07:19

I'm sure they employ actors to be the weird ones.

NigellasGuest · 07/09/2016 07:24

Do they also scout for the truly awful/funny ones that have no talent etc?

We saw someone on BGT who had been on snog marry avoid - she was hilarious - dressed like a Japanese person and sung about humpty
Dumpty being killed or some loony thing- I was in stitches

HorridHenrietta2 · 07/09/2016 07:34

They've always been like this, people are more wise to it now though.
They have to make a good to program I suppose and the everyday, reasonably good singers that they'd get would get a bit boring. Have you read Ben Elton's chart throb? It's "fictional" but describes how the audience are easily manipulated to vote a certain way.
I rarely watch and never vote because you're right, there's no real point.
The one thing I HATE about these programs is the people who are clearly shit and are invited into the auditions so that they can be treated rudely and laughed at
I prefer the voice for this reason, they don't do that.

acasualobserver · 07/09/2016 07:42

The winner isn't remotely relevant

What do you mean by "relevant" in this context? JaneAustenAllegro has explained, well I think, why the winner is significant.

Wdigin2this · 07/09/2016 07:53

Well, I don't watch any of them, never have, so can't really comment on the level of authenticity. But I think it would be a little naieve to think that the likes of Siimon Cowell do anything, for any other reason, than to line their pockets!

LunaLoveg00d · 07/09/2016 07:53

If "most people don't expect" that X-Factor and the like are completely staged and controlled by the production team then they must have been living under a rock. The whole thing is fake from the start to finish.

But for some unknown reason the public keep lapping it up.