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Original poster

x factor!!!!!!!!!!!!!...............the flumps.....................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

45 replies

softballwidow · 22/09/2007 19:55

did anyone see the x-factor?? it was a tad cruel, but a rather large (deluded) family were on it, and when they were introduced they played the theme tune to THE FLUMPS!!! pmsl!

(but dh made me feel and mean and said Simon was really cruel...)

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Cappuccino · 22/09/2007 19:57

I thought the music was mean and offensive

but Simon was fair; felt really sorry for the girl she had no chance in life her family were insane

nothing at all to do with their size they were just mad. Whose dad makes you a dress like that?

Original poster
softballwidow · 22/09/2007 19:58

so i feel bad now...

but then a girl came on who thouhgt she was madonna- was DREADFUL... all the judges were ptsl and simon told them to leave...she said she was a trainee jockey (and she was HUGE)

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unknownrebelbang · 22/09/2007 20:00

I KNEW there'd be a thread on this.

I didn't think Simon was really cruel, just honest.

Why would you put your daughter through that??

Original poster
softballwidow · 22/09/2007 20:00

the dress was terrible, and i think it was really wrong of him to pick on the dress, her parents were odd, and will keep telling her she can sing...

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Flamesparrow · 22/09/2007 20:02

The music was cruel - the dress WAS terrible, but not the point so didn't really need the comments.

I hated the way they were with the jockey woman

Original poster
softballwidow · 22/09/2007 20:04

there have been more than usual this year where the parents have really built up the kids hopes. I really do think lowering the age was a mistake, and you can see Simon doesn't agree with puting such young kids through...

and I do feel guilty about laughing at the Flumps thing [contrite emotion]....

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DirtyGertiefromnumber30 · 22/09/2007 20:04

i thought sharon was particularly cruel to the jockey woman because her laugh sounded fake and nasty

mazzystar · 22/09/2007 20:07

girl didn't even want to be there. parents were the cruel ones

jockey woman didn't seem particularly bothered though

unknownrebelbang · 22/09/2007 20:07

Simon wanted the age limit lowered.

Original poster
softballwidow · 22/09/2007 20:12

it just seems pointless when they are always going to say they are too young... personallly i haven't got the guts to do what these people do - and i agree the girls family were the one who wanted her there (mother was in the choir etc..). It just serves to embarrass her further when they all march in to confront simon

but did you see sharon walk into the door when she'd been laughing at the jockey woman??... evil

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UKMum2Boys · 22/09/2007 21:36

Personally, I think they need to go on the next series of " Honey, we are killing the kids " !

How many calories do they eat per day ?

How much exercise ?

What is their childs life expectancy ? !

I think we are going to be seeing alot more mockery made of this family on TV.

I actually felt angry towards the parents and pity for the kids

anniebear · 23/09/2007 11:03

I felt so sorry for that girl

one loook at her family and she doesnt stand a chance does she

LIZS · 23/09/2007 11:08

I found it uncomfortable to watch tbh. It was so obviously set up for her to be put down by the judges. Apparently the producers preselect who goes before the judges, so falsely raising the hopes of the sadly deluded and making them into something to be ridiculed. The fact this passes for entertainment does not say much for discernment of the viewers.

wheresthehamster · 23/09/2007 11:14

After reading 'Chart Throb' by Ben Elton (a ficticious X-Factor) the programme comes across as so phoney that you know as soon as Fearne is pre-interviewing someone they are going to be set up for a major fall.

For example that woman last week who had been having singing lessons for two years specifically to come on the show and they got her singing teacher to come in to the audition. That was just horrible

MummyPenguin · 23/09/2007 16:14

Sharon is fake and nasty though. They behaved very unproffesionally with the jockey woman, although I had to smirk when one of the judges said "what, disc jockey"? I mean, she didn't look like a (horse) jockey did she?

I was thinking about the girl in the dress earlier and thought, God, imagine when she goes back to college or work or whatever she does, the embarrasment of being ridiculed on TV like that. Total humiliation, but then again they did put themselves through it. The producers shouldn't set people like that up to be publicly humiliated though.

Original poster
softballwidow · 23/09/2007 16:41

i agree, it was totally set up- none of the other conestants got a shot of them arriving, complete with back ground music...
I'm not sure, but i don't remember the first couple of series being quite so staged...but then i don't usually watch the auditions. At some points, it has seemed like the really awful moments are completely set up, with fake contestants. And with all the other admissions of 'fake' programmes' around at the moment, it wouldn't surprise me.

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Original poster
softballwidow · 23/09/2007 16:42

maybe i should read 'chart throb' - is it any good?

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Original poster
softballwidow · 23/09/2007 16:44

and i do hope the girl in the dress has some good, sincere, friends , as she will need them after saturday night

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wheresthehamster · 23/09/2007 18:07

You MUST read Chart Throb, especially while X-Factor is still on. The Louis Walsh character is cruelly portrayed as a hopeless wannabe and put down constantly by the Simon Cowell character. 'Sharon' is an ex-man but is 'mum' to a mis-fit family in LA who have their own fly-on-the-wall documentary series.

The contestants are secretly put into categories from their original application forms as Mingers, Blingers or Clingers and all treated as fair-game (abominably!)

I don't know how much is based on fact but you end up thinking it all is!

tortoiseSHELL · 23/09/2007 18:26

I just don't know why people do it! That family did make me feel incredibly uncomfortable.

The boy they let through on his 2nd go - I was a bit sad they did, as his voice clearly hasn't settled after changing yet (in fact I don't think it has fully changed - part of my work is working with boy choristers). It could be a nightmare for him if it carries on changing through the contest, and singing while your voice changes, whilst possible, has to be very very carefully managed to avoid any damage. I hope he has some decent tuition.

Flamesparrow · 23/09/2007 18:36

I usually like the auditions round, but this series seems to have been particularly cruel.

I keep meaning to read chart throb, might try the library because I don't really want to spend money on it, but would enjoy it the once (I LOVED the big brother one)

LIZS · 23/09/2007 20:11

I ahve misgivings about them havign lowered the age. Partly for the reason you point out tortoiseshell and partly becasue I seriously doubt many, if any, of the under 16's will get through bootcamp and hack the pressure beyond. Why allow them to try , rasie ther hopes only to fail ? So few under 18's have got anywhere near the finals before so it does n't seem to make much sense, apart from the fact that SC gets the opportunity to cherrypick future talent on the back of it

Flamesparrow · 23/09/2007 20:14

I hate the lowered age.

If they have a career as a singer ahead of them, then they will still have it when they are an adult. Children should stay children. Why would you LET your 14 yr old enter?!

MummyPenguin · 24/09/2007 11:38

I'm divided on the lowered age. My DD is 11 and has a good singing voice. If she wanted to enter X Factor at 14, I don't think I'd stand in her way, although I'd have some misgivings, but I wouldn't want her to resent me for not letting her try. But say if she got really far, like to the final 12 and the live shows, what would worry me then would be what about school? You know? How's that going to work out with a 14 YO?

AnguaVonUberwald · 24/09/2007 11:47

One of the things that really got to me was a teacher got through the auditions and they had cameras in her primary school class (very young kids) filming her go back and saying she was through and the kids were going mad with joy.

What kind of message does this send out to the kids about what makes you happy and what sucess is?

Thought that was really bad.