######## X Factor live shows start tonight ######

[PhoenixSoaring]

5.30pm ITV1 (before the rugby) then results at 10pm (after the rugby)

I only watch tv once a year and that is to watch X Factor (I know I am sad, and should get out more...) but who is going to join me in this bundle of weekly fun?

totally agree, wannabe, they were obviously going for the sympathy vote. Get a grip- it's far worse in the real world!!!

I think Louis has been vindictive towards them, never a good word to say. On Saturday he said 'there are better singers than you in the competition' - undoubtedly true, but it is not all about the singing. And unless you are the one BEST singer, than that will be the case for the majority of the contestants.

Louis' attitude towards them has been the final nail in his coffin as far as I am concerned. He never says anything intelligent anyway, it's all cliches 'you look like a star, you sound like star' etc.

And also, SD haven't really moaned about Louis' comments to my knowledge, they've just got on with things!

Rhydian is very professional and is the only one that deserves to win. I can't believe same difference got through .

I've just read that Rhyd and Sarah SD are getting it together - what a lovely couple! Apparently it's their love of God that has brought them together. They seem genuine so I'm happy for them... I know the show is attempting to pull at my heart strings but really felt for her during that song. BTW did anyone else think it was ironic that SarahSD listened to Jo (celeb BB bully)O Meara when she was being bullied at school?

I read that too!!!! Very sweet!

That hadn't occurred to me. What did strike me was that (although I know it is all sob stories designed to make you interested in the 'human interest side') - after the song, Louis continued in his bullying of the two of them, because that is what he is doing. Every week he has said he doesn't see the point of them, they're not the best, they don't deserve to be there - as far as I can see in an effort to get at Simon Cowell. He is a nasty bully, and I hope the general public realise this.

Yes, he's doing it to get at Simon Cowell because SC was so critical last year of the wotsit brothers, oh you know who I mean, they did a toe-curling rendition of Shang-a-Lang. Simon had a point, Louis is just an a*.

I didn't see last years, but I saw a couple of clips, they were shocking weren't they?

Simon I respect, he talks sense, and if he's critical it's for a good reason. Louis is just a nasty man.

nope, still dont think Louis is a bully - they're crap, they're plastic and without the gimics they would be long gone by now. And the fact she was bullied as a child and can now cry about it on camera doesn't change that IMO.

I imagine the producers are rubbing their hands together at all these sob stories - contestant does an emotional bit and ka ching the votes come rolling in.

and the mcDonald brothers made it into the final 4 last year so someone must have been voting for them too.

oh come on, Louis is a bully and a very stupid one at that - I can barely listen to him or Sharon.. however I do think that SD aren't particularly good - just ordinary. Don't think they should drag all these bullying things into it either. Does Rhydian need to rely on any sob stories for votes ?

Agree even Dannii mentioned that Rhydian didnt have a sob story and felt 'disadvantaged' by that in some way.
I just sky+ it and forward thru all the sob story shite, i dont think theres a person alive who's lead a charmed existance with no problems.

I dont care about them all crying it drives me crazy, people should vote for who is gonna make the best of the record contract and become a real star, IMHO the only people in the whole comp to do that would have been crap girl group Hope (yes they were shit but marketable) and Rhydian who is the deserving winner.

I never vote but will for him next weekend

isn't sky+ great? I haven't watched an advert for years .

thing is, none of what Louis has said has been wrong/inaccurate. They have so many gimics, they would be better suited in some holiday camp etc, he's not wrong about that so why is it wrong for him to say it? If after all this they make a career of it they will have a lot worse to contend with IMO because for a lot of people there is an uncomfortable air about this - the whole brother/sister closeness thing just doesn't sit well with a lot of people and they've been compared with the carpenters etc so what Louis has said about them has been tame by comparison.

What's wrong with comparing them to the Carpenters?

Incidentally I don't think they are anything like the carpenters. But I don't have a problem with gimmicks - it's just creating a show. Very few pop singers can actually sing in any case.

yes but most pop singers have 'something' about them that makes them a star/watchable/fanciable etc.

IMHO SD have none of these things, I would be disappointed if they turned up as entertainment at anything I went to. I honestly cant understand why they are in the final unless their parents have a very hefty phonebill.
The Carpenters were classic songwriters who could do what they did without any bells and whistles, there is no comparison there

but even the people who claim that they're "good" on here have said they think they will end up as presenters on children's television - that's hardly in the same league as a £1000000 recording contract is it?

if they win it will be a travisty, but if they do I think they'll make this one single and will then disappear never to be seen/heard of again, they will be the next Steve Brookstein.

I think they are different to Steve Brookstein, in that they are not pretending to be anything other than kids who like singing.

christmosschops - someone said earlier "they've been compared with the carpenters etc so what Louis has said about them has been tame by comparison." - just pointing out that comparing them to the carpenters would be a MASSIVE compliment!

Most pop stars I think are detestable. So it's quite refreshing to find some who actually seem 'nice'. I think there is a gap in the market for a 'kids group' like Steps or S Club 7 - there always has been kids music - I've got a whole record of the stuff from my childhood. Including the wombles.

Hardly any of the winners from these shows actually turn out to be megastars - most sink into oblivion! Most potential megastars will be signed up because of their merit, not because they've won a competition!

Just for fun - thinking through the previous programmes of this type;

Popstars - HearSay - split up, the girls have done alright for themselves, where are the boys?

Pop Idol - Will Young - success
Gareth Gates - temporary success

Fame Academy - David Sneddon - oblivion
Lemar - big success

Popstars the Rivals - Girls Aloud - success
One True voice - oblivion

Pop Idol 2 Michelle McManus - not quite oblivion (in that she went on You are what you eat), but basically oblivion

Fame Academy 2 - Alex Parks - oblivion

X Factor 2 - Shayne Ward - so far success, but not fantastic success

X Factor 3 - Leona Lewis - success so far

Don't forget Louis in the 2nd series 'saved' the Conway caterwaulers sisters over Maria, who was 10 times the singer that they were - because he knew the Conway screechers sisters from before the show. That is the level of his integrity.

and don't forget Liberty x- the 'rejects' when Hear'say won- but they went on to be more successful (and have now split up)

And Lemar did ok- but i can't even remember the name of the lad who won the first Fame academy....

and you forgot G4 eho had phenomenal success for a few years (my mother went to see them about 4 times)

alex parkes disappeared into oblivion because she didn't actually want the success, similarly David Sneddon. Hearsay did have a few years success though which could be said of many other manufactured groups that come and go - you don't have to have won a competition to only have a one hit wonder.

I think a lot of the issue with these talent contests is that the artist is initially plugged hugely by the promoters, ie simco or whatever the company's name is, but once they've done their recording deal they're out on their own and self promotion is extremely hard if you don't actually have the experience/the expertees to do it, which is why a lot of these artists make one album under their recording contract and then disappear because the work isn't being done for them any more and they're left floundering.

I think Alex Parks and David Sneddon may have claimed they didn't want the success my thoughts are otherwise.....

G4 - they did well for a bit, although I have to say I never rated them - Jonathan in G4 was very good, the other 3 not great, and it always really grated that Louis always introduced them by saying 'they were busking on the street....' - er, no they were music students, most music students have busked at some time or another, 'they are totally unique......' - er no, Il Divo is incredibly similar, but superior, and was there first (created and managed by Simon Cowell) - and in fact Jonathan auditioned for Il Divo and didn't get in. was that where the idea for G4 came for?

David Sneddon!! That's right!!! Blimey...

I liked fame Academy, it seemed to encourage musicians , rather than just singers. I would love to see a proper 'band' on x factor, who play instruments and everything...

well not sure about David Sneddon but Alex Parkes def didin't want the fame - she as good as said so throughout the whole series. had no confidence etc, constantly saying how she wasn't good enough/wasn't comfortable with the attention she was getting - should never really have applied in the first place really.

Strange reason to enter that sort of competition...