X-pect the un-X-pected, and that's just the judges! (The X Factor)

Member Name: angusreid

Product:	The X Factor
Date:	24/10/05 (304 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very entertaining

Disadvantages: unfair rating system

Is this the real life, is it just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality TV…

Last time round we heard these notes being belted out by the real winners, although second placed G-string or G4, whatever they call themselves.

Anyhow, for those who do not know what X Factor is, you are a party animal and need to stay in Saturday nights or be sober enough Sunday to watch the re-runs.

X factor is a talent show and I use the word talent with tongue in cheek. Thousands upon thousands of hopefuls try to make a handful of half decent contestant who then try to make a dozen finalists who then try to win!

This year has been unsurprisingly crap, with maybe 5 good acts and 2 very good singers to emerge. Anyway, what happens is you turn up at a big football stadium and sing without music for 30-60 seconds and sometimes get to sing two songs if you are borderline good. If you can not sing at all, you still get to make an absolute arse of yourself in front of millions of wetting themselves TV viewers who are creasing themselves listening to you tell Simon Cowell (god) that everyone you know tells you that you are the next Robbie Williams or Kylie. Its not just kids though, X factor goes up to any age and you get grannies trying and failing to impress. (Who could forget, “Lofty’s going away!”)

Basically, the trials at the very start are the most entertaining and funniest by far, the “boot camp” where the second round takes place, is more emotional and less inspiring TV, but adds to the familiarisation that you succumb to and the favourites start to emerge?

Now the judges who get to choose these people are what make the show interesting and sadly, this year, bitter. Sharon Osborne, the girl who never throws in the towel but always throws up her dinner, places third fiddle to the ego battles of Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell. Sharon has the over 25’s this year, (she had the under 25’s last time.) and is solely responsible for the entire population having to listen to Chico. (What time is it?) For those that do not watch the show, Chico is a cross between a naughty Italian waiter and a failed children’s entertainer. He does make me smile though, as it gives me hope that I may not have any talent, but I know I am not alone.

Her other acts include Andy Abraham, a bin man by day and a soul singer by night, one of the favourites to win. I find him a good singer, but think he is cruise liner or holiday camp class and I doubt I would buy his records. Maria is a different matter though, has confidence and the looks of a competent singer and she may well go far in her career, needs to find a unique style to win the voters over, or she may have to settle for runner up in this competition. Brenda was having a dirty weekend at a hotel in Northern Ireland when X Factor were auditioning and she cheekily impressed the judges and made it through by sheer work and determination. She has lost a lot of weight and looks good for it, but will need to find something X-tra to make the top 2.

Louis had the kids, the under 25’s and I thought the weakest group, but since boot camp his picks have developed well and rose to the challenge. Although young Chenai should be the next one out as she just does not have the class to play with the big boys here. Nicholas is the next weakest but only from the choice of songs he keeps singing. Shayne is brilliant and should win this hands down unless a disaster strikes, and I am not sure if Phillip is up to the challenge either.

Simon has to pull a big rabbit from a small hat as two of his groups have gone already, The Conway sisters are dire and really need to be imploded with life, whereas Journey South are very good but also a bit middle of the road, so I feel Simon is on to a loser this year.

Now the reason X Factor has lost a bit of its shine in my opinion, is that it is now a vendetta for the judges rather than a talent spotting outing. Sharon is caught in the middle of a juvenile feud between the two egos, Simon and Louis. They spend more time trying to get one up on each other, that it is killing the singing and I just want to hear the arguments and put downs rather than watch the show. Louis got Simon good and hard Saturday by asking him to name the group 4tune from left to right, and Simon could not even attempt it. Right or wrong, it did show that dedication by Simon is not there and that this may play a great part in determining the eventual winner of the show. It did not help 4tune this time round.


The way to keep people in the show is to text your vote or phone in, which is okay but if someone comes from a specific area such as Ireland or Scotland, chances are they will get more votes out of loyalty rather than talent so it is not really a true reflection on how good or popular they are. The only fair way would be for a neutral panel of judges to rate them, such as 4 established artists or the likes, that would determine how they see talent rather than how the public view sympathetically.

Anyway, I long to hear the judges argue every Saturday Night, and then watch the Xtra factor to see what happens afterwards and on Wednesday night you get to see X Factor 24/7 which is a “how they are doing this week!” insight, not that I sit and watch these religiously, I tape them on my digi-box and watch them when I have the time.

What time is it?

Time Chico was voted out!

Summary: Vote with your head and not your heart!