X Factor (not the comic, the new ITV Pop Idol thing)

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Simon Cowell to a cheery Christian wanting to bring love and joy to the world: "Okay, okay, I'll try to find something positive to say. I hated it - in a happy kind of way."

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 12 September 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Apparently Cowell and Fuller are going to court over the format being too close to Pop Idol for Fuller's liking. Could be the most interesting thing about it!

― ___ (___), Sunday, 12 September 2004 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

trial of the century!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 12 September 2004 18:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I assumed it was part of the Pop Idol franchise - it's just about identical, and has the two judges worth keeping from that.

SC again: "You've just put through a 60 year old who dresses like a fairy!"

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 12 September 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw some girl pleading yesterday. It was depressing.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 12 September 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

You should probably let her out of your cellar, Alba.

― Wooden (Wooden), Sunday, 12 September 2004 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Simon says it's not time.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 12 September 2004 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"Louie, you can't DO THIS!!"

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 13 September 2004 09:05 (twenty-one years ago)

that thing with louie and the girl was horrible. i can't believe things like that is shown on tv.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 13 September 2004 09:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah that was pretty rough! I absolutely loved the guy that was dressed up like John Travolta, how red was his face??

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Monday, 13 September 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

it makes me almost sad that I have to go here looking for my saturday evening poignancy but poignancy it gives, especially in the 'between rich people' relationship of simon and sharon and in the auditions of the elderly.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:09 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, I cried a bit tonight, at this.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I felt well sorry for that newlywed girl who they told to loose weight. I thought she was pretty.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Rowetta!!!

― Madchen (Madchen), Saturday, 25 September 2004 18:14 (twenty-one years ago)

"Rowetta...just Shaun without a penis" (Bez)

― Madchen (Madchen), Saturday, 25 September 2004 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

four weeks pass...

Tonight was the first public vote, and the act that I thought was much the best and gave an absolutely storming performance tonight (best I've seen in any of these shows, possibly), apart from their lame name which may be Voices With Soul, were one of the bottom two, so had to perform again and the judges had to choose who to throw out. Given that this group were in Louis's team, and the other singer was Sharon's, that left it up to Simon, who at least made the right choice.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 23 October 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I voted for G4, they're brilliant. I am going off Rowetta a bit.

Tabby is appalling and must go.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 23 October 2004 20:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I went to the same school as one of the members of G4 - we were both in the school band.

(also, Verity lives in the same village as me)

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 23 October 2004 21:05 (twenty-one years ago)

What was he like at school?

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 23 October 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Steve is rubbish. Rowetta or G4 will win.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 23 October 2004 23:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know, do other people like G4?

― Cathy (Cathy), Sunday, 24 October 2004 03:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like them, no - I think they are good at it, but I suspect that theirs is a novelty appeal that will fade as the weeks go on.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 24 October 2004 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

It isn't fading for me yet. But I'm not sure what they would be like if not doing covers.

― Cathy (Cathy), Sunday, 24 October 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Hasn't Cowell got his own opera boyband sideproject though? I doubt he'll be best pleased if they have rivals. I'm guessing he's voting them off at the first opportunity.

― Chairman ROFLMAO (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 24 October 2004 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like any of them.

tabby to go, quickest.

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 24 October 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I don't like any of them either, but then I never do on these things. It's like watching sausages being made - very nice end product, but I don't want to see the shit they started out as.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Sunday, 24 October 2004 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

everyone on this program is so defensive and louis walsh is insufferable.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 24 October 2004 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

What was he like at school

I didn't really know him very well, aside from sitting opposite him in the school band. He was two years below me, and played some kind of tuba-like instrument. The main reason I knew of him (and realised it was him on the telly) is that our fathers work together.

(he was the one on the far left when they were performing yesterday)

― caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 24 October 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Kate Thornton introduced 'Without You' by saying "Originally recorded by Harry Nilsson but made famous by Mariah Carey..." - Nilsson's version was #1 for five weeks, Mariah Carey's for four. Rotten song to choose for a petite girl, but she carried it off very well. Rowetta was excellent too, predictably. 2 To Go - awful name, dull performance. Verity improved but uninteresting. G4 absurd - very wrong song. Tabby obviously must go, though I did like last week when they claimed that a '70s style performance on a '60s song was very 2004. Steve improved, and more or less my kind of thing. Voices With Soul were disappointing, I thought, but still good. They should be safe, along with Cassie and Rowetta - any of the other five could be down at the bottom. Maybe G4's novelty will wear off, plus Verity? (I have a very bad prediction record on these things, I should add.)

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 30 October 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I was disappointed with G4 this week. It was a totally ridiculous song to pick, and I didn't like how they'd been dressed all casual (what's wrong with letting them wear suits?).

Tabby is so bad, I can't believe he's still in it. He does not rock, at all.

Steve IS Michael Bolton, which is really not my sort of thing at all, but I did think it was bad of Sharon to say that he wasn't black so why try to pretend he "has soul".

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 30 October 2004 18:40 (twenty-one years ago)

That bit with Tabby and the little kids wqas just bizzare. Two 2 Go Should live up to their name soon. They're truly abhorrent.

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 30 October 2004 18:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I love the idea of Tabby rehearsing the "Thank you little man!"

I don't think Two 2 Go are any good either, they make everything sound so Disney. But it's just nice to see such good friends.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 30 October 2004 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't think Steve was anything like as objectionable as Michael Bolton. And I maintain there were some truly GREAT white soul figures - Sharon's objection was drivel.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 30 October 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

G4's song choice was, indeed, ridiculous.

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 30 October 2004 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I still voted for G4, to keep them in. They seem clever and nice and genuinely creative, and I want to see more of them.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 30 October 2004 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Missed the first show, just caught up with it on ITV2 and the first bit of the highlights show. Sharon Osborne exposed as ridiculous racist shockah! And also on ITV2 - SO"I don't think any of us are trying to play up the sympathy angle. SC"So you won't mention again how Cassie's "only 17"?" SO" I don't think that's got anything to do with it, she's very brave and the audience should recognise that." (The cameras panned off after the first SO bit and you had to listen hard.)

Anyway:

Should be in the bottom two - Tabby and 2ToGo
Will be - Verity and Voices With Soul

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 30 October 2004 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

What Sharon said wasn't racist, it was just stupid.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 30 October 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I think associating traits with a racial type is intrinsically racist - whether flattering or not. Racism, by it's nature, cannot just mean objectionable things. If I say all black me are well-endowed, am I being racist or not?

Anyway, back to the show.

Verity went, perhaps unsurprisingly, despite it probably being her best performance yet.

What was going on with Rowetta after she found out the ranking? (She seems to think they're read out as ranked, and I don't think she wanted the choir and is blaming it for her not coming first?)
What about between Siman and Sharon at the final decision? And the cries from the audience for her to "be honest"?

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 30 October 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Verity gone! The local paper will be very distraught - now they'll have to rely on G4 for the "local hero" angle.

(will let you know if I bump into her down the co-op or anything)

― caitlin (caitlin), Saturday, 30 October 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

What exactly is the Simon/Verity 'thing' Rowetta has just hinted at? (fwiw I've seen it since probably the second audition - with maybe hints of it in the very first one - but thought I was imagining things, particularly since Simon's g/f is on X-tra Factor...)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 30 October 2004 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Simon likes her, and was moved by the story of how her husband would never let her pursue a singing career, but now she's divorced and it's her last chance.

I really don't think there is anything sexual between them.

What did Rowetta say, exactly?

I disagree with you about racism, but I'm sure there are plenty of other threads about that.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 30 October 2004 20:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Rowetta said on ITV2, in consoling her, "well, you've always got Simon", as if it were a future thing and not a current or past thing. Given Simon will cease being her manager after tonight, it seemed an odd choice of words. Plus her squeeze of his thigh seemed a little odd.

Racism - yes, I suppose you're right. It's for somewhere else.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 30 October 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm, that is a bit strange.

I like Simon Cowell more in X-Factor, which is not to say I like him, but he seems to be nicer and more reasonable and less of a prat in this than other things.

― Cathy (Cathy), Saturday, 30 October 2004 22:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I hate how 'confidence' is this season's reality tv buzzword - I want to imagine my popstars as ruthless automatons not normal normans. They should quit patronising Cassie too, she seems as self-assured as anyone on there.

Still want Rowetta to win most, then Cassie and couldn't care less about the rest. Oily Steve and 2 To Go to go pls thx.

Love how Louis is *so* the bad guy in this series, constantly getting booed, yet insists on repeating his mantra of "The public don't like YOU Simon". I like Simon a lot in this series.

― Affectian (Affectian), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Cassie really does have a lovely voice. I like Simon too in this series - he's generally right (in the context of the show, of course). My estimation of Sharon drops a notch every time she says 'fabulous', and her love for 'dirty' Tabby is inexplicble.

― Wooden (Wooden), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

her love for 'dirty' Tabby is inexplicble

OTM

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, and waving that fucking horrible little dog around this show was particularly distasteful.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Roweta just chiefed it out there. Simply.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 November 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

"Don't go and make me do backing vocals for the Happy Mondays again. I don't want to do that".

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 November 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

And now G4 do "Baby One More Time". Are they meant to be the new Me First and the Gimme Gimmes then?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 November 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 209 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

holy shit they are TERRIBLE. i'll *just* choose sore ears over the wave of nausea Ray gave me though.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

He was, yes. I think he's got a great voice. (xpost - Robert, that is)

Ray = meh. He's better as a one-trick pony.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Leona can't not win this, can she?

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

wow, this is the first time i have watched this and leona is properly great!

the others were all rather horrific.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Ben doing With A Little Help From My Friends in a Joe Cocker style = SURPRISE!!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

Lex - find Leona doing Summertime a few weeks ago on youtube.

― Cressida Breem (neruokruokruokne?), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

that version of 'with a little help from my friends' was VILE.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

yes Lex, leona was good tonight but the last few weeks were astonishing. these will knock your socks off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbVqs5BfRFc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AgFVvqvyJg

i think tonight might actually have been her worst performance but still leagues ahead of everything else.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'm looking forward to Lex's views on the MacDonald Brothers.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

You bastards. I saw this thread and switched on tv and it's that fucking horrid song.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

I'm curious as to the subcurrent of "I wonder what The Lex/Alex in NYC/Geir thinks of this". Are the opinions of the people actually contributing not good enough?

― pscott (elwisty), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

i'm interested to hear Lex's positive opinions (of Leona, for example) but his negative ones are all the same, so no.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, I asked for that! (xpost)

(but The Lex is on this thread and contributing, so it's not quite the same)

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

That band that did the Beatles song last week, that was the worst thing I've ever seen.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

I'm curious as to the subcurrent of "I wonder what The Lex/Alex in NYC/Geir thinks of this". Are the opinions of the people actually contributing not good enough?
-- pscott (kowalski9...) (webmail), Today 7:49 PM. (later) (link)

Here goddamn here!

― mark grout (mark grout), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

)pscott's quoting me from somewhere else, btw)

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

Given the McD brothers' stange immunity to being chucked off, it's either Ray or Eton Road to go tonight.

― chap who would dare to welcome our new stingray masters (chap), Saturday, 18 November 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

wow those two leona performances were incredible! her 'sorry seems to be the hardest word' = best version i have ever heard of that song. she's very endearing, too. i love the fact that she can actually give songs light and shade.

were the macdonald brothers those twats who did 'love is all around'? ugh. what is the sodding point?

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

It's just a bit of fun, let's be cool.

― pscott (elwisty), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think anyone really gets the point of the MacDonald Brothers.

Apparently they are usually a fiddes and accordions type Scottish traditional band. I really REALLY wish they *had* done The Pussycat Dolls with bagpipes.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

i'm happy to say this:

Lex OTM.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

!!!!!!!!!!!

i am GLAD THEY DIDN'T.

there seemed to be no discernible difference between their performance and eg me idly singing along to songs while washing up. it was just so lacklustre.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

is cowell telling the truth about people in america getting excited about leona?

a quick google reveals that she's getting compared to m carey and w houston, but i think the closest point of reference is far more obvious - beyoncé.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I guess they are expressing their interest directly to Simon.

Let's face it, now she doesn't actually need to win.

― mark grout (mark grout), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

Likely scenario: The McDonald bros winthe whole thing, No-one buys any of their records apart fromthe first single, and Simon knocks the whole X-Factor thing on the head.

― mark grout (mark grout), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

but if she didn't win she might never reach the heights Shane Ward did!

actually Shane had so much potential...

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

There are many acts which did not win but went on to have careers without having "XFactor" or "PopIdol" or "FameAcademy" always stamped on it.

Lemar/Javine/(helpmeoutsomeone..)

― mark grout (mark grout), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

..(cheeky girls..)

― mark grout (mark grout), Saturday, 18 November 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

MacDonalds still in! World is strangely drawn to averageness!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:06 (nineteen years ago)

Ha, Louis is CRYING LIKE A GURL!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:16 (nineteen years ago)

huh???

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe it watched this results program. So they stayed in because they provide comedy?
Fair enough.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

that was the craziest decision so far.

actually the fighting from the judges this season is massively DUD.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

Simon saves Eton Road. Shame, I thought Robert was much better. WRONG DECISION SIMON!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

yeah Robert was ahead then Eton Road sang even worse second time round so there's no logic to that.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

THAT WAS AN OUTRAGE

― Brian Emo (noodle vague), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

Also Simon said "I'm going to base this solely on the second performance". Eton Road shriek through a succession of mis-hit notes, Robert nails it for the second time, Simon says "I'm going to base this on who I think can go further in the competition".

He doesn't want Robert in because he could prove more of a threat to his Chosen Special One. Eton Road will never win this.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

On a show that is basically non-stop dishonest bullshit, that was the worst.

― Brian Emo (noodle vague), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to pick my words carefully and just say that Robert doesn't fit into Cowell's teenpop template.

― Brian Emo (noodle vague), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:25 (nineteen years ago)

i actually don't think robert is much of a thread considering he's been in the bottom 2 more times than not (i think?).

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:25 (nineteen years ago)

3 times out of 6

― Cressida Breem (neruokruokruokne?), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:29 (nineteen years ago)

I still think he's one of the best singers on the show, and should do alright for himself anyway.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

still, it was a very wrong decision. Robert started off trying to fill sharon's wacky chico role but has been good the last two weeks.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

but then westlife have had 14 number ones, apparently, so what does any of it matter? i'm off to drink some booze.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 18 November 2006 21:36 (nineteen years ago)

robert is fucking awful guys, every time.

simon was otm.

― benrique (Enrique), Monday, 20 November 2006 10:22 (nineteen years ago)

The whole problem with this show is that the Friday night prime-time TV watching demographic is completely different from the singles buying demographic! Teenage girls don't stay in on Friday watching telly, and mums don't buy singles. That's why the McDonald brothers and other novelty acts stay in, why front runners like Maria Lawson get booted out early, why Michelle McManus and Shane Ward both won the show and then tanked afterwards.

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 20 November 2006 10:33 (nineteen years ago)

It's on Saturday.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 20 November 2006 10:51 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, same difference!

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 20 November 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Even the producers are claiming that Scotland only votes for Scottish people, or that Scottish people only get through because of Scottish votes. Or something. Use other excuses, please.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds39764.html

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 22:02 (nineteen years ago)

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