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Is This the Next Idol?
Simon Cowell wants to bring his third talent show, X Factor, to the U.S. Venetia Thompson says we can expect strippers and boy twins who sing Britney songs.
It was Sunday night, and special guest performer Whitney Houston was strutting across the stage, her floor-length gown shimmering. Suddenly the back of her dress pinged open and she stopped, eyes wild. Then, Houston shrugged exasperatedly at the judges, before continuing when she realized that no one could help her.
It was just another YouTube moment for the sixth season of The X Factor.
Simon Cowell’s hit U.K. talent show, eagerly anticipated all summer, is dominating the hotly contested Saturday ratings, as well as its prime Sunday night slot for the results show. In past seasons, it has given us Leona Lewis, a massive international success, and Alexandra Burke, who has yet to make it over the pond. Burke was dubbed the U.K.’s answer to Beyoncé after the two had an emotional duet in last year’s live finale—Beyoncé sang, Burke wailed hysterically.
Cowell wants The X Factor to be launched in the U.S. He has reportedly refused to renew his American Idol contract unless Fox agrees to roll it out as part of the deal. But despite months of negotiations and endless rumors that Cowell and Fox have come to an agreement (reported to be in the shape of £65 million, or more than $100 million), no official announcement has been made.
Meanwhile, here in Britain, The X Factor is increasingly farcical each week.
So far this season, Dannii Minogue (sister of Kylie) has managed to “out” one of the contestants, much to Cowell’s horror, and a girl band (yes, on X Factor, groups are allowed) made up of ex-pole dancers were told by the two bitchy female judges that they were dressed too provocatively to be taken seriously. Worst of all, last Sunday night in the results show, two of the best acts in the competition somehow ended up in the bottom. Danyl Johnson, whose first audition has already made him a YouTube sensation, and Miss Frank, a motley crew of girls. It was Miss Frank who finally ended up exiting after the judges couldn’t come to a unanimous decision about who to send home, and it went to “deadlock”—back to the original public phone-voting results.
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Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
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Venetia Thompson is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Spectator. Her memoir Gross Misconduct will be published in February by Simon and Schuster UK. She lives in London.
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Venetia Thompson is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Spectator. Her memoir Gross Misconduct will be published in February by Simon and Schuster UK. She lives in London.
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Venetia Thompson is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Spectator. Her memoir Gross Misconduct will be published in February by Simon and Schuster UK. She lives in London.
rod179
People vote for Jedward because the concept of Simon Cowell trying to actually sell them to the public is too funny for words. That said I swear if I hear about a contestants "journey" to the backing of Snow Patrol I'll vomit.
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