I'm an avid X Factor watcher. For those who know me well that seems to sit incongrously with my other TV habits. I do tend to avoid 'trash TV', love Question Time, Late Review, Newsnight, documentaries and independant films. But, once a week, as the nights close in and the heating's turned up, I turn my brain off and immerse myself deep within the SyCo soap opera.
I'll admit I get suckered in to the sacharin back-stories, "I want a better life for my kids", "This is all I've dreamed of since the day I was born" (What? Before you had consciousness and knew what singing and fame were?) And, my eyes get glassy when the cheesey boyband song plays in the background, swelling to an emotional peak just as the contestant becomes overwhelmed and wipes a slow-mo tear from their cheek.
Outside of the actual show, my brain switches back on and I'm aware instantly what an utter pile of drivel it all is. Posh karaoke at best, and I LAOTHE karaoke, with a passion. If it's on in a pub I'll walk out. So, I don't undersand my love of the show. And, I don't need to. It's just pure escapism. A bit of cheap glam beamed into my home just as the chill of winter looms outside. X Factor got their scheduling of the show just right. A couch and a cuppa watching X Factor is far more appealing than trudging around amongst the weekend pub throng in rain or snow. Would it be as successful in the summer months I wonder? Hmmm...
Anyway, despite absolutely knowing that X Factor is trash TV, I intensely dislike the elitist, snobbery, that surrounds it sometimes. People on Facebook and Twitter whinging about others interupting their feeds and timelines talking about it. As if, somehow, the minutia of THEIR day (Woke up, had coffee, walked dog, etc) is so much more fascinating and cerebral. I'm fully aware that it's mindless telly but I'm not an elitist snob about it.
One main insult levelled at the show is that it's 'just' a pop singer factory, churning out crooners to sing other peoples songs. They say this like it's a really bad thing. Yet, I'd put money on those people loving Motown artists. Just saying like. I'm not sure Frank Sinatra ever wrote a song either, nor Elvis. I'm not exactly putting Leon Jackson in the same class as those people but you get my gist.
This year though, I'm annoyed with X Factor. First the autotune 'scandal' and now the Katie Waissel and Mary Byrne 'scandals'. Katie Waissell can be found all over the internet in various guises or 'stage names'. Katies Waissel is actually Katie Vogel and Lola Fontaine. And according to this article: http://www.anorak.co.uk/256750/tv/how-the-x-factor-and-sony-bmg-fixed-it-for-katie-waissel-aka-katie-vogel.html Katie has already been singed with Sony BMG, a company which has 'associations' with Cowell. Here also is a YouTube channel for a reality show, Green Eyed World, in which she starred:
As for Mary Byrne, "Tesco Mary" as she's now being 'affectionately' dubbed. Well, she's also all over YouTube under another name. Mary Lee. Under which, she won Nollaig No.1 a sort of Irish X Factor type show.
Tesco's in Ireland is certainly different to Tesco's in England that's for sure Mary!
I have no problem with the fact that both Katie and Mary have had previous tastes of 'fame' nor that, for whatever reason, it didn't work our for them. What makes it all so sinister, to me, is the lack of any mention of it on X Factor. Why the secrecy? Why hide it? Why lie? Why the name changes? Instead of being honest, young Katie 'just needs a shot, a chance' (She's had one already, a big one) and humble checkout lady Mary has 'never had anything like this happen to her before' (bullshit). Why are we being fed this garbage? We're being led to believe that this is all so new to them both!
SyCo are insulting the intelligence of their audience and that is a dangerous thing to do. I doubt any of this will affect the show nor the prospects of Katie and Mary but for some viewers... trust in 'the brand' is dwindling.
Now, I loathe Rupert Murdoch and all that he and his companies stand for. Sky telly for starters. Y'all PAY to have telly in your home which is already heavily commercialised. It's like double-dipping. If ITV or Channel 4, TV companies paid for by advertisers, started charging us there'd be riots. Besides that, politically Murdoch is a rightist, power hungry and corrupt man. I refuse to contribute a single penny to a man/company that uses that money to gain the power to corrupt and manipulate our police, our media and our government.
That heavy stuff aside, I have to say Sky's Must Be The Music seemed a more genuine 'talent show' (along the lines of Fame Academy). Looking for people who could write and perform their own material. It wasn't about who could belt out someone elses song the best, rather who could express themselves in their own unique way. Much more to my taste, though, I only saw snippits on YouTube. Emma's Imagination won that show this year and I'd actually consider buying her album.
I've NEVER considered buying an X Factor winners single or album. As I say, it's fun to watch but I don't take it seriously as a talent contest.
Anyway, talent show rant over.
On with Sunday.
*Edit* Oh, and up pops another one: http://www.theblueroom.me.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29512