X Factor humiliates 'simple' people.

Big Nasty

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Who's the judge that was on the receiving end ? Can't remember ever seeing her before ?

It's a pity that it was someone who genuinely had no talent who put her in her place, and the last judge (whoever she is) going on about reverse sexism was a joke, too.

The only one I recognise on that panel is Louis (forget talent, here's Boyzone/Westlife/other drivel) Walsh.

Why can't they have one of these shows that (a) actually has only reasonably-talented acts on stage and (b) has recognisable judges who know what they're talking about ?

Is it just that real musicians and judges don't want to get involved ?

What does she say? I can't turn up volume in work.

lastlaugh

It is cruel the way they have someone who is obviously a bit simple and totally 'untalented' perform, slate them, and then broadcast it.

Unfortunately I'd say it attracts a lot of viewers in itself.

Chains

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Is it just that real musicians and judges don't want to get involved ?

Probably. I know its a cliché, but I know a lot of musicians who have either turned down or broken out of record contracts because of their requirement to relinquish artistic control- which in most cases you have to do to be successful, ironically. Its a problem much older than the X Factor.

--Kaiser--

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

X-Factor has launched a number of gifted singers into the public spotlight and at the end of the day that is what they want, what they go on the show for. I'd struggle to feel sorry for the success stories.

Gifted my hole. The X-Factor is merely a triumph of mediocrity. Take Paul Potts for instance (no, not the Khmer Rouge leader). Good for someone not classically trained I'll grant you (for people who don't listen to opera at least). But I'd prefer to listen to a genuine maestro like Luciano Pavarotti.

I think it's popular because it makes people with average (or below average) talent think they can be famous, make a tonne of money, get loads of girls etc...which they can...for a while at least. Can you think of one X-Factor winner who has stood the test of time?

mariaalice

I tend not to watch the X factor or the like the cringe factor is too much for me and I don't enjoy watching people humiliating themselves.

There is book by Sabistain Faulks called November one of the minor strands in the book has a great send up of reality TV, in which Mentally ill people are used in a big brother type show. Its the logical conclusion for that sort of TV.

But on the other had I am in the minority as the X factor is very popular.

Jaxxy

Chains wrote: »

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

Of course I can! It's an exceptionally manipulative format. You get the sob stories, the "You Raise Me Up" in the background at the right climactic moment and the belittling of the deluded loons for the giggles.

Fact remains though that whatever team you have behind you and with whatever clever editing the producers push for, talent is still talent. X-Factor has launched a number of gifted singers into the public spotlight and at the end of the day that is what they want, what they go on the show for. I'd struggle to feel sorry for the success stories.

I'd agree with you there, it certainly has been what a lot of the winners wanted.

I just think that the prevalence of people doing it for 'fame's sake' is pretty abhorrent, and I think the show encourages it (as well as pretty much all the shows on MTV and E!)

Oh it definitely does encourage it, and there are disturbing similarities between it and other so-called "reality" television that win the ratings wars against well-written and quality TV programming. And I do agree that that is a shame.

But to be honest, for me there's an element of "leave your brain at the door" to X-Factor that appeals sometimes. I watch and read enough thought-provoking stuff during the week and work pretty hard so I do enjoy the opportunity to switch off and have a catch up with the aul one (when nothing too serious needs to be discussed) come Saturday evening.

While I understand and can appreciate the majority opinion here in this thread, I'm not going to apologise for what most might call my guilty pleasure, or justify myself to the rather judgmental individual who called me a dope for admitting it.

nix

smash wrote: »

To be fair, there are singers every year that outshine the celebrity guests that perform on the live show.

There is, but there should be more. Thats my point, i have to look far and wide to find music. Lets not forget the fact that reality TV is killing real TV shows aswell, a seperate entity is also suffering from this bull****. Its a trend with humanity now.

Its happening in the movie industry now, were getting nothing but remakes.

Why is this? because its better? No, because its CHEAPER to run.

The world of ART is dying to this idiotic bullshit, people used to have to work hard and create great music to get world recognition and fame. Now they just go onto a show and sing talented peoples music. Then when they have to make their own music after winning the show, they don't last long at all, why? because they have no actual talent.

Big picture people, look at it!

Chains

nix wrote: »

I made a point about how little she learned from her studies, im not the clueless one here..

Sorry if me pointing out how simple some people are was hurtful to you, perhaps i should make a TV show about it with flashing lights and get people to voluntarily come on the show, they can audition by displaying how stupid and desperate they are, and be rewarded 15minutes of fame??

:D:D

I find it ironic that you look down on people here when you can't seem to get the hang of either the quote button, or actually understand that I was arguing against her points, not for them.

EDIT: Oh wait, you've learned to use the quote button now. My apologies.

I just think you're needlessly rude, and that this shows that you are simple in your own little way.

nix

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

Oh it definitely does encourage it, and there are disturbing similarities between it and other so-called "reality" television that win the ratings wars against well-written and quality TV programming. And I do agree that that is a shame.

But to be honest, for me there's an element of "leave your brain at the door" to X-Factor that appeals sometimes. I watch and read enough thought-provoking stuff during the week and work pretty hard so I do enjoy the opportunity to switch off and have a catch up with the aul one (when nothing too serious needs to be discussed) come Saturday evening.

While I understand and can appreciate the majority opinion here in this thread, I'm not going to apologise for what most might call my guilty pleasure, or justify myself to the rather judgmental individual who called me a dope for admitting it.

So you see the wrong in it and support it anyway? What a world we live in :rolleyes:

Temptamperu

mariaalice wrote: »

I tend not to watch the X factor or the like the cringe factor is too much for me and I don't enjoy watching people humiliating themselves.

There is book by Sabistain Faulks called November one of the minor strands in the book has a great send up of reality TV, in which Mentally ill people are used in a big brother type show. Its the logical conclusion for that sort of TV.

But on the other had I am in the minority as the X factor is very popular.

Sure thats what big brother is already

Jaxxy

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

X-Factor has launched a number of gifted singers into the public spotlight and at the end of the day that is what they want, what they go on the show for. I'd struggle to feel sorry for the success stories.

Gifted my hole. The X-Factor is merely a triumph of mediocrity. Take Paul Potts for instance (no, not the Khmer Rouge leader). Good for someone not classically trained I'll grant you (for people who don't listen to opera at least). But I'd prefer to listen to a genuine maestro like Luciano Pavarotti.

I think it's popular because it makes people with average (or below average) talent think they can be famous, make a tonne of money, get loads of girls etc...which they can...for a while at least. Can you think of one X-Factor winner who has stood the test of time?

Leona Lewis.

Paul Potts was Britain's Got Talent btw, but I don't disagree with you there either.

nix

Chains wrote: »

I find it ironic that you look down on people here when you can't seem to get the hang of either the quote button, or actually understand that I was arguing against her points, not for them.

I just think you're needlessly rude, and that this shows that you are simple in your own little way.

Simple? me? im finding my retorts witty and humerous, sorry you cant see the jest in my posting.

I know how to use the quote button, Where did i attack your opinion on the topic at hand?

Jaxxy

nix wrote: »

So you see the wrong in it and support it anyway? What a world we live in :rolleyes:

Is it terribly time-consuming being that full of yourself?

Chains

mariaalice wrote: »

I tend not to watch the X factor or the like the cringe factor is too much for me and I don't enjoy watching people humiliating themselves.

There is book by Sabistain Faulks called November one of the minor strands in the book has a great send up of reality TV, in which Mentally ill people are used in a big brother type show. Its the logical conclusion for that sort of TV.

But on the other had I am in the minority as the X factor is very popular.

I remember the christmas special of Extras on BBC a few years ago had some great stuff to say about it, check it out if you haven't already.

nix

Chains wrote: »

I find it ironic that you look down on people here when you can't seem to get the hang of either the quote button, or actually understand that I was arguing against her points, not for them.

EDIT: Oh wait, you've learned to use the quote button now. My apologies.

I just think you're needlessly rude, and that this shows that you are simple in your own little way.

So it turned out it was you, who couldn't read posts correctly?

No big whoop brah, mistakes happen. Dont worry im not little enough to attack you on something pointless like that

nix

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

Is it terribly time-consuming being that full of yourself?

Full of myself? How dare i expect more out of humanity, shame on me!

How dare i want a better world!

lastlaugh

I'll admit to watching X Factor ('cause the wife does.;))

It is rare I actually like a performer and even rarer that I see someone who I actually really think is excellent.

This girl from last year was very talented. I think there was some immigration issues with her family or something, but instead of saying this they pretended she wasn't 'talented' enough and let some little skanky yoke through.

I'll admit to watching X Factor ('cause the wife does.)



It is rare I actually like a performer and even rarer that I see someone who I actually really think is excellent.



This girl from last year was very talented. I think there was some immigration issues with her family or something, but instead of saying this they pretended she wasn't 'talented' enough and let some little skanky yoke through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRG7N_koxF0[/YOUTUBE

Can anyone deny this girl is extremely talented?

Temptamperu

They should bring back public hangings for people who turn up to xfactor.

Jaxxy

nix wrote: »

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

Is it terribly time-consuming being that full of yourself?

Full of myself? How dare i expect more out of humanity, shame on me!

How dare i want a better world!

Oh the drama of it all.

nix

I was proving a point with my attitude, its ok for a big crowd and TV producers to point at and mock people? But when i do it, its wrong? :rolleyes:

Irish Guitarist

This backfired once. When Susan Boyle got up to sing all the judges had these smug expressions and were ready to have a right laugh. Then when it turned out she had a decent voice Simon Cowells jaw dropped. You could see him thinking "she's not anorexic and she's not what most people would call attractive, yet she can sing. How can this be?".

I'd like to see this happening again except the contestant should then tell the judges that she'll make it on her own and walk out of the studio with her head held high, going on to be successful and even writing her own songs.

Either that or I'd like to see a contestant shoot all the judges and get away with it by pleading insanity.

Rjd2

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

To be honest- anyone who goes on that show is mentally retarded / deluded / gullible and idiotic.

People queueing up to be expolited and cast aside-

And that goes for the viewers too- shallow bints the lot of em

Aye, wouldn't have that much sympathy for them either, however the makers of it are far from blameless sadly.

In person and print, in pub and at party, I have long been a champion of the reality television format. To those who looked down their noses at the genre, I argued that all life was here: Dickensian drama, Shakespearean tragedy, Loachian lows and Capra-esque highs – the best and worst that humankind has to offer. And how, I would conclude, could anyone not find something to inform, excite and inspire in that?

Lately, though, my relationship with the format has changed. There has been no scales-falling-from-the-eyes moment. Instead, there has been a slow chipping away: a small grit mark here, a minor crack there, before finally, last weekend, the windscreen shattered and I will now have to watch the shows I used to love and champion, if I watch them at all, with vision blurred.

The final straw? The public humiliation of Ceri Rees, a vulnerable contestant on The X Factor, who – if her friend and singing coach Amanda Roberts is to be believed – was encouraged by researchers to audition for the talent show for an astonishing fourth time. Roberts further claims that the tone-deaf, 54-year-old widow from Wales was coerced with free travel and accommodation.

It's a given that audiences are manipulated by reality television. It's accepted as part of the process and so, when a contestant who looks as if they should be selling The Big Issue ends up selling 10 million albums, we all share the warm glow that we have overcome our prejudices and can look beyond the narrow confines of teen pop.

The flip side is that we also seem to take a strange delight in watching the multi-untalented: those who believe they can sing and dance like a Gaga or a Michael Jackson only for the judges to thank them mock-kindly for coming in anyway.

Bless. Invite them back on for the "losers' parade" at the end of the show and all will be forgiven. And, anyway, there's a fine line between a DJ Talent and a Jedward. So we keep our collective consciences clear. Or we did, until Ceri Rees. But if the final straw came last weekend, the signs were there all along

When the Big Brother format arrived in Britain just over a decade ago, the contestants came from a variety of backgrounds but all were confident, moderately successful in fields from marketing to office management, and prepared for a concept that all considered to be an elongated "game show", rather than a fly-on-the-wall social study. The need for a pantomime villain started here and Nick Bateman duly obliged. Did we as viewers need to feel sorry for him? Hell, no. He cheated under the rules of the house, and even after he departed seemed to relish his new-found media role as Nasty Nick.

Windscreen intact, we moved on to Celebrity Big Brother, 2001. Cue Vanessa Feltz, a powerful, successful, talented woman who had recently lost her chat show and her husband. And if Feltz would soon "show signs of strain", did we feel a tinge of sympathy? Perhaps, but not to worry, Feltz would exit the house telling the show's host, Davina McCall, "You've probably seen how passionate the whole thing was, how emotional, but it's all for Comic Relief." Phew.

Fast forward to 2005: Big Brother, series six. Enter the 20-year-old Craig Coates or, as he would shortly become known, "the camp crimper from Cromer". Without wishing to go into unnecessary detail, Craig gets a crush on the eventual series winner, Anthony Hutton, and, on one horrible drunken night, follows him around like a puppy. Not sexually confident enough to come on to him and face rejection, the scene plays out as farce, with Anthony vomiting while Craig whispers sweet nothings ("I'll always look after you", etc) in his ear. It makes for deeply uncomfortable viewing but Craig will save face later in his exit interview. "I fancied Anthony at the beginning, I did, but as I got to know him I respected him as a person... I began to look at him as a member of my family." Dignity restored. Guilt assuaged.

And so we come to "the troubled Indian student" Sree Desari (Big Brother series 10, 2009), the point at which we were forced to accept that the reality of reality television can spill over into the reality of real life. Just hours after 25-year-old Dubliner Noirin Kelly (who will go on to "reveal all" for a variety of men's magazines) tells housemates, "He's like my shadow. I can't move without him being there," Sree will sidle up to her and say: "Your inner beauty is platinum and your laugh makes the sun shine. What I'm going to say, you keep it to yourself: I'm in love with you." A little over a month later, Sree will be watching the show he has left from his room at the University of Hertfordshire. He will watch Noirin kiss another housemate. He will slash his wrists and end up in hospital. And all the while, as Big Brother is unravelling, another reality TV show will grip the nation.

Britain's Got Talent has been running for two years when a "never been married, never been kissed" 47-year-old church volunteer called Susan Boyle takes the bus to Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium – a literal "journey" (as opposed to the metaphorical ones so beloved of these shows) that will change her life. Her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" gets an astonishing 500 million YouTube hits in one night, but the day after the show's final, Boyle checks herself into the Priory. "She is essentially fine," BGT judge Piers Morgan tells the press. "She hasn't been sleeping. She has gone from anonymity to being the most downloaded woman in history. Nobody has had to put up with the kind of attention Susan has."

It is easy to leave the Nasty Nicks and the Vigorous Vanessas to fend for themselves. When it comes to the Srees and the Susans our excuses run out. The people behind these programmes make much of the "ongoing support available to all participants" yada yada, but one suspects that no one really cares about these people once they have served their purpose as publicity-generating machines. And if the programme-makers can be cruel, then the public can be crueller. Witness Gillian McKeith who, the night after "passing out" in last year's I'm a Celebrity..., was forced by public vote to undergo another Bushtucker Trial until show bosses had to rule her out on "medical grounds". By that point, many people would, no doubt, happily have phoned in to watch McKeith executed at dawn, so the blame can not be placed entirely on the print media with pages to fill and the TV companies with ratings to chase.

Perhaps it is time to accept that if reality TV shows are going to continue dominating schedules around the world, the production companies owe participants a greater duty of care, a charter that the vulnerable will never be subjected to the sort of humiliation dished out to Ceri Rees on last weekend's X Factor.

It might have been funny if Rees were not clearly frail and even more clearly delusional. It would be funny if we still had a wider culture that encouraged public executions and Victorian freak shows. We don't, because society has changed and we have changed with it. The part of us that used to bay for blood is probably still there, but most of us have learnt to control and contain it, to put ourselves in the shoes of those less fortunate than ourselves.

Perhaps the part of the Rees episode that the programme-makers chose not to show is a sign that, like me, the British public has had enough of reality TV shows trying to pull us back to those brutal bad old days. For reports suggest that, after Rees's audition, the judge Gary Barlow joined her on stage and continued to belittle her. According to an audience member Ashlei Swain, "People were booing."

Perhaps they instinctively recognised that a multimillionaire musician mocking a weak and vulnerable woman is as unedifying a scene as it is possible to imagine. Perhaps they, too, have had their patience worn thin by a decade in which all our moral compasses have been pulled by the magnetic force of reality TV.

I like to think that the Rees episode will help us all to turn a corner. Reality television can still shine a light on the highs and lows of the entire human experience. It is an unstoppable force and, with more than 30 territories around the world hosting their own X Factor and more than 45 their own Big Brother, it looks increasingly as if it is here to stay. All the more reason, surely, that we should learn to use its power wisely.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/simmy-richman-yes-viewers-can-have-too-much-reality-2360475.html

Gal pal

joseph brand wrote: »

I try to avoid this show as much as possible, but since the other half watches it, sometimes I catch a bit of it.
It was on last week and there was someone trying to sing, but anyone could see they weren't the full shilling. Still though, the producers think it would be great entertainment to give this person about 5/6 minutes of air time. The whole audience of morons, (in their collective ignorance) laugh, point and boo this unfortunate person.

If this show is looking for 'talent', then why do the worst singers get so much air time?

As far as I can see, there are some people with genuine mental problems paraded on stage for mockery. The audience grunt, point and laugh, while the smug 'judges' wait to top it off with a blunt statement about how bad they are.
I'm nt just saying this because I despise Louis and Simon. They are total cnuts.

It's just that I've never noticed anyone else who hates the show mention this aspect, except one.

Everybody you see on the stage in front of the judges was already chosen the day before by another panel of 'judges' then invited back the next day to audition on stage in front of the cameras.

The massive queues you see outside the arena don't audition in front of Simon and Louis, etc.

The show is a disgrace, I've been saying it for years!!!

They already knew Susan Boyle had an amazing voice, a panel of pre-judges would have heard her before Simon did.

smash

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Can you think of one X-Factor winner who has stood the test of time?

Leona Lewis & Shane Ward. Both making it big in the states.

Chains

nix wrote: »

So it turned out it was you, who couldn't read posts correctly?

No big whoop brah, mistakes happen. Dont worry im not little enough to attack you on something pointless like that

/facepalm

Words just can't describe.... I mean... *sigh*

And to your other idea about proving a point with your attitude: I call bull****.

Gal pal wrote: »

Everybody you see on the stage in front of the judges was already chosen the day before by another panel of 'judges' then invited back the next day to audition on stage in front of the cameras.

The massive queues you see outside the arena don't audition in front of Simon and Louis, etc.

The show is a disgrace, I've been saying it for years!!!

They already knew Susan Boyle had an amazing voice, a panel of pre-judges would have heard her before Simon did.

Yep, I can confirm this. Know a few people who went for auditions. Most of them were nice so they didn't get onto the show :P

Temptamperu

smash wrote: »

Leona Lewis & Shane Ward. Both making it big in the states.

Yeah massive :pac: except no americans I know have ever heard of them.

Chains

Temptamperu wrote: »

Yeah massive :pac: except no americans I know have ever heard of them.

That must mean Smash is wrong so. :rolleyes:

lastlaugh

Temptamperu wrote: »

Yeah massive :pac: except no americans I know have ever heard of them.

How many Americans do you know?

krudler

nix wrote: »

There is, but there should be more. Thats my point, i have to look far and wide to find music. Lets not forget the fact that reality TV is killing real TV shows aswell, a seperate entity is also suffering from this bull****. Its a trend with humanity now.

Its happening in the movie industry now, were getting nothing but remakes.

Why is this? because its better? No, because its CHEAPER to run.

The world of ART is dying to this idiotic bullshit, people used to have to work hard and create great music to get world recognition and fame. Now they just go onto a show and sing talented peoples music. Then when they have to make their own music after winning the show, they don't last long at all, why? because they have no actual talent.

Big picture people, look at it!

well to be fair the quality of actual quality tv is superb in recent years, yeah theres tons of sh1te on tv but for every crappy reality show HBO or AMC knocks a few out that are must see viewing:

The Wire
Breaking Bad
Mad Men
Boardwalk Empire
Game Of Thrones

to name but a few, quality tv is there its just stuck between sh1te like X Factor and Jersey Shore.

Gal pal

Chains wrote: »

Yep, I can confirm this. Know a few people who went for auditions. Most of them were nice so they didn't get onto the show :P

I can confirm it too, my brother auditioned last year or the year before.
He is only average so there was no chance of him going through!!

The fact that everybody is seen before they end up on TV means they are letting these 'vulnerables' through on purpose for entertainment value, which is beyond disgraceful and shameful.