Simon and Gary call a truce

Susie-RSusie-R Posts: 1,105
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    So, looks like Gary is back. We won't know who "the other man" Simon had "in mind" until his next biography then.
  • Susie-RSusie-R Posts: 1,105
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    I know a lot of people won't agree with me but I really hope it's true and Gary will be back as judge on X Factor
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    Susie-R wrote: »
    I know a lot of people won't agree with me but I really hope it's true and Gary will be back as judge on X Factor

    When you think of the alternatives you won't get an argument from me. Will Young would have been good, but other names mentioned - wild-eyed, unpredictable Robbie Williams etc filled me with dread.
  • C14EC14E Posts: 32,165
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    Dreadful idea. Barlow has been awful for the show, so lousy they "demoted" him from head judge after one year. If all they do is replace Tulisa then it's 2012 all over again. They'd be better going back to 3 judges than having Barlow.

    The only reason to keep him would be if Robbie agreed to do it. That would be some storyline for the media and Barlow might be a bit more natural around someone he knows so well. Plus, Robbie would be a great signing and I doubt he'd do it if they fired Gary.

    We might be used to him now but Cowell was a peculiar character when he first showed up on Pop Idol. Barlow was never anything other than beige and bland. Hired for his status. not his personality.
  • sheila bligesheila blige Posts: 8,010
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    C14E wrote: »
    The only reason to keep him would be if Robbie agreed to do it. That would be some storyline for the media and Barlow might be a bit more natural around someone he knows so well. Plus, Robbie would be a great signing and I doubt he'd do it if they fired Gary.

    I agree - Gary may be a little more bearable if Robbie were on board. Having said that - like him or loathe him (at present I don't know what to make of him) Robbie is certainly more lively and a lot more off-the-cuff than Gary - so if the two of them were to be together - it may just stress how boring Gary is in comparison.

    Anyway - moot point I suppose - as I can't see Robbie doing it with or without Gary. I think now that Robbie has a wife and child and still lives across the pond - I think his private time is more important to him than having his fizzog on the telly every five minutes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    Robbie doesn't seem to have a handbrake though. He's okay in small doses but week in week out ... it would be on gaff after another.

    I'd rather have Gary Barlow based on the alternatives - and I'm not a Gary-fan. I haven't really liked anyone from his category in the two years he's been doing it, and I positively loathed Marcus and Christopher.

    I haven't liked his decisions on acts or song choices - plus he is really inconsistent with his feedback.
  • Susie-RSusie-R Posts: 1,105
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    I agree - Gary may be a little more bearable if Robbie were on board. Having said that - like him or loathe him (at present I don't know what to make of him) Robbie is certainly more lively and a lot more off-the-cuff than Gary - so if the two of them were to be together - it may just stress how boring Gary is in comparison.

    Anyway - moot point I suppose - as I can't see Robbie doing it with or without Gary. I think now that Robbie has a wife and child and still lives across the pond - I think his private time is more important to him than having his fizzog on the telly every five minutes.

    Robbie doesn't live across the pond all the time, he has a very large house 15 mins drive from where I live and he's been seen walking his dogs quite often
  • C14EC14E Posts: 32,165
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    jackbell wrote: »
    Robbie doesn't seem to have a handbrake though. He's okay in small doses but week in week out ... it would be on gaff after another.

    I'd rather have Gary Barlow based on the alternatives - and I'm not a Gary-fan. I haven't really liked anyone from his category in the two years he's been doing it, and I positively loathed Marcus and Christopher.

    I haven't liked his decisions on acts or song choices - plus he is really inconsistent with his feedback.

    One gaffe after the other would be better than mind numbing dullness. People are bored. When Rylan was saved in week one it was actually the predictable result. Barlow has none of the charm to pull of the nasty judge role and it just seems so forced, obvious and dull.

    Simon Cowell made the occasional gaffe in his time. Better to have characters that are "on the edge" like Robbie than bland safe Gary.

    The show needs to be exciting and shocking again. And Gary is clearly never going to be the man for that.
  • amanda daisyamanda daisy Posts: 416
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    Susie-R wrote: »
    I know a lot of people won't agree with me but I really hope it's true and Gary will be back as judge on X Factor

    I LOVE Gary and he's the only reason I've watched that horrible show - and I know for sure I'm not the only one-, but I do hope he stays away from it, because he certainly doesn't need it.
    His fans are already buzzing for a new album, with or without Take That.
    If Robbie accepted to do X Factor without Gary, it would be even better, because that would mean he would not have time to be involved in the next TT album. His singing is just atrocious.
    That show is meant for failed artists as judges, not for the ones that are successful and who are supposed to be on a stage. Gary's dvd is no 1 in bestsellers, which means he's doing great.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,074
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    Am i the only one who never believed all this Gary / Simon fued the press feed us?
  • Susie-RSusie-R Posts: 1,105
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    I LOVE Gary and he's the only reason I've watched that horrible show - and I know for sure I'm not the only one-, but I do hope he stays away from it, because he certainly doesn't need it.
    His fans are already buzzing for a new album, with or without Take That.
    If Robbie accepted to do X Factor without Gary, it would be even better, because that would mean he would not have time to be involved in the next TT album. His singing is just atrocious.
    That show is meant for failed artists as judges, not for the ones that are successful and who are supposed to be on a stage. Gary's dvd is no 1 in bestsellers, which means he's doing great.

    I agree with you, Gary was the only reason I watched the show, he's a lovely person despite what people say about him. He was the one that visited Stephanie Knight, who has cancer, when it was on her bucket list to meet Gary or Robbie, he went round her house for tea
  • amanda daisyamanda daisy Posts: 416
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    Susie-R wrote: »
    I agree with you, Gary was the only reason I watched the show, he's a lovely person despite what people say about him. He was the one that visited Stephanie Knight, who has cancer, when it was on her bucket list to meet Gary or Robbie, he went round her house for tea
    He's always been big-hearted:)
    I honestly don't know why people keep saying he's dull. He's the only one on that show - in its entire history - with a sense of humour and with witty lines and he's been like this since he was a kid. I cracked myself when he told Lorna:"It's a no from me, but thank you for sitting on Louis's face". He was also the only one fair and the only one who didn't hesitate to criticize his own acts. He's also the only one who didn't try to sell his acts for something they weren't. He let Chris do his own thing, so that people know what to expect from him after the show; it was the same with Melanie, Carolynne, Craig, Marcus.

    From what I've seen on other sites, most people like him (and dislike Robbie, especially after his awful performance at the Brits and his latest mouthy song) and see him as the only credible judge - maybe that's why he doesn't fit the profile. He doesn't lower himself to the circus required to make that show entertaining.

    X Factor will never be entertaining as long as it's focused on the contestants - it's ironic and sad, but it's reality, because nobody is interested anymore in hearing people sing other people's songs. The only exciting parts about that show are the bad auditions, the banters between the judges and those between the judges and the contestants.
    Anyway, there have been so many rumours lately: about Rita Ora, Cheryl Cole, Sharon, Robbie, Mel B and now about Gary, that it's hard to believe anything the papers say.
    I hardly doubt that Simon and Gary have made "peace" - Simon HAS to accept Gary, it's not as if he changed his mind about the "fat", "wooden" one - has Simon looked in the mirror? Gary is not one for keeping a grudge, but I imagine he'll never be best buddies with Simon.
    Unfortunately, I think Gary might be a bit influenced by his children's opinion-they like the idea of their dad being a judge on X Factor and I guess he loves to make them proud. And he might have formed some kind of family bonds with people working on that show - but those are wrong reasons for returning.I just wish he wakes up to reality soon and leaves that charade.
  • sheila bligesheila blige Posts: 8,010
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    Zone_Out wrote: »
    Am i the only one who never believed all this Gary / Simon fued the press feed us?

    No you're not - there was never any feud. I think it all stems from the remark Simon is alleged to have said when he turned Take That down (something like 'get rid of the fat one and we've got a deal') but there was never any feud as such. As you say - just a ploy that the press seems to find interesting (or thinks that the public find interesting).

    I really don't think anyone truly cares who the judges are either. The ratings will continue to decline no matter what - the whole show needs either an overhaul or to be scrapped. As boring as I think Gary is on the show - I don't think the decline in figures had anything to do with him. In fact - the decline may have been greater without him as he's brought a lot of Take That fans to the show who only watch it because of him.
  • amanda daisyamanda daisy Posts: 416
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    No you're not - there was never any feud. I think it all stems from the remark Simon is alleged to have said when he turned Take That down (something like 'get rid of the fat one and we've got a deal') but there was never any feud as such. As you say - just a ploy that the press seems to find interesting (or thinks that the public find interesting).

    Simon DID say it:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLFBIbrHN4E&list=FLew4C6_81L_5eKSIKTiURaA

    There was never a feud per se, because Gary doesn't get involved in this kind of spats, but he has implied once,during a press conference, that Simon is trying to make him the scapegoat for the decline in ratings.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    C14E wrote: »
    One gaffe after the other would be better than mind numbing dullness. People are bored. When Rylan was saved in week one it was actually the predictable result. Barlow has none of the charm to pull of the nasty judge role and it just seems so forced, obvious and dull.

    Simon Cowell made the occasional gaffe in his time. Better to have characters that are "on the edge" like Robbie than bland safe Gary.

    The show needs to be exciting and shocking again. And Gary is clearly never going to be the man for that.

    I hear you, but I think the panel needs an anchor - someone that brings a sensibility to the show week in week out. I think Gary performs that task well enough. Even if he's the boring one.

    If the rest of the panel is, say, Louis, Sharon and Nicole - each judge with a degree of strangeness - who is the one to hold them down? Certainly not Robbie, who's as much a loony-tunes as the rest of 'em. It would be chaos.
  • fireemblemcrazefireemblemcraze Posts: 7,436
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    C14E wrote: »
    Dreadful idea. Barlow has been awful for the show, so lousy they "demoted" him from head judge after one year. If all they do is replace Tulisa then it's 2012 all over again. They'd be better going back to 3 judges than having Barlow.

    The only reason to keep him would be if Robbie agreed to do it. That would be some storyline for the media and Barlow might be a bit more natural around someone he knows so well. Plus, Robbie would be a great signing and I doubt he'd do it if they fired Gary.

    We might be used to him now but Cowell was a peculiar character when he first showed up on Pop Idol. Barlow was never anything other than beige and bland. Hired for his status. not his personality.

    Gary SWITCHED places with Nicole of his own volition. It was to separate the girls Tulisa and Nicole from each other just in case a repeat of Kelly - Tulisa happened. He was still head judge.
  • sheila bligesheila blige Posts: 8,010
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    Am I the only one who finds the term 'Head Judge' ludicrous? None of them are head judge - else their vote would override the others if there was a 2/2 result (as Robin Cousins on DOI). I think it was just a bit of nonsense. Gary is no more head judge than anyone else on the panel - I think the term is there purely for a laugh. In fact - its probably one of the few amusing things left about the show.
  • amanda daisyamanda daisy Posts: 416
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    Am I the only one who finds the term 'Head Judge' ludicrous? None of them are head judge - else their vote would override the others if there was a 2/2 result (as Robin Cousins on DOI). I think it was just a bit of nonsense. Gary is no more head judge than anyone else on the panel - I think the term is there purely for a laugh. In fact - its probably one of the few amusing things left about the show.

    It's true it doesn't mean anything, it's just a status thing-it only indicates whose opinion is perceived as being the most valid.
  • C14EC14E Posts: 32,165
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    jackbell wrote: »
    I hear you, but I think the panel needs an anchor - someone that brings a sensibility to the show week in week out. I think Gary performs that task well enough. Even if he's the boring one.

    If the rest of the panel is, say, Louis, Sharon and Nicole - each judge with a degree of strangeness - who is the one to hold them down? Certainly not Robbie, who's as much a loony-tunes as the rest of 'em. It would be chaos.

    Simon Cowell was very strange and he still is! From the ridiculous belt line to the whole black "uniform", his mixed up image of fabulous campness coupled with a "ladies man" press, his playful boasts, his ego... he was a TV character. He knew what to say, when to say it and who to say it to in order to generate the right reaction.

    I think he himself got a bit more bland as the years went by and he realised that now he had something to lose if he said the wrong thing.

    But even in later years, he knew how to play it. Sharon probably has a better TV mind than Gary. She was adept through her years at switching between different roles from total nutter to tough judge to mothering mentor.

    The show is called The X Factor and Gary just doesn't have "it" when it comes to TV.
    Am I the only one who finds the term 'Head Judge' ludicrous? None of them are head judge - else their vote would override the others if there was a 2/2 result (as Robin Cousins on DOI). I think it was just a bit of nonsense. Gary is no more head judge than anyone else on the panel - I think the term is there purely for a laugh. In fact - its probably one of the few amusing things left about the show.

    True, there has technically never been a "head judge" on X Factor. But it derives from the fact that Cowell effectively was - and officially had been on Pop Idol. Then Barlow was perceived as his replacement.
  • Agent FAgent F Posts: 40,288
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    I really don't think I can suffer another series of Gary Barlow. He's the television equivalent of muesli. Then again his only viable replacement would be Cowell and clearly that's not going to happen. I can't think who else would do it. I think jackbell has a point that you do need someone like Barlow i.e. someone who seems to have a bit of gravitas and authority. But he was especially awful last series. He takes things too seriously and his attempts at insults are always on the wrong side of appropriateness.
  • gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
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    i really thought he was a gone to be honest, but now i am not so sure. the x factor feed stories like this to the press so people cant say they`re shocked when there`s some truth in the rumours. nicole is the only person that deserves to stay based on last years performance.

    its the same problem they have every year, either they cant get who they want because of schedule clashes or they don't pay enough to get the right people. robbie would already be on that panel if they could afford him and like him or not, he would be more of a rating draw than barlow. it depends on who else is on the panel really, but if gary stays and the dynamics change again. then i can see gary just blending in as part of the furniture, much louis really.:o
  • amanda daisyamanda daisy Posts: 416
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    gpk wrote: »
    nicole is the only person that deserves to stay based on last years performance.
    Really? Nicole and Tulisa were the most intolerable on that panel. If Nicole didn't have James and Jahmene, people would have hated her for sure, like they did in the States. It's enough to watch some of the unedited auditions on youtube to realize how awful and boring she actually is.
    She didn't say anything worth listening to the entire series - complete non-sense and totally inappropriate behaviour.
    Gary is the only one who's been consistent. What's the big deal in winning with the persons the public and Simon like the most? Gary took Chris, the most hated person on that show, to the finals. It's better to be 2 years in a row in the final, than 1year to win and the next one to have no acts left mid-show.
    Sometimes I wonder if we all watch the same show.
    Of course nobody is going to like the person that doesn't jump on the desk to dance silly or who doesn't rub his bits in the other judges' faces or doesn't make up stupid words or doesn't hit the desk with his fist in order to get his point across or doesn't approve of joke acts - in that context, yes, Gary is boring, thank God. Maybe that's why he is still respected. At least, he has a brain and uses it, unlike Nicole who needed to have a question repeated 5 times and rephrased in order to understand it. I'm not British or American and I understood the questions the first time round; it didn't take a genius to understand what people were asking.
    I have nothing against Robbie being on the show - it's bad enough already, it can't get any worse-, but who is going to give credit to what he is saying? Robbie got where he is through sheer luck and a "bad boy" image, not through actual talent, like Gary. If you watch him on the documentary he did with Take That, he is no fun in real life, he's a very depressed person and I doubt he'd be able to play the clown for 6 or 8 months.
  • Cyril_SneerCyril_Sneer Posts: 2,314
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    C14E wrote: »
    Simon Cowell was very strange and he still is! From the ridiculous belt line to the whole black "uniform", his mixed up image of fabulous campness coupled with a "ladies man" press, his playful boasts, his ego... he was a TV character. He knew what to say, when to say it and who to say it to in order to generate the right reaction.

    I think he himself got a bit more bland as the years went by and he realised that now he had something to lose if he said the wrong thing.

    But even in later years, he knew how to play it. Sharon probably has a better TV mind than Gary. She was adept through her years at switching between different roles from total nutter to tough judge to mothering mentor.

    The show is called The X Factor and Gary just doesn't have "it" when it comes to TV.

    I think you are absolutely right and i think as for Simon getting bland - i think maybe he might have been under pressure from ITV to conform a bit and just be known for his "put down lines". They probably even wanted to get writers in for them i should imagine and then it all just seemed so fake and pantomimey. I think the problem with ITV is that once they are onto a good thing they try and interfere a little too much to hang onto it and make more from it but are completely hopeless. I'm sure Simon probably just wanted to be the natural him, thats what developed through Pop Idol and worked!

    As for Gary, i doubt he was ever Simon's choice and maybe not even anyone at Syco.
  • gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
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    Really?

    yes, really, she brought a bit of fun to a dull panel. it clear from the rants about nicole and robbie you aren't their biggest of fans. however, the truth is nicole was well received on the show last year and whatever you think about robbie, he would be more of a ratings draw than barlow. people are aware of how talented gary is, unfortunately that doesn't translate to good tv and not a lot of credit is given to what he is saying either, not when you compare his presence with cowell`s.
  • amanda daisyamanda daisy Posts: 416
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    gpk wrote: »
    yes, really, she brought a bit of fun to a dull panel. it clear from the rants about nicole and robbie you aren't their biggest of fans. however, the truth is nicole was well received on the show last year and whatever you think about robbie, he would be more of a ratings draw than barlow. people are aware of how talented gary is, unfortunately that doesn't translate to good tv and not a lot of credit is given to what he is saying either, not when you compare his presence with cowell`s.
    From what I've seen on most polls, Gary was the favorite judge. Nicole was also in other polls, followed closely by Gary. It's only your impression that she was fun and Gary was dull. If you go on most sites, people really don't like her and she said nothing worthy of taking into consideration, but, personally, I have nothing against her. I just don't see the attraction. What drew my attention was the fact that, in the final, when all 4 judges came out, everybody cheered politely for Louis, Tulisa and Nicole and they went nuts when Gary's name was called. I'd say that shows that he's the most liked on that panel. I'm sorry that some people around here are so heavily prejudiced against him that they accuse him of being the complete opposite of what he actually is: the only entertaining person on that show.
    As for Simon, I'll try to refrain myself, because I have nothing good to say about him.
    But I've said it before and I'll repeat myself - I do hope Gary doesn't come back to X Factor. He's doing great with his music and he doesn't need to lower himself like that.
    As for my rants - at least I can sustain them. If need be, I can give you examples for every single thing I've stated. The easiest thing to prove is Gary's humour. I'm just curious what you found so funny about Nicole, apart from her made-up words.
    And at last - Robbie. Actually, you got that partially wrong. I am a TT fan and I do like Rob. But being a fan doesn't have to make you blind to one's flaws. Everybody knows that Robbie is not the greatest singer and that he succeeded thanks to his "personality". But, precisely because I'm a fan, I know that Rob is putting on a persona when he comes on stage and he "acts". That's why I've said that I don't know if he'd be able to act for the entire show-if he did, I agree that it would be interesting to watch, but I simply don't believe he can pretend for so long. If you watch any of the longer interviews he did, you'll see that, by mid-interview, it stops being as funny as at the beginning. That was my whole point. I, for one, prefer it when a person is honest and natural, but, as you all say, that's not what this show needs.
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