Simon's going to make sure Cheryl wins again this year. You mark my words. It's all one big con. Why do you think he has so many psychology books in his office? The guy's a professional conman who knows how to manipulate the public. He actually knows very little about picking acts. His record with EMI was atrocious, and he was a laughing stock.
He's a television man, not music. He's said himself that he's only in the business to make money (I know him, and have been in the industry for several decades).
The only reason his "acts" get anywhere is because of 4 months of constant promo and exposure on the X Factor. In the real world they wouldn't stand a chance against much better and more proffessional acts who have honed themselves with several of practice in the pub and clubs. It's a quick and easy way to gain something without having to work for it. Just like being a WAG, which seems to sum up quite a large minority of this generation (and they can't be blamed for it).
Cowell's programmes are a virus that seem to have infested the planet, knocking off better made programming, and replacing it with lazy untalented people trying to gain their 15 minutes of fame, and who don't seem to care that he makes them look like idiots for the baying public. With Cowell pocketing the money from the silly peasants from the phone lines and subsequent short-lived "careers" of these "artists". Don't be fooled when him or Walsh tell you that everyone is insulted like this in the music industry. They're not, believe me, as there'd be more black eyes than you could shake a stick at. No one is... Welcome to the real world of reality TV... Rant over!!!