The people I know actually agree it's all a massively orchestrated show that isn't at all serious. There are no really great singers any year and it's just an advertisement for an album - a very long advertisement to give the impression somebody can sing and then people buy the music.

The power of TV.

But... looking at this forum and others I find people really fall for the whole show, think people can sing and really do believe that there is talent on the show and that there is such a thing as the X Factor and the show's makers are looking for it and seeking it out.

I mean - take the auditioning etc. If these people had the X Factor, wouldn't they have taken steps from accolades and criticism and made it to some point already? The fact they audition many people should give the impression it's to find the super desperate who would sign their lives away for very little in the end: A carefully worded contract where the million pounds is spent in house circularly and no real gain is made but a publicity stunt.

So is there anyone else who just watches it for a laugh and doesn't take it as a serious singing competition.

In all honesty I am somewhat gobsmacked how seriously some people take it. I really thought the orchestration of the show was obvious.

I watch it as a diversion and not because a 'boil in the bag pop star'(as Boy George once called them) is going to appear as a megastar before our eyes and take the world by storm......

Have you heard of Peter Kaye's new show on Channel 4?

Seems to say the same thing you just said.

http://www.peterkay.net/

It's called something like Peter Kaye presents the pop factor or

This is it :

Britain's Got The Pop Factor And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Super star Strictly On Ice.

I think alot of the singers on the show are better than what we have in the charts today. It's very, very hard to break into the music industry today. A lot of contestants have done promo albums but nothing has come from them. This is the only way for them to get somewhere. Leona tried for a record deal but could not get one.

I think they can sing in a certain key and a certain manner or octave but I don't think they are great singers. I think chart folk have experience and understanding of studios and such. I know X Factor uses the production line manufactured route of making songs, tweaking voices and digitally placing them in time so I don't think many of the acts get anywhere near to being anything more than huge publicity stunts.

I think Leona had a record in the pipeline (a very good one in fact - with her voice not a digitally enhanced one) but then she was approached for the X Factor and the release was shelved - totally.

But very good singers get work by the usual route through entertainment agencies, doing ship work and studio session work and generally whatever a singer will do to get work. They can earn anything upwards of 30k a year like this which is a good wage but it's the ones who want record deals (which barely give you a good wage after everybody takes a cut of your work) who are really just living in cloud cuckoo land.

But these guys must do band stuff, play live and get into studios to get an idea of what a real singer actually does and realise how it's such a huge illusion.

Disturbingly, many here and elsewhere seem to get sucked right into the X factor web.
I like the auditions for the freak factor, although I think how the people are manipulated is disgraceful.
So I'm a hypocrite there.

Boot camp - couldn't care less.
Overseas poncing about ala this week - couldn't care less.
I could go on ... including caring even less about who wins.

I do find it amusing that 'giants of talent' such as Sinitta and Emma Bunton are called upon to give their critical assistance and expert perspective.

Yes, it's best to watch the show just for entertainment purposes and enjoy your own favourites and leave it at that.

Some people do take it too seriously. They've even gone to the extremes of making negative videos of an act they don't like just because they have another favourite.

You missed out 'that one from Westlife' who was assisting Louis tonight.

... and also Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud.

Infact I do think I watch X Factor for entertainment. My favourites never win. Only CD I have bought from an X Factor contestant has been Leona's album (which I was ever so slightly disappointed with). The older shows brought us more credible people like Will Young, Girls Aloud, Lemar, Liberty X etc. It's harder today for talent show people to make it and with any credit left in tact.

Making negative videos of an act they don't like? Like what - making accusations against their character or their personal life?

OK, we all love Cheryl because she's down to earth but she's hardly an expert in music in any form. Louis is the king of manufactured bands, - well those few that did well and Simon is basically making money from fabrication but that's just one part of it because after all these guys are looking for someone who can make money and everything else is a stage adn they are all playing their parts

Only Lemar and that girl from the BBC show who did those ballads have been real musicians in my eyes. Everyone else has been so fabricated and manipulated it's actually very very funny.

Yes, making fun of the person as a whole, the way they sing, look, their personality, just goes on an on. I don't think they can make fun of their personal life because they don't know what is going on there.

The X factor gave us Leona Lewis, It can result in somebody being given a massive oppertunity.

What videos are these? Making fun of acts is done by everyone. That's not negative.

Which act are you talking about.

I think Leona was going to be big anyway.

She was going to give up had she not been successful on XF.

Tell that to Will Young, Lemar, Girls Aloud, Leona lewis and even people like Andy Abraham, Brenda and Cassie etc who have made careers out of TV talent shows.

Like anything in life 90% of success is down to marketing so it's a very good vehicle for anyone to get their name in the public eye. But if you are not into music or talent particularly I can see why you think it's all a big laugh. I feel much the same about football.

Making fun of acts is being negative.

I think you know which act I am talking about.

I'm into music and talent but it's not in the X Factor.

Point of the thread is that people take the show seriously when in actual fact if these people were any good (as illustrated in the first post) and had talent musically they would make a very good living.

The point is they are shows to make pawns of people for the record industry.

Look at the transition of any artist and you will see they may peak but they will fall and then if they are good enough, continue to make money in arts but some, even those that Simon says "you're fantastic" disappear into a world of obscurity.

That is why it's a laugh.


Football and the X Factor are in the same boat. Both rely upon people getting carried away with it.

How do I know what you are talking about when you haven't provided links to the videos.

Making fun of acts is hardly negative. It occurs in the press and there is a massive industry of satire and humour in the press. It's all part of the business, the entertainment business. Watch Sunset Boulevard and see what the entertainment business is actually about.

So what are you talking about because only then you can judge but if it's just making fun of an act - it's just making fun of an act. If it's one of your favourites then it outlines the aims of the thread that people do take the show very seriously when in fact it's entertainment.

No she had a record being passed around and Simon got hold of it and put her on the X Factor. Gave her the shy and retiring receptionist look and brought in the votes.

She was trained at a stage school as well and was just moving through the motions like her contemporaries who are famous too.

I'd consider him a credible expert, more or less. He can actually sing in tune and everything.

As for Kimberley and Girls Aloud .... hmm success yes, expert talent no.
Same as Cheryl and Danni. Apparently nice attractive girls, skillfully managed and promoted to achieve chart success. And that's pretty much it.

Only when he gets up from the stool.