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Okay, as suggested in the ITV thread, another furore over the result of a TV talent contest. But why do people take part? The purpose of the shows isn't to unearth some wonderful singing star, but to glorify the mediocrity on the judging panel.

The winners of the series tend to have a shelf life of about a year, and in order to survive longer have to reinvent themselves. Being plucked from obscurity to stardom is a lovely dream---but the reality is rather different. It may take years, and a lot of hard work, but learning your craft is still the best way to go about it. Yes, you may get booed off at some social club, but that's a lot more honest than being hyped or triped by some egotistical wankstain wearing big trousers and shoe polish in his hair.

personally i've got no time for programmes like x factor,big brother.it's all attention seeking freaks that enter them and seek their fifthteen minutes of fame.People who ring in casting their votes obviously have more money than sense.

Search for a Porn Star is well worth it though !cool!

I think Cowell- quite legitimately- makes six times as much from X Factor as the winner does.

Take Leona Lewis. He is both her manager [20%] and her record company.

The small print for all the muppets signing up is that they agree to a five-album deal with Cowell's label; but with him having the option to release them from their deal at any time and without further payment. The '?1 million' deal covers the recording costs for all five albums- so essentially they have to live about ?250K for five to ten years.

He also- as Steve Brookstein found out- has the right to veto what you record and release for the duration. So it may take 10 years and 10 albums to do 5 albums if 5 are refused a release.

The losing finalists have to agree to go on tour for a fixed wage- and not a share of revenue- and not to sign a contract elsewhere for a year or earlier if they are released from their deals with him. In a year, most are forgotten- though Chico bucked the trend and Rhydian might.

All finalists can at any time in that year be signed up by Cowell on the same terms as the winner.

Personally, I find it hilarious. What Michelle Thorne thought she had signed up for is anyone's guess.

It's meant to be a talent show though.I heard the fella who won,only won because the x factor viewers felt sorry for him over his old man dying.

Sorry to sound crass but that should'nt come into the eqausion.If he does'nt have a good singing voice,he simply does'nt deserve to win,but i can't judge that as i don't watch x factor.

This is all a fix anyway.Do you think Girls Aloud won their fame over their good singing voices? !laugh!

colonel wrote:

> What Michelle Thorne thought she had signed up for is anyone's guess.

But she was never going to reach the finals. She would be deemed too controversial. Although she did reach the quarter-final stage.

There can be no doubt these things are stage-managed far beyond the impression they try to give, but even so the public seem to have taken to them in big numbers, and if they find them entertaining and enjoyable so be it. They might be fake, but can't fake their success.

The problem I find is that the talent they encourage is so utterly generic. They spent nearly a whole year buffing up Leona Lewis for the big push and the end result is a song & video that could be any other Soul/RnB diva of the last ten years, which is probably exactly what they wanted.

It's nothing to do with new or different talent. Just old ideas of what talent is given a fresh gloss. A sort of cultural taxidermy, if you like.

The Last Word wrote:

>They spent nearly a whole year buffing up
> Leona Lewis for the big push and the end result is a song &
> video that could be any other Soul/RnB diva of the last ten
> years, which is probably exactly what they wanted.
>

A kind of Whitney-without-the-drugs?

Interestingly, Cowell does have his limits. He is-amazingly- still an executive at SonyBMG, who allowed him to set up his own Syco label on condition that everything is licensed to them for a long period. They are minority shareholders in Syco as well.

Leona Lewis has been transferred to the J Records label of Clive Davis- still in the SonyBMG empire- but Cowell's boss! Yes- even Simon Cowell has a line manager.

Some very good points here and Steve Brookstein - according to
the paper yesterday - was singing at a party in a pizza parlour
on Saturday night.

Think the plan with Leona was always to go for the US market and
therefore they want her to be a bland Mariah/Whitney copycat
A shame really as she does have a good voice but making money
for Cowell and record company is all that matters


As for stage managed there is no doubt that happens.
If not how did two manufactured (supposedly at the last minute)
groups go forward to this years knock out shows?

Lastly although Michelle Thorne was never going to win just having
her get so far in the competition was always going to be great
publicity for the show - something else itv and Cowell love