X-FACTOR 2006

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:45 pm

Hooray--X-factor is back--I love it from beginning to end---including "Xtra factor " on ITV2. I am hooked again.

It was good to see Paula Abdul---I liked her on American Idol--she sais what she thought but was never nasty---well, only to Simon

Tonights mix was as usual----- some crazy, some weird, some average, some moving moments--and a couple of special moments.

Saturday night is X-factor night, for the next few months.

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:18 pm

Marian, the X- Factor was repeated at lunchtime today. We missed the beginning but just sat here in amazement.
What about Edna then !! did you think like us that she was going to slosh Simon Cowell

?? it's a scream isn't it. what a crazy lot on ther.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:38 pm

Hi Lena and Harry--Edna was on breakfast TV this morning---I would not like to get on her wrong side.

But I thought it was great the way she stood up for her daughter in law and had a go at Simon--it was really rude of him to laugh---and she was not THAT bad.

It can only get better----or worse

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:08 am

Well let's hope it gets better.

We know that the auditioning is the hub of the show and all a part in the making of the programme, but we sat here dumbstruck

although Simon Cowell appeared rude to laugh at Edna, we can understand his behaviour and straight for the jugular comments at the other hopefuls.

It's difficult to understand how these people think that they can sing.

We've heard better street singers,

Hilary · Post by **Hilary** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:47 am

Hi Lena, Harry and Marian,

I must admit that we don't watch the "X-factor" much.
I can see why it is classed as entertaining but in a way I think that it is sad that the judges put the performers down and make fun of them!

This show is really just a bit of fun to the judges as they just love to show off in front of the camera and don't really care what they say about the singers taking part!

If we were lucky, (if that is the word!) to be selected to take part in the show then I think that we would need to have nerves of steel to take the criticism that is dished out by the judges.

Peter Grant said that he took part in the show last year but left before the show was aired because THEY wanted to turn him into a pop star and he had other ideas. I think that Peter may have had a lucky escape here.

Other than Will Young, I don't think that the "X-Factor" has produced that many BIG stars but I guess this show along with "Big Brother" and that awful "Love Island" thing, does make us all laugh a bit!

jon · Post by **jon** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 2:03 pm

I'm with Hilary on this one. Not my cup of tea at all. I just don't understand why people want to make such fools of themselves when they have no talent.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 2:40 pm

Hi all. I agree with jon and Hilary, as I don't usually watch those type of programmes. I know they are very entertaining for the viewing public, but there are just TOO MANY of these reality type shows on the air now

Just to rectify a point Hilary, Will Young won "Pop Idol" not the "X Factor" which replaced Pop Idol.

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:06 pm

Well we are more than pleased that Peter Grant had other ideas of where he was going. He is doing very nicely and we would be very disappointed to see his talent wasted.
These shows are springing up all the time.
Brian Conley has a programme on BBC 2 4.30 in the afternoon where the hopefuls have up to three minutes to show their skill.
Yesterday, a Thirteen year old lad sang Nessun Dorma, and quite good he was too. The usual trend though, some not bad , some not good

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:06 pm

A great discovery from these "talent/reality shows" is Lemar. I believe he appeared on Fame Academy. He's a classic soul singer and supposedly a well-mannered, nice young man. His latest release, It's Not That Easy, is currently played often on Radio 2. I really liked his song If There's Any Justice. I hope he continues to record R & B music.

Hilary · Post by **Hilary** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:06 am

Hi Lena, Harry, Paul and everyone,

Paul, I agree with you about Lemar. He is very good and long many he make good music. Fame Academy was actually quite good as the show tried to nurture the artists taking part and not put them down all the time!

Robert, Thank you for putting me right about Will Young!
I should have remembered that he took part in Pop Idol and not X Factor.
How could I have forgotten about that other quality talent show!

Last year, we saw a documentary type of show which showed everyone what went on behind the scenes of a cruise liner!
You should have seen the state of the kitchens

If I were to go on this ship then I think that I would probably take several packed lunches with me!

Cutting a very long story short, during the evening the passengers were filmed enjoying, (They didn't really look that happy!) a night of music in the main bar.

The singer entertaining everyone was Rik Waller!
I think that he took part in Pop Idol a few years ago. ( if I am wrong then I'm sure Robert will let us know!)

They filmed Rik before his show in the evening. He said that he did a lot
of the liners as that was where the money was and he admitted that taking part in Pop Idol didn't really help him as he wanted to be like Will Young, with a record contract and a UK fan base.

He did his set and then afterwards he left to sit in the bar by himself as the other passengers didn't really want to talk to him which seemed quite sad really. Even when he was on stage, I don't think that the audience really cared who he was or what he was singing as they were talking all the time!

Maybe this is where a lot of the other artists end up.
I think that those taking part in this years X Factor could go the same way and their dreams could be shattered as not all of them will have the record contract that they dreamed about!

On a much brighter note, Desmond Carrington played Matt last night on his Radio 2 show. We heard the Beatles classic, "All my lovin'" which was nice. Desmond went on to tell everyone about Matt's earlier recording career.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:31 pm

Nice post Hilary, I bet it took you a while to type. Yes Rik Waller did appear in Pop Idol. I watched those type of shows then (but not now)

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:00 pm

Hi all-I think Rik Waller ruined it for himself--I believe he withdrew himself from the show. But I do not think he would have won-there was some very strong competition that year, and I was surprised that only Will and Gareth got a record contract, as there were some very good singers---oh, I forgot about Darius-that makes 3--I like Darius very much,
he seemed a really nice guy.

I am not a big fan of reality shows such as "Big Brother" or "Love Island" or "I'm a celebrity"----in fact I cannot stand them---but anything with music in it, I have to watch.

Marian

paul jh · Post by **paul jh** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:26 pm

Hello Hilary, Marian, Robert, and all -- Before I read Marian's message, I was feeling sorry for Rik Waller all alone at the bar. Well, he is making money singing. I only heard his single of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You. I wasn't impressed. No one should record that song but Dolly Parton in its original version. Even Dolly did a remake a few years later and it was just dreadful. I can't even listen to Whitney Houston's version. That key change really bothers me.

I've toured several cruise ship kitchens and they've been spotless. And they are reviewed for cleanliness standards quite regularly, so that I'm curious which ship is so dirty.

Thanks for mentioning the Desmond Carrington show. I'll be sure to listen to it. I like his programme but find it hard to fit him in when I'm busy "listening again" to Sarah Kennedy, Ken Bruce, FNIMN, Jo Whiley, and Week-end Breakfast with Spoony.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 8:34 pm

Well everone--much of the same last night---just a few bright spots to give us hope for the finals. But some seriously strange acts as well. I cannot believe that some of them think that they can actually sing. I love singing, but there is no way that I would sing in front of ANYONE, let alone go on a show like that in front of millions---not to mention Simon!!

Marian

Hilary · Post by **Hilary** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:31 am

Hi Lena, Harry, Robert, Marian and Paul,

I think that Karaoke has played a big part in the X factor and many other talent contests.
Maybe some people who take part in Karaoke think that they are GOOD because when they are up on stage people in the audience will probably applaud out of politeness and this may give the person on stage a false impression that they have what it takes to be a good singer!

There is a local Karaoke singer here in Oxford that does the rounds of the local pubs/clubs and he THINKS that he is very good!
Sadly this is not the case. We saw him in all his "glory" last year and believe me, his performance was VERY painful to watch and yes, we did appaud out of politeness as this seemed the best thing to do as we did feel sorry for him........and by doing this he would hopefully soon leave the stage!

According to our local newspaper, the singer once entered the Pop Idol competition a few years ago because his mates said that he was good enough to "go for it!" Sadly he didn't make it past the first round as Simon Cowell couldn't believe what he was hearing and told him that maybe he should try singing lessons or something along those lines!!

I think that even if the people taking part can't sing, you have to admire their guts as they need to have a lot of confidence to stand there in front of the judges and do their "stuff."