The X Factor has been cancelled by Fox, though the network’s hilarious press release spun the news by saying the show “has concluded its domestic run” and attributed it to Simon Cowell’s decision to return to the UK version to judge. In reality, this is just the inevitable cancellation of a failed show that has… continue reading
X Factor
Survivor DWI selfie; X Factor future; Runway’s first double winner criticizes challenges
Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly was asked about the future of The X Factor yesterday, and he told TV critics, “There is no decision.” Of Simon Cowell’s grandstanding, he said, “I love him. He’s doing what he should do as a producer.” Reilly admitted that the series “underperformed this year” but said in other countries,… continue reading
Crushed by Survivor, X Factor being retooled by Simon Cowell and pitched to Fox
Having had his awful show crushed this season by both The Voice and timeslot competitor Survivor, Simon Cowell is retooling X Factor and pitching it to Fox. He remains confident the show will, but with a new format and judges. I hope he’s being his usual delusional self, because if the network re-ups with his… continue reading
X Factor dumps all viewer votes from last night
The X Factor is discarding all viewer votes cast last night because of an on-screen error that displayed inaccurate phone numbers. Dancing with the Stars did the exact same thing a few weeks ago. A message on the show’s Facebook page said: “As a result of a graphics error (incorrect voting numbers were displayed on… continue reading
A list of X Factor’s former cast members: now including fired host Khloe Kardashian
After just one disastrous season hosting, Khloe Kardashian was fired from The X Factor, leaving Mario Lopez to host alone. She joins a surprisingly large list of people who’ve been fired, quit, or left a show that has been on just two seasons: So, here’s the tally of people who were fired, quit, or left… continue reading
Britney Spears quit/fired from X Factor
The X Factor judge/bad investment Britney Spears won’t return for its third season, joining L.A. Reid in quitting Simon Cowell’s ego trip. She’s quitting in advance of being fired, according to reports. MTV News reports that “sources close to the production confirmed to MTV News on Thursday (January 10) that the singer has quit the… continue reading
L.A. Reid quits X Factor, kind of like America
The X Factor judge L.A. Reid won’t return for season three, quitting the show after being two seasons and arguably its break-out star, if this disastrous mess of a show can have such a thing. L.A.’s announcement comes as viewers are leaving, too: Survivor easily beat X Factor again last night, among overall viewers and… continue reading
X Factor’s singing and hosting: what in the hell?
Since the early days of American Idol, I’ve argued that it–along with other talent competition series, from Top Chef to Project Runway–aren’t primarily talent competitions, especially when the public’s vote is involved. They’re popularity contests for which talent is, at best, one data point, and that’s what makes them reality shows rather than mere talent… continue reading
Fox’s “total f up” with X Factor, baseball
The X Factor was interrupted last night by baseball, and while having that show taken off our televisions for a few moments should be welcome, it turned out to be a mess that Simon Cowell called “a total f up.” Fox announced that last night’s episode will air, in its entirety, on Tuesday, because it… continue reading
X Factor hires two people to do Steve Jones’ job
Fox today announced what Simon Cowell called “the worst kept secret in Hollywood,” which is to say it wasn’t a secret at all: “Television personality Khloé Kardashian Odom and TV host and actor Mario Lopez will host the second season of The X Factor,” which last season was hosted by Steve Jones, until he was… continue reading
X Factor auditioner considered suicide following his on-stage breakdown
One of Wednesday’s more memorable auditions on The X Factor was Don Philip’s time on stage; he performed a duet, “I Will Still Love You,” with Britney in 1999. He says that he contemplated suicide following the audition because he felt set up by the show’s producers. Don Philip told the New York Post the… continue reading
X Factor surprises but still gets beaten by a weaker Voice
I wanted nothing more than a reason to write off The X Factor: People may have watched last fall, but it was a show bankrupt of new ideas that was, at best, a slightly evolved version of American Idol. And it was crushed creatively by The Voice, which dumped most of the conventions of a… continue reading
The Voice will face off against X Factor’s debut
NBC has added an additional hour to The Voice‘s third-season premiere week in order to compete directly against The X Factor‘s debut (never mind poor Big Brother). The X Factor‘s second season continues Thursday, meaning that between the two shows, there will be six hours of just those two music competitions next week, never mind… continue reading
Britney Spears, Demi Lovato will try to save X Factor 2 from drowning in Simon Cowell’s ego
Britney Spears and Demi Lovato are joining Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid to judge the second season of Fox’s The X Factor. If you’re still conscious after that sentence, you can see the new panel in a photo of the new judging panel Simon tweeted this afternoon. Fox said in a press release that “Spears… continue reading
If Britney Spears is getting $15 million to judge X Factor, it should be renamed Money Dumpster
A report today suggests what’s been rumored for months: Britney Spears will join Fox’s The X Factor as a judge in the fall. E! News reported the confirmation, citing a source obviously on Britney’s side of the equation who said, “She can’t wait to sit down next to Simon at the judges’ table and give… continue reading