What a Farce

Photo - guardian.co.uk

 I hadn't watched the X-Factor since Matt Cardle won it in 2010 and I can't say I have missed it. However, last Sunday evening, my Facebook news feed went berserk - lots of my friends were talking about something called Rylan (mostly in derogatory terms) and I was intrigued. I was informed that Rylan was a contestant on X-Factor this year and that he (I established then that it was a he) was a bit of a diva and he had made it as far as the judges' houses. My curiosity grew, so I had a look on YouTube and discovered what all the fuss was about - yes, that pathetic, completely hammed up reaction to the news that he had made it to the live shows - obviously as the novelty act!

So last night, I thought I'd check out the results show, just to see whether things had improved since Simon Cowell's day. I was strangely gratified to see that Rylan was in the bottom two - (I had no idea how he had performed or whether he has any talent as a singer, having not watched the programme on Saturday.) It was as I feared - he was dire! The judge's would get rid of him there and then. The other contestant completely outclassed him! But no, in true X-Factor style, Louis Walsh took the vote to deadlock and  because of the public vote, this joke of a man went through. It was odd, Louis Walsh had stated first of all that he wanted to keep the woman singer (can't remember her name) but he was all of a dither, (I thought he was going to have a nervous breakdown, surely it's time he bowed out and left an opening for someone who is fit to do the job he's being paid for) and retracted what he had previously said.

I have finally come to realise that the X-Factor is not a talent show, it is just an ITV light entertainment show, that seemingly has nothing to do with discovering new stars. It's strange how you don't hear from many of the winners a few years after their triumph - anyone remember Leon? It's almost better not to win  (JLS and One Direction, being the most notable non-winners. Not that I like them either!) Better still though, not to enter. If you have a talent and are prepared to work hard to realise your dream, you have more chance of making it and emerging with some kind of (possibly battle-scarred) personality, with the added satisfaction of knowing that you did it your way.

I have finally been weaned off X-Factor for good and I really don't give a toss whether Rylan makes it or not.