Wouldn’t it be nice if the backstage peeks we’re getting in VTs this year could show us the meetings that really matter? Creative briefing, Wed pm. “Gemma, we want to drag Monica down in the vote this week. Could you dress her in a really suggestive manner? As much leg and cleavage as you like, you know, really make those female voters feel threatened. Oh yes, and she has a tattoo close to an intimate location, could you manage to find an outfit that exposes that?”
In last week’s review post, we reckoned Bupsi had cause to say “Et tu, Annabel” to her vocal coach; this week, we reckon Monica can mutter “Et tu, Gemma” as she reflects on the show’s hatchet job on her that saw her backed into favouritism for elimination. The alternative explanation is that Gemma – “one of the leading fashion stylists on the circuit” – genuinely believed she was helping by pushing the dress, which poor Monica clearly didn’t want anything to do with.
For Monica, it was another of those damned if you do, damned if you don’t situations that we saw with Jack Walton last year: he was also mocked for agreeing to dress in something that made him look ridiculous… the week after being portrayed as awkward and boring when he’d reportedly refused to make himself look ridiculous by ripping his shirt off. If Monica had stuck to her instincts and refused to wear the thing, no doubt she’d have been on the receiving end of a VT portraying her as difficult to work with and unwilling to take a risk.
Indignity was piled upon indignity for Monica this week, after Rita forgot her name when trying to introduce her (“she’s amazing, she’s… my girl”), and no other mentor or presenter was quick-thinking enough to cover it up – indeed, they ended up making sure everyone noticed. We’ll ascribe that one to cock-up rather than conspiracy, but it’s hard to do the same with the VT, arrangement and staging.
The VT had featured Monica worrying to Annabel that the song was “boring” – and while we then saw them trying to fix this, the thought was planted in viewers’ minds. We also saw Monica telling Annabel she has two minutes to “save myself”, planting the thought that she isn’t a leading contender. There was fire on the stage and in the backdrop, which we believe has “stay away” connotations. The lyrics had her admitting “Got me looking so crazy… I’m not myself… I’m foolish, I don’t do this”.
The dancers turned their backs on her at the end, visually suggesting they were embarrassed to be associated with her. That’s a trick the show has used before, but was there perhaps also a new staging trick at the start? The dancers sat under mirrors that appeared to be in danger of falling over and crushing them, visually suggesting “hanging by a thread”. They then spent a long time on the floor.
Cheryl’s comments were a masterpiece of smiling sweetly while twisting the knife. She started with a doubtful “how did you feel about that performance? Be honest”, which translates as “admit it, you know that was shit”; then, while claiming the sexed-up look suited Monica, she also slipped in “I would have loved to have seen you pared back, maybe like hardly any makeup”, which suggests “you look like a tart”.
Cowell was less subtle: “What have they turned you into? You can’t allow this to happen.” The look of humiliation on Monica’s face likely motivated sympathy from voters – as it did from several Sofabet commenters, so much so that some wondered if that was deliberate; our suspicion is that Cowell messed up in making Monica come across as a victim. Other commenters have puzzled why the show bothered to bring back Monica, if they planned to turn on her so quickly; we don’t have an answer for that – they do seem to be making it up as they go along more than usual this year.
What next for Monica? Her “how about an originals week” comeback to Grimmy is not the kind of independent-minded sass that tends to endear an act to the show’s producers; check out Cowell’s face after that line.
If they want her out, as with Abi Alton – whose attempted downfall they also accidentally overcooked, provoking a sympathy vote that kept her safe – the best bet may be a redemptive arc: allow her to do things her way, and portray it as a journey completed.
Get Your Thinking Recap On
Something we haven’t often discussed on Sofabet, but we like to look out for, is the recap edit – what producers choose to show in recaps can often be a useful guide as to what they want to stick in viewers’ minds. The start of Sunday’s show, recapping Saturday’s, is a good example. “Some rose to the challenge”, boomed Peter Dickson, as we saw images of Louisa, Lauren, Che and Reggie N Bollie. “Others were under pressure…”.
That was followed by Nick telling Anton his performance was like “a really bad musical”; Rita telling Mason “I don’t think you challenged yourself”; Simon telling Seann “that was lazy”; and Nick telling Max “you’re cooler than that”. As Peter Dickson concluded “the DREAM… WILL… END”, it’s Monica who appears on the screen. Although perhaps the biggest insult was to poor Kiera, who didn’t appear at all – evidently producers felt her coffin didn’t need another nail.
5,000 Miles Moore
Nick’s “cabaret” line to Mark Ronson about Seann’s judges’ houses performance had also been included in the recap before he chose his final three. Perhaps we shouldn’t have been so surprised by Seann’s early downfall after all. But we were. If we believe the Daily Star leak that Seann managed 3rd in week 1, which does seem plausible, how do we explain his drop to 10th last weekend?
It’s not quite unprecedented. In the comments, Sagand and Lia have given two examples of sharp falls in position from the first phone vote to the second: Sophie Habibis (3rd to 9th) and Scott Bruton (2nd to 9th). Yet, as Annie pointed out, Seann’s first week position wasn’t as false as Scott’s (who got a sympathy vote after Cowell took responsibility for a bad song choice), and he wasn’t as nuked in the second public vote as Sophie (whose VT suggested she was “boring”, “forgettable” and “dressed like Carol Vorderman”). Sophie also dropped only from 8.9% to 5.8%, and it’s likely that Seann will have dropped further.
If so, we suspect producers probably weren’t expecting to get him eliminated this week, but a deramp was clearly intended. Simon’s comments – headed by that damning “lazy” line, which implies he’s not working hard enough to deserve his place in the competition – were the clearest sign. Other factors, whether intentional or not, didn’t do him any favours – like the skit shown on Thursday’s Xtra Factor, and tweeted by the official X Factor account shortly afterwards, which was an attempt at comedy caricature but hardly helped an act who we already felt might have a likeability problem.
It may be too tinfoil-hat even for us to wonder where Seann got the T-shirt he wore throughout that show, bearing the slogan “Dump Him”, which also featured in Saturday’s VT.
Nick introduced that VT by saying, “This guy has travelled halfway across the world to be here”, reminding us he’s from Australia – and what an irony that he then proceeded to sing a song complaining that “All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey”, and banging on about wanting to be in a sunnier place thousands of miles away. Seann’s outsider status was reinforced by the conversation with his father and Filipino mother, currently residing in the Philippines. Otherwise the VT featured a pretty anodyne drama about song choice, though Grimmy expressed the fear that Seann’s ‘Downtown’ would be too “musical”.
In the comments, Jessica had already questioned the wisdom of ‘California Dreamin’ as a song choice. Visually, we started with the literal brown leaf, symbol of autumnal decline. What also struck us was the jarring initial use of the minor key (also used in the last note for ‘Life On Mars’), something far more common in musical theatre than pop songs. Indeed the whole performance looked and sounded like something out of the West End, but without the over-the-top theatrical wow factor of the first week pimp slot.
In short, and with hindsight, there was no particular motivation to vote: it wasn’t as striking as the previous week, and fans who might have thrown him a vote had they believed he needed it will likely have assumed he was safe so they didn’t need to bother. (This serves as a one-sentence summary of a confusingly game-theoretic explanation of X Factor voting published this week in The Telegraph).
We have to admit surprise, alongside many of our commenters, that he wasn’t saved over Mason in the singoff – what had seemed to be a promising pantomime villain role for Mason after his reinstatement had never transpired, with his treatment over the last three weekends effectively neutering him, and a second-placed running order position on Saturday hardly suggesting that he was a producer priority. So do they still have hopes of turning Mason into a commercial heart-throb, or was this simply a classic shock elimination for the sake of short-term headlines with the confidence that they can ditch Mason whenever?
Do keep the conversation going below, and stay tuned because <Peter Dickson>THIS WEEK… ON SOFABET… IT’S A… DOUBLE… REVIEW… ARTICLE</Peter Dickson>. Further thoughts on other acts coming your way in a day or two.
X Factor images ©SYCO/THAMES TV/PA
I hadn’t seen that Seann clip from the Xtra Factor until now – certainly they were trying to make him appear difficult and the “Widow Twanky” of the series. He took the direction well, anyone watching would know he wasn’t remotely like that and was enjoying himself – but probably didn’t for a moment realise he was being set up.
The one defining shot for me is Che throwing Seann over his shoulder and carrying him up the stairs, with all the Mills & Boon cliches that such an act implies. The viewer will not have expected Che to be able to bear this weight, or be a man who romantically takes the lead. An early attempt at sexing up a flagging Che? It will be interesting to see how they present him this coming week.
Might be just my opinion, but “sexing up a flagging Che”? Not a pleasant image. I’m watching this for lay betting opportunities.
It wasn’t just Che carrying him, it was Seann spanking him as he was being carried. It was a bit too much…..
The whole skit rang alarm bells for me when I saw it on Xtra factor, and in hindsight I’m wondering why I didn’t piece anything together.
Neither had I, and as well as looking thoroughly dislikeable and irritating from that clip (which, to be honest, also looked extremely scripted, but is the average viewer going to think so?) we have him directly pissing off Lauren (“he treats me like I’m his Cinderella or something”) and being rude to both Che and Mason. Who’s his only advocate? Kiera.
Based on that VT there could well have been an anti-Seann vote from Lauren, Che, and/or Mason fans – I would hazard, particularly teenage Mason fans who see their heartthrob being attacked by some foreign diva, and Lauren fans who see their favourite being bullied with class connotations. Having seen that I’m much less surprised that SMM would fall into bottom two.
Not so much an anti-Seann vote as a group of people who would feel indifferent or even hostile towards him and so not give him their sympathy votes.
Remember, you can’t vote against people.
Unless you’re obnoxious enough to vote for all of the other acts!
The “Dump Him” T-shirt wouldn’t be tinfoil hat thinking, now really, would it? God knows what he did to upset TPTB. I wish I’d seen it coming, but there were clues all along. Actually I think the DT got it right (exceptionally) – musical theatre comments are the kiss of death, despite the fact that for most X-Factor contestants it would be a very successful career outcome.
Looks like Che’s being “advised” to lose weight.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/6734300/Big-Mac-ban-for-X-Factor-fatty-Che.html
Now magazine have also since ran the story, Che today tweeted a response denying any truth in the story.
Also another interesting story:
http://www.tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-x-factor/239204-x-factors-anton-stephans-accused-of-playing-the-game.htm
Looks like the story’s been removed from both Tellymix and the original source.
HEH!! Brilliant. A story that could only come from “an insider” is now pulled. I get the feeling someone’s losing control.
I was too late.. what was the story?
Loved the message they left though…
Uh oh. Here comes the new donut deramp.
Really interesting that Game Theory. It reflects a lot of the things we discuss here but with different names, like sympathy votes and being forgettable. Thanks!
I like the way the Telegraph article suggests that the bottom 2 is a mechanism for the judges to stop a better act being sent home!
That’s the excuse for having a sing-off. We know it as a way to get rid of people they don’t want there and cause some drama with controversial picks, but they can’t say that!
I am a bit surprised by the double again this week. It seems that it will be pretty hard for Mason to bounce out of the bottom 3, and will just further underscore the question- why save him in the first place?? It’s so interesting that once we really thought about it everyone could kind of see why Sean had gone, and how he had been subtly derailed (although I find the whole lazy/unemployed theme this year very sinister) but nobody fully got it at the time (barring song choice). Now that is a lesson in manipulation!
Maybe that was the point that Mason wouldn’t bounce and Seann (if he had polled third week one) would have.
I think there is an issue with these ‘backstage’ VT’s in that it makes it quite explicit what we already know:
We chose the song
We chose the arrangement
We chose the styling
We arrange the choreography
The acts can do very little other than turn up and sing and dance. There’s no longer even any pretence that the acts have very much say – even on the aledged ‘this is me’ week.
So unless the criticism relates to the actual singing it’s more a reflection on the production team.
It’s quite clear and the viewer sees it. We see the decisions being made – the act performs – 2 minutes later Cowell and co criticise same decisions. I don’t think anyone can be in any doubt that Monica and Anton were in any way responsible for the criticism that they were getting this week.
So what possible explanations can the viewer come to:
1 the production team are making these decisions knowingly with the intention to undermine certain acts.
2 the production team are a bunch of incompetents who don’t know what they’re doing.
Either way it doesn’t make them look great does it.
Actually I’m starting to think that the answer isn’t option 1. It’s probably both 1 and 2. There’s no other explanation for this shambles this year.
I think they do have themselves a little problem. One one hand the show is better when Simon is Mr Nasty, on the other hand that attitude generates sympathy for contestants. This week’s double eviction makes the problem worse because generating sympathy votes makes an unintended eviction more likely.
We may see some of the heavy lifting (in terms of deramp) delegated to the other judges. Consistent messages in the comments will be important if they want to hit their targets. End of journey motifs may the thing to watch out for.
Even they realised you can’t kick a puppy on tv. You definitely don’t want to kick it twice (Monica / Anton).
https://sofabet.com/2015/11/07/x-factor-2015-week-2-elimination-kiera-likely/comment-page-1/#comment-65083
Wow that Telegraph article is at the same time intelligently complex and hopeless naive. What a combination.
Just read that Telegraph article… although it’s correct, it’s using something that’s already happened to try and prove its point, therefore it’s basically useless.
It’s a bit like me saying Tottenham draw 1-1 at Arsenal, and the reason for this was because x, y, z… but saying it on a Monday, after the event.
To make that article in any way relevant to the authors beliefs, they should add something about who they think will be going this week.
The odd thing about a positive vote is that sometimes it can lead to a contestant everybody likes being sent home. It’s happened a few times in Big Brother/Celebrity Big Brother. Hira of Alice In Wonderland cake fame for example, or Scoop and Gail Porter in the last celebrity series. All of them were generally well liked and went in votes to save. I think in their case it’s because they weren’t involved with all the various conflicts in the house, so less motivation to vote.
Obviously, The X Factor is a different sort of show altogether. But there are some contestants who most people agree are “good” and “deserve to be there”, but aren’t many people’s favourites. I don’t think there was any massive dislike for Seann, at least not that I’ve seen, and I think a lot of people thought he was talented and unique and so on, but would he have been many people’s favourite? Especially as The X Factor’s audience is notoriously middle-of-the-road at the best of times. I think there are lots of other reasons too, lack of regional support, and getting lost in the shuffle in the running order this week.
I also think that the average viewer is becoming wiser to all the manipulation now, and that the show is being very unsubtle about it this year too. The targetting of Anton and Monica was far too blatant this week.
I think the article nails the problems with Seann (and the other acts that they missed targets for last weekend). With the condensed live shows, it seems to be that they’ve acted in haste with their targets but seem to have forgotten that the public don’t care about that and still vote with their hearts (at times). It could be that they’ve made their mark – Monica and Anton are damaged goods now, but as has been pointed out with the way the VTs are this year, all the things they’ve been criticised for, we’ve seen the production team forcing on them rather than Anton and Monica choosing to do it and it being their comfort zone.
If I were producing the show, I’d have Monica completely in her comfort zone this week – the sort of artist she is won’t attract voters, I don’t really see the justification in ripping her to shreds like they did last week when they could quite easily have let her sing a dark, relatively unknown song, add her own rap and with unappealing lighting and have her being as “street” as possible during VTs. This is why I debated whether it was intentional to motivate a sympathy vote, as they know Monica’s lane isn’t a vote grabber. The only question with that is why they’d even want Monica kept around. In my opinion, she’s a greater commercial prospect than Lauren, but if they have to tamper with her vote and treatment in this way, it was a waste of time bringing her back to begin with. I am overthinking it, and they’re obviously just making it up as they go along, but if they treated Monica in this way because her week one vote scared them and she was a threat to Louisa, why not switch lanes and go in on Lauren as well?
Interesting you say this…I’ve called my bottom three for this week – Max, Monica and Lauren…I hope I’m wrong…
I’m not sure on Lauren, on account of her being so likeable. With Movie week coming up, it opens up a whole lane of vulnerability for her – anything tacky like karaoke associations, hen do’s as Jess has previously suggested… she’s done her ballad last weekend, there’s the potential there for another hatchet job. To me, Louisa seems pretty solid – if I wanted to take down Lauren, I’d give her “Can’t Fight The Moonlight” from Coyote Ugly and have her dancing on a bar like a stripper, complete with feather boas, L plates and tshirts with her face on.
Wow, that Xtra Factor “comedy” skit is sooooo bad.
I missed the Xtra Factor on Thursday – the Seann VT really is unbelievable. You can question why Anton, Mason and Monica have allowed themselves to be so manipulated, but this is the same. In acting this out did Seann really not have any comprehension of how ridiculous this was going to make him appear. Why on earth would anyone go along with this? Even as a joke the viewer is going to assume that it must a least be based on elements of reality.
I dont think it’s that bad. Yes it suggests that there must be an element of truth to the “diva” suggestions but equally Seann has played along with it and having the ability to laugh at yourself is generally considered an endearing quality. For me it would have warmed as many people to him as much as it might have put some off.
Monica’s vote must be pretty solid given the hatchet job failed to make her bottom 3. i’ve had a daft ew now given you can get 41.0. was going to put on £2.50 ew but Skybet have limited me to £1.88… bastards 😉
I’m about to do exactly the same – I wasn’t going to mention it until I’d done it. Great first week. Sympathy generating second week. All curvy woman dress but not *cough* rubbing your face in it. This has the makings of a proper journey. Louisa would kill for a narrative like it. Also, given the R&B price crash she’s the only value left for the win / final. Definitely worth a couple of quid each way imo.
I’ve been thinking about Mason and am just wondering if his whole “journey” is some twisted kind of punishment. Much like a few are beginning to wonder if his 6CC tantrum was scripted all along, I am thinking the other way.
What if he was been brought back, now controversially saved and is coerced into going along with whatever the producers tell him he is doing week to week (he may not even be aware himself).
Just look at his treatment since the 6CC, brought back for the live shows where he was forced to publically apologise by singing “Sorry” repeatedly whilst the words are displayed above him in big bold letters. Then given a damp, watered down song to sing whilst dressed up like Simon Cowell himself. Would Cowell really go this far to get his own back on someone who dared to stand up on the X Factor stage and criticise the shows actions?
Like I say, it’s just a thought but if some condition of him coming back was effectively gagging him from a repeat performance then they can keep him well away from the kind of performances he really wants to be doing for as long as it suits them to keep him in.
Mason’s toast. It will take divine (or judge) intervention to keep him in this week.
If he winks again there will be an earthquake in China from all the ladies simultaneously laughing in the UK.
(I know that’s harsh and it’s not entirely serious. I like Mason. He’s damaged though, twice over. 6cc and now Seann. Plus last week was meh.)
I said this at the time he was bought back in. I don’t think his tantrum was scripted – he was basically invisible at bootcamp, he’d been largely forgotten after his first audition and if any of this was pre-planned, I think he’d have been featured more heavily. The way they’re playing him down now is questionable, and he did say on Xtra Factor last weekend that he’d gotten his first week performance “out of the way” and it was something he “had to do to”. I wouldn’t be surprised if what you say is the case. Never cross the Cowell.
Funny. I’d be inclined to say the opposite. I suspect Simon is too pragmatic to hold a grudge over something like that.
Sharon’s the one for grudges. She used to giftwrap her own excrement and send it to her enemies in the post.
Mason will surprise everyone this week. Grimmy will want to hold onto him at all costs.
What on earth has caused rnb price crash. No way can they win the show
R N B are going to sound incredible singing the ballad that will become the Winner’s Single….oh wait.
Madness they wouldn’t even get through the semis in BGT. I can’t believe people are lumping on this.
Agreed. If their original name of “Menn on Point” had been kept, their journey might be different. Reggie ‘n Bollie is far too novelty. It reminds me of that BBC3 sitcom “Trexx and Flipside” from a few years ago (which was actually quite funny). They are a novelty act. They may well reach the final four. But not a hope of winning.
This is the kind of talk that worries me. A week ago you were saying no way is Seann in danger.
A few weeks of favourable treatment, a bit of momentum, a moment of bloodymindedness by the general public (or just an up yours after a string of “unjust” eliminations) and suddenly they’re in the final and genuine contenders.
Rage Against The Machine got to number one. Jedi is an official religion after the last census. Every now and then these things do happen. This would not be the most absurd. Iain Duncan-Smith is in the cabinet ffs.
Mis calculating an elimination by a few weeks is a country mile away from mis predicting that a novelty act that can barely hold a note will not win the x factor. Absolute no chance whatsoever. I guarantee you 1 million% RNB will not win the show. If they do I will never post again. I love this site so would not make this statement lightly.
😀 I’m going to miss you Stoney….
Everyone pile on R&B. Stoney’s given himself the kiss of death.
Where will everyone get there strictly winners from if i go?
ROFL.
Making your excuses already? That’s confidence.
Absolutely not. I stand by what I said.
Unlike yourself who was retiring a few weeks ago after losing interest?
Changing the subject much…. 😉
As much as I don’t rate stoney’s opinion, at least he actually has an opinion, bases it on the available prices and says it, rather than lots of indecisive if’s buts and maybe’s, unlike many posters on here.
How did this get so serious? I was joking around. I like Stoney’s posts and wouldn’t expect him to stop posting anyway. Let’s not get into arguements over this. It’s just a laugh.
No, Jessica, I was saying it would’ve been a shock according to the market, which it was. I’m open to most possibilities happening.
Fair enough Tim.
I was addressing that post to Stoney because of his unhappy moment with Fleur and I think he had a couple of similar near misses and refusals to cash out all in a row. For a while it was as if a Stoney endorsement really was the kiss of death.
Apols if it came across antagonistic. It wasn’t meant that way. Your posts are always considered, interesting and insightful and even if I don’t concur I understand why you say what you do.
My X factor tipping record since Cardle won stands as Marcus 2nd Nick Mcdonald 2nd Jahmene 2nd Fluer 2nd. Not sure if that’s the correct order though it’s early and I’m half asleep. Aside from Jahmene none of those were favourite and Marcus and particularly Fluer were at juicy odds. That track record of tipping (no less than 2nd place in 5years) is not the sort of tipping skills I would refer to as the kiss of death but hey never mind.
As for Louisa. Well she will be the one to break the 2nd place curse 🙂
My tipping skills are poor but I’ve got a feeling this year could belong to Reggie & Bollie…… 😉
(A joke, in case you needed me to say it. I am the one who remained convinced that Ben Haenow could not win the x factor.)
Stoney – I don’t think anyone is doubting your ability to spot value at high odds … however your consistent stance in never laying off/hedging and thus skimming decent profits off the top (in not just x-factor but other events) means that you are not reaping the financial benefits of your acumen. It’s not defeatist to lay off at 2/1 a bet you took at 40/1 and still leave a decent amount at the higher odds – it’s solid betting sense
On the subject of ‘recaps’, this weeks advert trail for X Factor (just aired on ITV) was busy making a big deal out of Louisa, Lauren, Che and Reggie & Bollie whilst the two closing shots of Monica and Max are soundtracked with ‘who will be the next to fall’ voiceover. I think our targets are clearly marked.
I have a feeling either max or Monica will be singing skyfall or maybe licence to kill this week. They are the songs that Craig Colton in 2011 sung and ended in the bottom two which I think voting wise max can be compared to. Hannah Barrett sung skyfall in 2013 and also ended up in the bottom two.
I think Skyfall was also used last year to dampen Jay James last year. If not dampen him, he definitely did sing it.
Give Monica that Sam Smith dirge from the latest Bond film. That should see her off.
Monica’s styling, arrangement and visuals last week were very Bond-ish. If they really want rid of her she’ll get an actual Bond song this week. The Movie Week theme is very tired. Films themselves haven’t been interesting in two decades.
To be fair, I can imagine Monica being alright at “Skyfall” – that Sam Smith song from the latest Bond is a trainwreck, it goes nowhere. It does seem likely that it will be used, though. I’m keen to see if “Love Me Like You Do” will be done this week – it would be very on message for sexy Monica.
Personally, I’m looking forward to Reggie n Bollie’s version of “Under The Sea”.
According to The Mirror Lauren has moved out of the X Factor house.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/x-factor-favourite-lauren-murray-6812986
The story is in a few papers with different info. Here the Metro has an x factor source saying it’s just for a few days.
http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/11/upset-x-factor-hopeful-lauren-murray-packs-bags-and-leaves-5495148/
The Evening Standard, like The Mirror, describes Lauren’s innocuous tweet as “venting”.
http://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/lauren-murray-leaves-x-factor-house-after-keira-weathers-elimination-a3112411.html
And she’s in the Liverpool Echo where she’s described as Keira’s best pal and the one to watch.
http://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/lauren-murray-leaves-x-factor-house-after-keira-weathers-elimination-a3112411.html
Not sure what to make of this.
Could be a positive for her as viewers see how much she cares and how sympathetic she is with others
On the other shide if she is being a problem TPTB may U-turn on her. No doubt Lauren is one act who due to her personality can gain momentum with producer help.
It says that she can’t handle the pressure of the competition, she’s sounding off on Twitter – it’s not the behavior of somebody who is taking the competition seriously. She’s faffing around complaining about sleep and crying over people she’s known for a few weeks leaving rather than being focused on the “singing”.
But Lauren is the most endearing contestant on the show. I suppose it shows that she cares. If it’s featured in the VTs this weekend, I think that means trouble for Lauren and she’s pissed TPTB off. For all we know, production could have encouraged this. Is there anything in The Sun?
Where did she sound off on Twitter? Where did it say the pressure of the competition was too much? Not taking the competition seriously? So would it be better for her to stay in an environment where she is temporarily unsettled? Would that encourage her to perform at her best?
It’s the x factor, not the army.
Did we read the same articles?
Not suggesting that’s what it says in the article, just my (rather flippant) views on it. To me, with all the manipulation this year, it wouldn’t surprise me that the production team may have encouraged her to take some time away, only to use it against her in the ways you suggest below.
The tweet thing is reference to a sole tweet of her complaining about not being able to sleep or something. Just me reading too much into things.
Lol. Ok. I know I’m a fan but even to my non fan head it seemed a harsh interpretation. The tweet was very anodyne and said she missed Keira and Seann.
It’s me and my black heart Jess. It could motivate massive amounts of sympathy, or just be ignored altogether. The way the show is acting this year I wouldn’t be surprised to see her singing a song about leaving home with packed suitcases littering the stage.
Another Suitcase In Another Hall from Evita or Leavin’ On A Jet Plane from loads of films.
I’d love her to get Let The River Run by Carly Simon from Working Girl but I doubt that’ll happen.
It gives tptb an opportunity to suggest she’s unhappy and homesick and that not voting for her is doing her a favour.
It could backfire though. All she has to do is say she was upset that her two best friends left and wanted to see her mum and that she’s happy and she wants to stay during comments. That neutralises the end of journey thing and enough people are wise to manipulation now to see it and tweet on it.
Interesting tidbit from the Media Show on Radio 4:
While the overall X Factor ratings are down viewers aged 16-34 are up on last series.
46% of X Factor viewers are 16-34 compared to 25% for Strictly.
I appreciate it says nothing about actual voting but worth knowing.
Any word yet on song choices?
Generally this year they aren’t revealed until Xtra Factor, 7pm tonight.
Thanks so much.
According to Unreality TV Louisa is getting signed whatever the result of the show. I think we knew that anyway.
http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/x-factor/x-factor-news-louisa-johnson-being-signed-4th-impact-are-celebrating/
Interesting that the almighty gamble on R&B has shown no sign of stopping – now much shorter than 4I in the outright. Perhaps it suggests big things planned for the double act this weekend. The difference with Maloney and Wagner here is that it is potentially very good publicity for XFactor/ITV if the Ghanaian duo did end up with the gold medal.
Seems like Sky might be prepared to offer X Factor a lifeline if this is to be believed.
http://www.tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-x-factor/238666-the-x-factor-could-move-to-sky-after-next-series.html
I really cannot see Reggie N Bollie getting anywhere near the finishing line – let alone winning! I’m pretty sure their mega-pimping last weekend was more due to them polling very low the previous week and the penultimate slot in the running order, along with OTT judges comments, allowed them to just about dodge the danger zone. I’m confused about them being higher than 4th Impact in the winner market.
Obviously they will need producer support to do well. If the big productions stop they’re finished.
Hypothetically, if tptb think Louisa is too hard a sell to get into first place, or even into the final, why should they stop supporting R&B. Who is better for them as a winner if it isn’t Louisa? Che’s got a lovely voice but he’s not going to be Jason Derulo or Justin Beiber. not without some gym time and dance training anyway. Are FI going to set the UK or the US alight? He’s already got Little Mix.
It’s all hypothetical and I agree that the amount the odds have shortened at this stage is too much but if I was tptb I’d want them in the final and putting on a show. The ratings were down something terrible in last year’s final. These guys are being talked about and people will tune in to see them. You don’t eliminate your most popular act, especially not when so much about the show is negative.
Also
https://sofabet.com/2015/11/07/x-factor-2015-week-2-stormy-weathers/comment-page-1/#comment-65261
and
https://sofabet.com/2015/11/07/x-factor-2015-week-2-stormy-weathers/comment-page-1/#comment-65319
You can probably tell I’m a bit of a fan.