Friday, May 27, 2011

The Cowell Factor

I was tempted to resist not posting this but er, it got me thinking the same thing a lot of other people are thinking.
Cheryl Cole being sacked from the US version of The X Factor - was it shocking? No, it actually wasn't. If anything, how could anyone not see it coming? The omens were certainly there. Cole lacked the experience and familiarity with US audiences and her accent was one of many barriers that she had going against her. The others aside from the lack of experience and familiarity are the simple fact that hyperbole aside, Cheryl just isn't that interesting a judge and FOX seemed to have made it pretty clear that they didn't want her in the first place. I know there are certain showbiz acolytes out there acting like Cole's exit is a travesty but it's really not. I think she wouldn't have gone down well with the US audiences at all and in their own messed up way, FOX might have done her a favour.

Still, though it's another in a series of cock ups for Simon Cowell. Now only is his new baby not generating as much positive buzz as he'd hoped but the show he left - American Idol has actually managed to do even better without him. The recent finale clocked in around 29 million viewers and the ratings are up 20% from last season. Looks like not having Simon Cowell pulling the strings is the midas touch for a reality singing show nowadays.

Even NBC's The Voice (set to be replicated by the BBC soon) has been doing well and generating much more buzz than the US X Factor. Then again, given it's format, maybe this show is the way forward with singing competitions and The X Factor itself is becoming outdated. I know I'd rather look at Adam Levine than Cowell's ugly mug every week on TV if I lived in America. Cheryl's axing aside, I have a feeling that the US X Factor is not going to be the spectacular hit that both Cowell and FOX are hoping for.

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