Defenders of such TV talent shows such as the X Factor will always point to the fact that it gives an opportunity to people who otherwise may never have had the chance to get their name or talents out there and gives them exposure to a massive audience. I suppose I can agree with that to a point but despite what Cowell and his cronies say every week, for them it's simply about making money, not stars.
I can't speak for the US but certainly in the UK, how many people could name all the winners of both pop idol and the X Factor? Vey few I bet. The contestants are just seen as cash cows by the producers and are cast aside once their money making ability has begun to slide. These types of shows have been on our TV screens for a long time now and maybe only two or three winners have actually gone on to become relatively big stars, if that.
No, what it is all about is bringing in the bucks from the expensive telephone voting to the big push for sales to get the Christmas number one. After that, you don't hear from the winner until the beginning of the next series, if that at all. Times to coincide with the new series, the previous winner magically times their new release, that's when actually given the chance. Other winners end up doing the rounds on other 'reality TV shows', flogging their wares in a desperate attempt to keep their name in diminishing lights for just a moment longer. It's sad really.
But the real winner is Cowell and his production company. He is the real star as proved by him leaving the UK to launch the US version. Would anyone watch if he wasn't there? This has proved to be the case in the UK as on Saturday nights, we are now left with a panel of 'expert' also rans looking to themselves keep their names in the headlines.
What is really sad though is that obviously the whole pop idol thing ran it's course but hey, why not dress it up with another name and change a few rules and do it all again, it should be good for a few more years on TV. Oh my god, give me a break. Can't you just let this TV show die with the dignity that it does not afford it's contestants.
I'm sorry if this comes across as rant but it just really 'gets on my wick' they way that these multi millionaires treat people as disposable and there for our amusement. Don't even get me started on how they always roll out all the sob stories as well. Maybe if everyone just went out or just read a book instead on a Saturday night, these parasites would get the message.
In the end there can only be on real winner of TV shows like The X Factor. As long as people are prepared to watch and more importantly hand over their hard earned cash, unfortunately I see no end to the plethora of so called reality talent shows on our TVs. Most shows on TV have a life span, surely this can't be the exception to the rule.
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