* This review is in response to francescalauta.
Through the years, the X factor has dug up tremendous talent and launched the careers of many recognizable names such as One Direction, James Arthur, and Little Mix. However, by no means is this show fair in its judging process and the heavily scripted auditions lead to impartiality within the contestants who make it to the top and those that face rejection from the first round. While I agree with you that the X-Factor can recognize talent and make certain individuals big in the industry, with such cases being the band One Direction, I cannot accept your overall conclusion that it is solely based on talent and that there is no favoritism. In many episodes, as soon as a good-looking contestant steps on stage-specifically male contestants, the audience, which largely consists of teenage girls begin to cheer on with excitement. This bias towards a more attractive appearance covers a multitude of sins and rubs off on the judges, making them more forgiving and unable to judge impartially. While good-looking contestants might not have the needed talent, they are often given a better opportunity at success compared to their counterparts. I disagree with your view that the critiquing in the X-Factor "is done in a fair, impartial, and legitimate way", as recently we have seen contestants like Zoe Alexander who came out about her brutal experience in being humiliated in front of millions. While she enjoyed her job as a Pink tribute artist, she wanted to expand beyond that and pursue her love for singing as herself, leaving behind the Pink persona. When contacting the X factor producer she sent five-song options to sing and none of them were written by the famous artist. In reply, the producer instructed her to choose a song written by Pink to perform if she wanted to make it on the show. When it was time for Zoe's big performance, the judges stopped her mid-way claiming that she was not being herself. This was very conflicting for Zoe since she initially came on the show to present her talent without any intention of associating herself with Pink, yet the producer only gave her one option. During the live performance, the judges allowed her to sing another song, however, she had been set up. The song was in the wrong key and they turned off the stage speaker, disabling her from properly hearing the music. When Zoe realized what had happened, she had a mental breakdown and stormed offstage as she pushed the cameraman away. For viewers watching, Zoe was portrayed as a mentally unstable individual who was upset at the judge's opinion of her talent and acted inappropriately in response. However, coming to know her story, is one of many examples of the X factor's manipulation of talented individuals for entertainment and profit. For this reason, I would not say that the show is fair; in fact, it infringes on some people's potential for success. While it's true that the X factor is an extremely entertaining show, capable of recognizing talent and providing substantial opportunities for some, it does not necessarily mean that the show is impartial or that it provides equal opportunity to all. It is important to keep in mind that the X factor is a reality television show, and like many, they are known for being scripted and the X factor is no different.
Through the years, the X factor has dug up tremendous talent and launched the careers of many recognizable names such as One Direction, James Arthur, and Little Mix. However, by no means is this show fair in its judging process and the heavily scripted auditions lead to impartiality within the contestants who make it to the top and those that face rejection from the first round. While I agree with you that the X-Factor can recognize talent and make certain individuals big in the industry, with such cases being the band One Direction, I cannot accept your overall conclusion that it is solely based on talent and that there is no favoritism. In many episodes, as soon as a good-looking contestant steps on stage-specifically male contestants, the audience, which largely consists of teenage girls begin to cheer on with excitement. This bias towards a more attractive appearance covers a multitude of sins and rubs off on the judges, making them more forgiving and unable to judge impartially. While good-looking contestants might not have the needed talent, they are often given a better opportunity at success compared to their counterparts. I disagree with your view that the critiquing in the X-Factor "is done in a fair, impartial, and legitimate way", as recently we have seen contestants like Zoe Alexander who came out about her brutal experience in being humiliated in front of millions. While she enjoyed her job as a Pink tribute artist, she wanted to expand beyond that and pursue her love for singing as herself, leaving behind the Pink persona. When contacting the X factor producer she sent five-song options to sing and none of them were written by the famous artist. In reply, the producer instructed her to choose a song written by Pink to perform if she wanted to make it on the show. When it was time for Zoe's big performance, the judges stopped her mid-way claiming that she was not being herself. This was very conflicting for Zoe since she initially came on the show to present her talent without any intention of associating herself with Pink, yet the producer only gave her one option. During the live performance, the judges allowed her to sing another song, however, she had been set up. The song was in the wrong key and they turned off the stage speaker, disabling her from properly hearing the music. When Zoe realized what had happened, she had a mental breakdown and stormed offstage as she pushed the cameraman away. For viewers watching, Zoe was portrayed as a mentally unstable individual who was upset at the judge's opinion of her talent and acted inappropriately in response. However, coming to know her story, is one of many examples of the X factor's manipulation of talented individuals for entertainment and profit. For this reason, I would not say that the show is fair; in fact, it infringes on some people's potential for success. While it's true that the X factor is an extremely entertaining show, capable of recognizing talent and providing substantial opportunities for some, it does not necessarily mean that the show is impartial or that it provides equal opportunity to all. It is important to keep in mind that the X factor is a reality television show, and like many, they are known for being scripted and the X factor is no different.