A Theory About The X Factor

Well I'll just start with a quick mention (and huge blogging cliche) of how sorry I am that the blog has not been updated for so long. As I didn't have my own laptop I didn't feel comfortable logging on elsewhere to write. A strange but true admission and one that pretty much sets me apart from those who are much more disciplined about their blogging sadly!

As if that wasn't cliched enough I now want to talk about The X Factor. Because since I last wrote it has taken all hold of popular culture yet again, the only TV show left that genuinely has everybody talking. Of course its mostly Jedward that have tongues wagging and rightly so. Popjustice has had a number of very succint and interesting posts about how quickly the boys have been taken into the current pop culture climate and to say any more would be just repeating far better writing. But I did want to post a slightly geeky but possibly plausible theory I have about the show that I haven't seen talked about elsewhere.

A huge change to this years show was not only the live auditions but running the program over two nights. Of course this means extra money for ITV/Simon Cowell/all involved as more votes flood in and it seems more viewers (recent episodes have hit peak numbers for the series, unheard of in age where everybody is watching less TV at an alloted time). But surely this change to voting could drastically change how somebody would win the competition?

Think about it. Last year there was a 2 or so hours window for the public to vote which to me would work off people's immediate impressions and what the buzz in sitting room about who sang best was. But with 24 hours so I have to wonder how much the votes swing back and forth. Does one act soar ahead at first but then people start to talk about it somebody else and they surge ahead? Does this in fact make the competition much harder to win? I'm genuinely curious because technically there are way more votes to win to keep ahead of the pack. I wonder whether or not figures will be released at the end of the season and if there will be a noticeable difference. I can't help but feel that the intensity of backlash towards act like Danyl and Jedward is because of this new period where the public opinion and discussion and the press coverage have a direct effect on the votes. Maybe its not a difference but its worth thinking about.

I also want to point out that my favourite part of the show each week is always Dannii. She is effortless, glamourous, stylish and utterly fabulous. She also handles herself with a degree of class that the rest of the judges could do with taking note of. A look at her interview with Piers Morgan recently is a good example. Intelligent, charming and witty its an interesting piece not least for how she is unfraid to answer some of the big questions. Well worth a look, particularly how she handles Sharon Osbourne's treatment of her (its in part 4)