The X Factor on FOX HD

Didn't see a topic for this, so might as well start one. Today the final judge was named, and it's familiar to fans of Idol:

Judges/Mentors:

LA Reid
Simon Cowell
Cheryl Cole
Paula Abdul

Co-hosts: Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones(British)

Season one of the US version begins September 2011 with both Cheryl and Simon leaving the British version to be judges and mentors on the US show.

Live Auditions begin shooting in LA May 8th, 2011. The winner will receive a recording contract in addition to 5 million dollars paid out over 5 years.

Format rumored to follow the UK and Aussie versions:
(1) Audition round to cut the contestants down to a couple hundred

(2) Bootcamp round similar to American Idol's Hollywood Week meant to reduce the numer of finalists to 24-32. The 32 will be comprised of 4 groups. One group of women 25 and younger. One group of men 25 and younger. One group for group acts. And finally one group consisting of artists over the age of 25.

(3) Judges Home round. Producers of the show assign one of the four groups to one judge. Those 6 (or 8) artists go to the Mentor's home and sing one last time. The mentor is accompanied by a famous artist to help the mentor decide which 3 artists to move along to the live round for a total of 12 finalists, plus 4 wildcards.

(4) Live round. The mentors chosen finalists have their songs picked by their mentor as well as receive advice on staging etc. America will vote each week, and the person or group with the lowest number of votes is gone on results night. The two lowest vote getters after that sing-off and the judges decide who goes home. If they stalemate, the vote tally is used to decide. The automatic kick appears to only apply in weeks 1 and 2, and then in the round immediately prior to the semi-final round.

Similar to American Idol, the UK version of X Factor has had issues with calculated efforts by voters to keep the worst artist(s) alive for as long as possible.

Cheryl Cole is now out at X Factor US. TMZ reports that she had bad chemistry with Paula. Reports also say there was a fear Americans wouldnt be able to understand her British accent. Are Americans really that stupid that they couldnt understand English with an accent on it? I watched X Factor UK last season and she's perfectly understandable.

So Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls) is moving from co-host to judge/mentor.

Yep. A paper in the UK said she left because she's homesick. All I know is Nicole isn't someone I want to watch on TV. On the last season of X Factor she replaced Cheryl during the audition phase when Cheryl got really sick, and she just wasn't personable or kind.

TMZ updated their story and said producers told them she was let go over concern that Americans wouldnt understand her accent. In other words they think Americans are stupid.

Here's a sample of Cheryl (she's the mentor for the singer in the video). You can hear her in the beginning and then again at the end of the song.

So apparently after getting canned from the US show by FOX producers unhappy with how she presented herself during the first 4 live auditions, Cheryl went back to England and ignored offers to return to the UK X Factor. It's being reported FOX offered Cheryl her job on the US show back last night. Simon and publicity stunts? No wayyyyyyy. The next set of live auditions are the middle of this week, so it will be interesting to see if she returns. She has a pay or play clause in her contract, so if she turns down the gig she also loses the money.

Judges serve as mentors (which The Voice copied), singing groups are allowed, no age restriction other than you have to be at least 13, viewers only get to vote but the judges decide from the bottom 3 who goes home each week after they sing-off, auditions occur in front of a live audience. It's very similar to Idol in numerous ways, but it's also improved over Idol in many other ways. This show grew out of the original Pop Idol program in the UK.

Loved the shots at Idol's idiotic judging, but how could they not expect getting shot back at when their show looks an awful lot like it? Pepsi instead Coke, Chevy instead of Ford, and one of the girls they showed competing was a reject from last season's Idol. Can't help but think The Voice stole a bit of their thunder.

Yep. The one that every show would kill to have and Paula. The problem with X Factor is that the mentor setup neuters Simon's critiques a lot of the time when it's his team that gives a bad performance. The show itself is a huge step up over Idol, especially on results night when the sing-offs occur. Otherwise it's basically a mash-up of Idol and The Voice.

The thing that's set the UK X Factor apart from Idol for me is the stage design and the choreography of it all. I believe that part is the product of Brian Friedman. I'm kinda hoping Simon brought him to the US (he is an American afterall), because it really does add a lot to the performances. Most times American Idol feels like a pageant, whereas X Factor felt like a concert. Of course there's the obligatory joke contestants. Youtube Warner from X Factor UK 2010 to see what I mean. How someone like him makes the final group is beyond me and I hope they refrain from that garbage in the upcoming season.

Oh god yes it was Wagner. My bad. Interesting comment about the shooting of the stage. Since I only watched the seasons on my 13 inch computer screen I never was really hit by that, but what really struck me each week was when the mentors pointed out how bad of a week some of the contestants were having. You Brits are rough on the contestants =).

The way it's been advertised is American Idol The Fall Edition

I only watched last season, and I never once saw him say a bad thing to his own groups, despite the fact that his groups were really really awful.

My sister called me (we watch all the singing shows, and then talk on the phone about what and who we liked, or disliked. She called to say how awful the audition show was. Apparently it takes an hour just to show a few people. Not sure I want to watch that, but its on my DVR. Might just wait until they get to bootcamp in two weeks.

The problem is they're giving idiots 15 mins of air time on X Factor instead of the 2mins they get on Idol. Apparently there was a guy that came out and pulled his pants down (underwear and all) and they let him perform. That's not good TV, imo. I'm not a prude, but I watch these shows for the singing.

Just watched the first hour or so. It's not as bad as my sister said. It's pretty entertaining, but I hate Nicole compared to Cheryl. Love that LA and Simon aren't the yes men that Randy and Steven (and JLO ) are. Not a fan of the host or his accent.

I agree about the editing. But I have a feeling they have to do it because of how they've recorded it live. From what I hear it was a nightmare for the people that showed up to watch it live. Taking upwards of an hour just to film one audition sometimes. I do prefer the more conversational nature of the Idol auditions. But frankly I'm sick to death of the auditions, except I loved them on The Voice.