As human beings, we have become addicted to watching the lives of others change. For years, American Idol has held the top spot as the number one television show where Americans got their fix. They watched as these contestants came from places like Kansas and Illinois, with nothing but singing in the shower on their résumé’s, and took a fast track to fame.
Recently, however, a show has come from across the pond that is shaking things up a bit. Idol’s former judge and co-producer, Simon Cowell, has left the American Idol scene and decided to become its number one competition. His first television “monster” was created in England in 2004 and was known as The X Factor. The X Factor is different from Idol in the sense that it gives performers a chance to get immediate audience feedback, which makes it easier for the judges to see how the public eye will accept each performer if given the chance at fame. This show also has no age or talent restrictions, which allows for a more versatile viewing experience. When X Factor numbers began to rise in the UK, Cowell decided he would leave his Idol creation in the US and hopefully become its biggest competitor in the television network.
His plan seems to be working. The X Factor has already brought in double the revenue of Idol last season and the first season has not even finished. In the past, Idol had tried to score guest judges such as Whitney Houston and Rihanna, but ultimately failed for contractual reasons. It seems as though Cowell is pulling all the stops and learning from Idol’s mistakes. Whitney Houston has already performed on the latest episode, and Rihanna was their guest judge this past Sunday (October 23, 2011). Rihanna helped the X Factor judge, L.A Reid who signed her in 2005, to make cuts and decisions for this week’s contestants.
Rihanna was one of the celebrities who performed at last years X Factor, UK finale and loved her experience. She said, “There are just some shows that are out to seek real talent instead of ratings, and I like that”. Is Rihanna trying to say that Idol may be more of a scam than a scout? We may never know. What we do know, however, is that The X Factor is taking television networks by storm and shaking up the entertainment industry for a well-needed change of pace.
