Shock decision or shock superlatives on X Factor?
The X Factor is getting so carried away with the superlatives lately they could be ready to perform a miracle live on stage.
- Published by David Knox
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The X Factor is getting so carried away with the superlatives lately they could be ready to part the Red Sea next.
Consider these inclusions yesterday:
1) Voice-Over intro: “Live around the nation this is The X Factor!”
They really need to get up to speed on Daylight Saving. I guess it sounds better than “Live in 3 states and delayed in 3 more this is The X Factor!”
2) At the top of the show host Luke Jacobz told us that one of the guests would be “The legend that is Johnny Ruffo.”
Legend?  Frank, Liza, Barbra, Ruffo….. nope. He may be a nice guy, but Ruffo really needs an ARIA top ten hit before he needs these kinds of exaggerations. Sorry, not even the judges qualify for Legend status yet.
3) Then there was the promo running in the afternoon that touted a “Shock Decision” coming up in the “bottom three” acts and, wait for it, “The decision that will stop the nation.”
With just 5 acts remaining it is debatable that any of the “bottom three” acts are actually shock decisions. With such slim odds they are all probable decisions now. And after the way Shiane sang last night there were no shock decisions in sending her home. At just 14 years of age, sadly nerves got the better of her, singing the entire song off key. The only shock decision I’d be prepared to accept this season was What About Tonight going or dumping an act after their social media misdemeanours (which was never acknowledged on the show itself).
Can we please keep some perspective about the fact this is a talent show, not healing the paralyzed and helping the blind to see?
Meanwhile Sunrise also seems to have caught the superlative bug, currently promoting an appearance by Coldplay next week as “The Television Event of the Year.”
Apologies to the Olympics.
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- Tagged with Olympics, Sunrise, The X Factor
29 Responses
Shiane, I hope you are reading this ……. You are a legend …… don’t be dissapointed ….. your’e career has just started …….
Legends? Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Elvis, Yes.
Jonny Ruffo? No way. He is a talent on the way up but thats it. How can they call it a shock decision before it is announced. Stop insulting us Channel 7. I like the xfactor, it doesn’t need this sort of BS.
We are not dumb so stop treating your audience as morons.
Thanks David
I lasted 60 seconds of Shiane’s performance and thought there was something wrong with my hearing.
Was about to make an appointment to get my hearing checked until I read your article.
My hearing is perfectly OK – and Shiane did sing entirely offkey.
Gotta give her credit for having a go though. Only 14 and will only improve… I hope.
I find Luke Jacobz over the top lacking of any genuine character.
I agree- all this stuff building up for nothing. In 5 years or 10 years time will people will remember this.
Thankyou david for calling them out, every network is guilty of it, just see a promo for tt/aca/ the project
The X Factor is so rigged. Never watching reality shows again. Thank goodness for Foxtel.
the x foctor is rigged. Australia votes then the judges have a chance to change there vote.
If nothing else I am live around the nation anyway….
I stopped what I was doing while I read this article and because everybody else in Australia is exactly like me, I think I can rightly say that this article stopped a nation. David, you are a legend (at least on this blog).
This article points out the biggest reason out many, many reasons I don’t watch shows like this. Unfortunately, this kind of advertising isn’t specific to this kind of programming either; the way Nine advertise their new episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men is just as ridiculous.
I think you are taking it all too seriously. What do you expect seven to say – after 8 weeks of the inevitable, please tune in tonight to see another contestant predictably go home.
As for the live part – it is live TV, broadcast across the nation. If we are going to get into the minutiae of timezones, bar sport, no TV broadcast in Australia is live across the nation.
And I laughed when I heard the host say legend – which I assumed was the intention.
I certainly agree that the shock decisions were What About Tonight going and dumping of Joel after social media misdemeanours. Even Audel being voted out in the first week, but not last night. As much as I’ve enjoyed Shiane, it was her time to go.
I saw the scrolling marquee during the Melbourne Cup and Deal or no Deal and thought a contestant was dumped or pulled out. I don’t mind hype but this sort of stunt makes everything they say less credible I guess they’ve just gone to the Today Tonight school of publicity.
Agreed with all the sentiments. Everything about the X Factor is X-aggerated and X-essive! OTT. It is just white noise the flowery language and hoopla. I just try to enjoy the music and the stories. Jason Owen looks good for the win. It is not about the voice – more the narrative and hype.
Even my teens were mocking 7 in their over the top promos. yesterday. One asked “Who’s Cold Play, and wasn’t One Direction Sunrise’s ‘Television Event of the Year’?”.
It’s everywhere – not just X Factor.
Hyperbole rules in the 21st Century.
Thanks David for your honest and frank article.
I actually think there are many situations with over exaggerations constantly being spoted on television. The Current affair style shows (I do not actually see them as current affairs, more a parody of their former selves [ACA & TT]) are always guilty of this.
Live around the nation, shock decision, legend and ‘stop the nation’ are all overstated promotion.
If they really wnat the show live, then screen it live three states doens’t make a nation. Being an hour behind is annoying every week for this type of show.
As for TV event of the year on sunrise!?!? Hello if you are not a fan of the band, (I personally dislike their music and the overhype) then it is not must see TV, let alone event of the year!?!
Thank you David for this insightful piece of journalism.
I know the poor voice over guy must have a bucket in the booth some days with the tripe he has to read… even the other two networks suffer from this awful condition of shite foaming from the pens of the promo producers…
Greatest piece you’ve ever written,David…maybe the greatest piece anyone has ever written.
It’s articles like this that keep bringing me back to this website day after day <3
I laughed when Luke said Johnny was a legend and one of the biggest names in the music business lol. Puh-lease…
X Factor were so desperate to win the ratings they revealed the bottom three before the show started lol. I knew one of Nat Bass’ acts would leave. So each judge can have one act left in the competition.
Unless someone lodges an official complaint with with ACMA, I can only foresee ongoing use of superfluous superlatives, especially for the talent show target market.
Are viewers not immune to this kind of OTT language from the networks anyway?
Totally agree David, I get very annoyed when they say thiings like ‘the show that the whole nation is talking about’, what a load of ….. The whole nation doesn’t watch the damn show only a million or so each week, I thought we had a population of 22 million plus ! I often think we should all complain to the authorities about it after all it is false advertising, something channel seven seem to be very good at.
Wait wait wait…. Superlatives and hyperbole on reality television? You wouldn’t read about it.