X-Factor

Up in Sligo a while back I saw an episode of that X-Factor programme. This is one of those TV programmes where people compete to have a musical career as long lived as those of Gareth Gates and Will Young. Previously I had only ever seen the grand finale of a series, so this was my first time seeing a "normal" episode. Frankly, I found the thing disturbing in its general nastiness, in particular the drawn-out humiliation of the contestant who was eliminated. The two lowest placed performers had, at the end of the programme, to perform again for the judges who would then vote on which one to exclude. The whole process seemed designed to be as tortuous and stressful for the would-be stars as possible.

I worry about i) the sick minds who could come up such a format, ii) the society that could produce such a programme, and iii) the people who would get enjoyment from watching someone put on the rack like this.