The X Factor

Reality TV has fascinated Americans for a decade or more (emphasis on the “more” — how long has The Real World been running?). Some of those shows were big enough deals that everyone who was anyone knew what was going on.

Even if people didn’t watch those shows, they recognized names. Even if you weren’t turning on the TV every week for “American Idol,” you knew who Simon Cowell was.

Some shows are so small no one has ever heard of them, and no one in their right mind would watch them. Over the summer, I seriously sat through an entire episode of something about people making sculptures out of fruit and trying to build the tallest bread tower in the world. My standards have sunk pretty low; I’ll watch nearly anything these days.

But nothing in my reality TV experience, not “American Idol”, not “Say Yes to the Dress”, not even that season of “Bachelorette” that Marco and Monica on Indy’s 99.5 talked about near every damned day on my way to work over the summer, could prepare me for “X Factor.”

I knew Simon was leaving “American Idol” to concentrate on what seemed to be pretty much the same thing, but in Britain. I figured he was possibly jumping a sinking ship (let’s be honest, Idol seems to be going down similar to the Titanic), or perhaps just trying to get the same popularity at home that he had here.

Apparently, he already has that popularity. And so does “X Factor.”

It’s a bit different than “American Idol.” The four judges (Simon; Cheryl Cole, who sings with Girls Aloud and just divorced big-name footballer Ashley Cole; Dannii Minogue, Kylie’s sister; and some guy name Louis whose background in the music business I’m not familiar with, but he’s Irish) each take a group with four singing acts (Groups, Girls, Boys, and 28+, respectively, this season), coaches them, pick their songs and then critique them.

And people here are nuts for it.

I’ve had not one but three conversations about it in the last couple weeks at work, and I work with adults, not people my age (youngish adults, but still adults). One of my journalism professors, who was recommending that the study abroad students take time each week to check out the BBC and the Guardian, among other news sources, added “X Factor” to the list.

The contestants are plastered all over the magazines. (Over here, “Cher” isn’t like “Sonny and,” it’s the name of a contestant and if I say her name, everyone around me knows exactly who I’m talking about.)

It absolutely blows my mind. I’ve seen the figure of 15 million viewers an episode, which might or might not be a lot compared to the States, but it’s twice the number of people living in London. This reality singing competition, rather than being just the most famous of several, is the it show around here. (And by “here” I don’t just mean London. I spent a rainy, headache-y night is Wales last weekend watching multiple hours of reruns. And Wales is most definitely different than London.)

I cannot get over how much this TV show has swept the nation. Cheryl and Dannii are the hottest things around. When was Paula ever splashed across every tabloid? Former winners are still big deals and still performing. Katy Perry was a guest performer a couple weeks ago. (I’m not sure if that’s really about her fame or the show’s, but she’s a big name and she was doing it, so that must count for something.)

I cannot think of a single show in the US that holds attention such as this.

And despite my squeamishness with a reality singing competition taking such a center stage (haha) in national attention (I might have a mild—or possibly not-so-mild—reality TV addiction, but I’m not sure I encourage this in others), it kind of pleases me, too. It’s something fun and upbeat (well, unless your favorite just got voted off). It’s something that brings people together.

Sure, national attention might be better spent on the important things, but there’s only so much depression that anyone can take before they need a break. “X Factor” is that break. Or at least it’s something to talk about at the water cooler.
Well, I haven’t actually seen a water cooler yet. People here bring each other tea. But that’s another story.

E-mail: hanns@indiana.edu