The X-Factor: Discussion Thread

[Angela]

Britney Spears is said to, once again, be close to inking a deal to be a judge (Deadline/E). $15 million a year. The new judges are due to be announced this week.

[AllMyDaysatGH]

It will be awesome if she's a judge! I hope the rumors about Janet Jackson are true as well. LA Reid was on Live with Kelly the other day and said there would be 2 woman judges this season.

Also will be interesting to see who gets hosting duties..

[Chris B]

Janet as the other would be perfection.

[DRW50]

Wouldn't Janet mostly just whisper? I didn't know she was known for a dynamic personality.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Neither is Britney though. LOL!

[DRW50]

True, but Britney seemed to inspire enough parodies and derision (especially around the time of that bad show with K-Fed). Janet just seems very reserved, unless she's going to give Simon and LA Reid lap dances.

Then again from what I keep reading, Britney is also a robot now.

I think it's a mistake for the show to assume hiring pop acts as judges will bring in viewers.

[Chris B]

Carl, I'm about to kick off my kitten heels, take off my earrings and throw down after that Janet shade!! She is adorable and she's actually very outspoken (think back to that Madonna fued she provoked back in the day). Yes she's a nice person, but I don't think that would hurt her. She's smart and the public is loving her these days. She's also somebody with true X Factor. She can dance, sing, write music, she produces it and could truly mentor a group or a solo artist to success. Whatever category Britney gets (and they'll give her an easy, more desirable one like Boys or Girls), I can't see her mentoring anybody or talking to them. I'm mostly excited to see how funny it is. We all know it's gonna be rough.

I will say, it's so sad, but Whitney would've been brilliant. I LOVED when she did the Master Class on the UK show and pretty much told every contestant they were garbage and that they were fools for trying to sing her songs. She had a great wit, facial expressions and is made for a show like this. Her during the audience stage would've been classic.

[JackPeyton]

Britney is perfect for this show. It is the X FACTOR, and Britney has it in spades, above and beyond anyone else currently in the game. At her best, at her worst, doing nothing at all - people are obsessed. And, no, it is not just the media or hype. There is a genuine interest in her, because has the X Factor about her.

[DRW50]

EIther one would be a big improvement on Nicole.

[Chris B]

Nicole was a disaster from Day One. Especially over Cheryl. On the UK show she was kinda cute, but you could tell how vapid she was on that version. Her biggest soundbite was telling an obviously terrible singer "I think you need to work on your vocals..." Well no [!@#$%^&*], lol.

I just read this spot on post by Archvile6 from PopJustice forums and it sums Britney up well.

http://www.popjustice.com/forum/threads/14216-General-Britney-Spears-Discussion?p=2096735&viewfull=1#post2096735

I agree with him that this is a ratings ploy (which we all see), but it's going to be brilliant. X Factor needs some camp and over the top-ness. She's going to be Sinitta and Louis Walsh mixed together, but crazier.

[DRW50]

The "zombie" part is what sticks for me. I keep hearing about how she isn't really there now.

[JackPeyton]

I love it when those who didnt both to go to her last two tours judge them. Its highly amusing, like the one writer for i believe the LA times who gave it an awful review and then the paper had to apologize because it came out he didnt go to the show because he said she didnt speak or engage the audience, when there was proof she did both. That was amazing.

Selling albums in the age is major. Selling tours is major. Britney is major, and she does it all on little talent. This is not a show about being the best, it is a show about having something special that sets you apart even tho you are not the best. She stayed relevent and on top while compeltely breaking down and being put on a mental watch, through rehab, and much more and while she had the people who enjoyed it, a lot of people rooted for her to make it through. Mariah Carey is another one who has that X factor.

I just wish she would pass on this and take the offer for a standing show in Vegas, for selfish reasons. Piece of Me honestly sums up her life, career, and the attention she gets even when not trying so well. It is perfect.

[DRW50]

It's not so much about her concerts, just that people seem to feel that a certain light went out around the time of her mental break and her father taking over her life 4-5 years back.

[JackPeyton]

It did. Because ya know, she had a complete and utter mental breakdown and was put in a psych hospital because of it. Is she back to her old, pre-breakdown self? No. Im not sure anyone who goes through something like that ever does. However, she still delivers and knows how to put on a show. She came back and did better than she was doing before. The weirdest part is that she somehow maintains a somewhat private life now. The docu, For The Record, was so, so sad.

[DRW50]

I've heard a lot of positive comments about her concerts, I am just not sure if that would translate to being on the panel, or mentoring. I think that takes a lot out of a person, in conjunction with their busy career (although I guess at $15 million she could scale back her career somewhat).