Former “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell has been busy as ever since departing the gig that made him a household name. And as the current season of “X-Factor” heats up in the UK, the mogul is opening up about what to expect from the US version — in short: anything.
“With the American show, just think blank sheet of paper,” Cowell tells Deadline.”Don’t make any promises, don’t make any predictions. Go in with a blank sheet of paper right now. I can feel a change in the air. While everybody’s going left, we’re going to be going right.”
Oh, vague! “I’m not going to tell people in advance what we’re doing,” Cowell continues. “What I will say is that it will be like nothing else you’ve seen before on American TV, I guarantee you that. There are a lot of surprises in store.”
The biggest surprise being the lack of rules. Age restrictions are out the window, as are rules requiring people to compete as individuals.
Cowell and FOX are currently constructing a 2,500-seat studio for the series, which will run September through December 2011, but insists that’s all we can bank on seeing right now. Rumors of possible judges and hosts, including Nicole Scherzinger, are just that. “Genuinely, nobody has been booked for the show,” says Cowell. “The only person that’s been booked is me.”
Source: Zap2It
@ Token White Guy:
Heh, a split personality response?! Well, I thought they were okay. I remember them more for their looks.
@ ABB: They haven’t gotten much buzz over here in the states, but they are still performing heavily over in England. And just about every time they appear somewhere, half the audience cheers and the other half boos.
@ Token White Guy:
Now THAT I do remember, I think Slim posted it for you here on IBL? I thought they were cute. Are they still doing anything? I don’t seem to recollect any buzz on these shores.
@ ABB: If you’ve never seen the British version of X-Factor before, then have I got a treat for you.
John & Edward, otherwise known as Jedward.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr-p-3CC3AU
They made it all the way to the Top 5 in the 2009 series of X-Factor. X(
Thanks Token White Guy aka Alan. I just knew you would be the resident know-it-all on this subject!!! I do appreciate the clarification – I’ve never seen the British version and would never have known all that about the judging/scoring/mentoring – sounds interesting.
@ ABB: I would think that Simon would keep the US format similar to, if not the same, as the UK format.
UK Format:
*No maximum age limit (not sure about minimum age limit)
*Singing acts only
*Acts can be made up of individuals or groups or anything in between
*Four judges
*The main judges auditions would be in front of a live studio audience (ala “America’s got Talent”)
*The field is narrowed down to the Top 24 acts (not sure how)
*Each judge will pick three acts to take to the Top 12
*Each judge will mentor their own acts, including song choice, for as long as the acts remain in the competition
*Some performances tend to be full-on productions, with costumes, back-up dancers, stage decorations, props, etc.
*The public will decide the Bottom 2 acts
*The judges will vote which of the two acts they want to have stay (the judge whose act is in the Bottom 2 will usually vote to keep their act)
*If the judges split 2-2, which isn’t all that uncommon in the UK format, then the vote goes back to the original public vote, with the act that got the least number of votes going home
Hope all that makes sense.
Is it just going to be music talent (either individual or group is going to be acceptable obviously)? This isn’t going to be like another America’s Got Talent where all sorts of oddball stuff is allowed I hope. And what will be the grand “prize”, a recording contract, a Vegas gig?