X Factor

[Bubblesxx]

There may not be an interest on the forum in relation to X Factor - but has anyone seen the you tube video that has cost X Factor hopeful Emily her chance to success?

The video allegedly showed young Emily running around with a knofe threatening to stab another young youth 'as a joke' and then another video came to light showing Emily in a classic 'Happy Slapping' situation beating up another young girl and hurling her into a wall.

Is it fair that she has been kicked off of X Factor for this behaviour.... even though it was done before her auditions and over a year ago??

[Matt]

Is it fair that she has been kicked off of X Factor for this behaviour.... even though it was done before her auditions and over a year ago??

Has she been kicked off? The way I heard it her parents withdrew her to avoid further bad publicity.

Yes that's what the news seems to be saying...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7075263.stm

It does leave open the question of whether she was invited to withdraw to avoid being "kicked off" which I suppose is quite possible.

Is it fair that if you aim for a life in the public eye, past crimes will come back to haunt you?

Perhaps these clips were taken out of context, staged for the camera, perhaps not.

What do you think, and more importantly, why?

[Bubblesxx]

Yea I think that she withdrew from the show in a 'no choice' situation. I thought that she was given the option to withdraw or she was going to be kicked off from some source although I can't seem to find it now - typical!

I don't think it is fair that she had to withdraw from the competition because of a video that has come to light about her past. Obviously her chances of winning the comptetion alimmed right down from the moment in hit the media that she was a 'known member of the Young Offenderz' in her home town.

Her behaviour was disgusting, however she was growing up. I am not for one second condoning her behaviour and do not think that it is acceptable in the slightest. But it is in her past...... maybe she had found her passion - singing and if everything was to go well then that would have taken her away from the 'thug' life that she was leading as a 'no choice' option. Maybe she isn't a bright girl, couldn't really see a future and thought that by being the tough girl she would be able to get on in her area....... NOT THE CASE. But is it fair that she is punished for her past behaviour?

I mean if we delved into the past of the other contestants woudl it all be ideallic? I don't think so. Its a repeat performance of the other girl isn't it.
"Sisi Jghalef was turfed out of girl band Hope in September after it emerged that she'd failed to finish a community service order."
What do you think?

[Bubblesxx]

"Meanwhile a video has emerged of fellow Hope member Phoebe Brown getting steamy with a girl pal AND an 18-year-old boy student. Phoebe, 16, indulged in the threesome in bushes at a birthday party at Sunbury Golf Club, Surrey, before the camp. The lad filmed the action on his mobile phone. A source said: "The video is hot, hot, hot. Phoebe's eyes are glinting as she gets fresh with the student.
"It's not the kind of film you want to surface when you are going on a top TV show." Last week viewers saw Phoebe, of Addlestone, wow judges with Christina Aguilera's Hurt. The source said: "She looks fresh-faced but Simon is going to have his hands full with her." "

Another video that is set to ruin the career (or at least put a bit of a downer on it) when it falls into the hands of the media...

[tkingdoll]

Yes, she should leave the show, simply because the show requires its contestants to be role models. If they are not, then they lose the support of the parents of their viewers.

The show can't be in a position where young people are being asked for vote for a known, violent bully, especially one so young. And they certainly can't be in a position where they're seen to reward a teenager despite her unpunished bullying. What else could they do? Say "oh, she's still allowed a shot at this million pound recording contract, but it's OK, her parents have stopped her pocket money for a month to punish her for the bullying".

If she had been allowed to remain on the show then it would be glorifying happy slapping and that's a problem for the show.

But is it fair that she is punished for her past behaviour?

Er...are you serious? So...how much time elapses after which you no longer think someone is culpable for their crimes?

[Bubblesxx]

Yes, she should leave the show, simply because the show requires its contestants to be role models. If they are not, then they lose the support of the parents of their viewers.

The show can't be in a position where young people are being asked for vote for a known, violent bully, especially one so young. And they certainly can't be in a position where they're seen to reward a teenager despite her unpunished bullying. What else could they do? Say "oh, she's still allowed a shot at this million pound recording contract, but it's OK, her parents have stopped her pocket money for a month to punish her for the bullying".

If she had been allowed to remain on the show then it would be glorifying happy slapping and that's a problem for the show.



Er...are you serious? So...how much time elapses after which you no longer think someone is culpable for their crimes?

It would not have glorified Happy Slapping at all. The fact that it has been broadcast and come to light does not necessarily mean it has been glamourised at all. People have looked at her and frowned at her BIG TIME. No one has shaken her hand and gone 'good on you girl.'

If this incident had taken place during the show or after then yes I agree with you - however this is in her past and everyone has a past don't they. Noone is perfect. She realises she has done wrong, and if she would have stayed in the show then she probably would have lost all her votes and viewers anyway - but then that should have been tried to see how people would have reacted. Not fair to have it completely taken away from her after she had finally found her passion and the thing in the life that she loves and can really concentrate on.

Like Matt said, the video could have been staged for one reason or another. I am not condoning her behaviour, but you have to explore all aspects.

[tkingdoll]

It would not have glorified Happy Slapping at all. The fact that it has been broadcast and come to light does not necessarily mean it has been glamourised at all. People have looked at her and frowned at her BIG TIME. No one has shaken her hand and gone 'good on you girl.'

If this incident had taken place during the show or after then yes I agree with you - however this is in her past and everyone has a past don't they. Noone is perfect. She realises she has done wrong, and if she would have stayed in the show then she probably would have lost all her votes and viewers anyway - but then that should have been tried to see how people would have reacted. Not fair to have it completely taken away from her after she had finally found her passion and the thing in the life that she loves and can really concentrate on.

Like Matt said, the video could have been staged for one reason or another. I am not condoning her behaviour, but you have to explore all aspects.

If it was staged then there would be evidence for that and she would have used it as her defence. And she wouldn't have apologised to the victim.

I can't believe you don't think children should be punished for assault. I can't think of a more fitting punishment than taking away her X-Factor opportunity, but that aside, the show WILL be seen to be condoning happy slapping if it allows a teenager guilty of it to remain on the show. Do you not understand what sort of message that would have sent to the youth of the UK? That even if you're a callous bully there are no repercussions and you can have your shot at fame and fortune at the expense of the telephone voters and show sponsors. Hardly. And the sponsors themselves will not be willing to be associated with a show featuring a known bully. The Big Brother race row demonstrates just powerful the commercial voice is.

The public shouldn't be in a position where they are voting for her at all, precisely because of the bullying. If she did lose votes, then it would be for reasons other than her performance, which is not what the show is about. If she didn't lose votes, then it sends a very terrible message to kids, that you can bully and get away with it, and that's not something any TV show is going to carry.

[Bubblesxx]

If it was staged then there would be evidence for that and she would have used it as her defence. And she wouldn't have apologised to the victim.

I can't believe you don't think children should be punished for assault. I can't think of a more fitting punishment than taking away her X-Factor opportunity, but that aside, the show WILL be seen to be condoning happy slapping if it allows a teenager guilty of it to remain on the show. Do you not understand what sort of message that would have sent to the youth of the UK? That even if you're a callous bully there are no repercussions and you can have your shot at fame and fortune at the expense of the telephone voters and show sponsors. Hardly. And the sponsors themselves will not be willing to be associated with a show featuring a known bully. The Big Brother race row demonstrates just powerful the commercial voice is.

The public shouldn't be in a position where they are voting for her at all, precisely because of the bullying. If she did lose votes, then it would be for reasons other than her performance, which is not what the show is about. If she didn't lose votes, then it sends a very terrible message to kids, that you can bully and get away with it, and that's not something any TV show is going to carry.

No, no. Not once have I said that she shouldnt be punished for what she has done, however to be punished to something on a scale that big.. was my question.

Other Happy Slappers who have nothing going for them and arn't good at anything an do ridiculous things like that get punished - but just becasue she has got something good going for her she gets punished worse than anyone else. how do you know that she has not already been punished for this crime a little while ago? Do you know why she had the arguement with the girl? Yes if it was staged she probably would still have said sorry to make it seem all the more real.

People look at her for one mistake that she has made in her past. She is a young girl growing up in north London, I am not for one second condoning her behaviour and saying that it is right, but growing up and learning from your own mistakes is what life is all about.

Viewers could have watched her, voted for her is she deserved it and she could have become a role model... someone who started bad and then turned good... someone who learned from her mistakes and turned her life around as she got older.. as she grew up. What other model is perfect then someone who has learned from what they have done and changed the person they had once been? Thats the message that could have been sent out to the Youth in the UK.

[vbloke]

Does it really matter? Even if she did go on to win the thing, she'd be a nobody again fairly quickly afterwards.

The fact is, she got caught doing something and it came back to haunt her. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just that TV companies for reality shows (especially in light of recent controversies) want to appear to be squeaky clean and to allow her continue would be a tacit approval of her actions, that would open them up to criticism from the popular press and public.

[Bubblesxx]

Does it really matter? Even if she did go on to win the thing, she'd be a nobody again fairly quickly afterwards.

The fact is, she got caught doing something and it came back to haunt her. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just that TV companies for reality shows (especially in light of recent controversies) want to appear to be squeaky clean and to allow her continue would be a tacit approval of her actions, that would open them up to criticism from the popular press and public.

Not necessarily, some of those winners have gone to make something of themselves.....

She got caught doing something wronf (like most of us at some point in our lifetime) and just beacuse the show wants a squeaky clean image, and doesn't want to be criticised by the public/media they give her no choice but to resign. I know they are the facts, but is that really fair? She had pone shot at her dream and went for it.....

[seren]

I am absolutely for giving people a second chance, but they kind of have to be punished first.

By that I mean, if someone is tried and convicted of a crime and serves their time, I would then be willing to allow them to live in peace, and go on and pursue dreams and be on TV or whatever. I wouldn't care that they had a crim past because they've paid the price, and I'm happy to give people a second chance.

But she has not served her time for this crime. Sorry kind of does not cut it. Go and do your community service order, show you're sorry and willing to pay for what you've done, and then come back and have a shot at fame. She may find people are quite sympathetic to that.

[Lost Rosie Specs]

As a parent who's daughter is sat at home today because she is too terrified to go to school and face the bullies, I am glad she had no option but to pull out.

The contestants of these shows do go on to become role models for youngsters. If she wasn't withdrawn then I believe it would have sent out a message " Go ahead, be a bully, commit assault, it doesn't necessarily stop you from being successful"

Why should she get away with something she did in her past when other people in the limelight don't? Because she's a child? Rubbish....at that age they know right from wrong. She chose to do those disgusting acts and now she is paying the price. Bullying ruins countless lives and a zero tolerance approach should be used as standard.

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Does it really matter? Even if she did go on to win the thing, she'd be a nobody again fairly quickly afterwards.

The fact is, she got caught doing something and it came back to haunt her. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just that TV companies for reality shows (especially in light of recent controversies) want to appear to be squeaky clean and to allow her continue would be a tacit approval of her actions, that would open them up to criticism from the popular press and public.

Did anyone see Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe last week?

He did a brilliant few minutes on the X-Factor and why it insults the intelligence of the viewer. Things like why do all the 'good' ones have sob stories but none of the rubbish ones do (so we feel ok laughing at the complete failures), how the judges pretend to see every act even though they are so obviously screened a number of times beforehand, how they use clips of the judge's reactions which are filmed at other times as opposed to when the act is singing in the audition (like 'noddie's in interviews), etc etc

Like many others I suspect, I am an unwilling viewer of the X-Factor (wife watches is religiously ).

What I hate about it is how it is just a gloried advertisment. So what if they go straight to no 1 at xmas, no one else has 4 months worth of publicity on prime time tv. This year, when the standard is so obviously just dreadful, they keep going on about other acts like Westlife and Leona Lewis who they want to promote. The overuse of the word 'journey'. The real desperation of the acts even though they are crap. Ok, they can sing better than me, but who can't 8). The judges pretending they can't decide who to vote out - as if they care.

Oh, and in case you hadn't guessed, I'm not too keen on the programme....

[seren]

I don't watch X Factor at all. I'm commenting on something I know nothing about.

But I DO watch Screenwipe religiously. Just bought his new book of Guardian musings too. I *heart* Charlie Brooker. His bit about the past lives show recently was great...and the baby minder reader too. Plus he needlessly swears a lot and makes juvenile jokes about bums. Worryingly I find that attractive in a man.

[Bubblesxx]

As a parent who's daughter is sat at home today because she is too terrified to go to school and face the bullies, I am glad she had no option but to pull out.

The contestants of these shows do go on to become role models for youngsters. If she wasn't withdrawn then I believe it would have sent out a message " Go ahead, be a bully, commit assault, it doesn't necessarily stop you from being successful"

Why should she get away with something she did in her past when other people in the limelight don't? Because she's a child? Rubbish....at that age they know right from wrong. She chose to do those disgusting acts and now she is paying the price. Bullying ruins countless lives and a zero tolerance approach should be used as standard.

Your going on like she is a bully, FULL STOP. You don't know that for a fact do you? How do you know that she hasn't been the subject to bullying for a long long time, and the video evidence that sees her fighting was in fact her fighting back in a 'beat the bully' moment? I mean you never know do you?

Your saying everyone knows the difference between right and wrong.... but how do they learn that then? All part of growing up? Learning from mistakes? What if she hasn't got a role model and thats what she thought was OK? Noone really knows anything about this girl - so before judging her whole character on a 2 minute video (which could have even been staged) maybe you should all stop passing judegment?

I agree with another comment about her being punished. And I agree 100%, however in the circumstances, she is not going to get another shot at fame again is she. That was a once in a lifetime opportunity that has been ruined now. All the others are crap - at least she had a natural bit of talent behind her.