Are any of the X Factor contestants genuine?

After a hectic day of a gym visit, buying some household goods and cleaning my flat (I know how to live!) I find myself yet again on the sofa tuning in to the X Factor. It’s one of those programs I always feel slightly ashamed of watching, but I can’t help myself watching it.

As you’ve probably read in the papers, this year though the viewing figures have dropped. People can’t decide why, is it because Simon and Cheryl are gone? Is the talent not there? Are people bored of the show format? Or do more people have a life now and are actually going out on a Saturday night instead of staying in being boring like me?

Watching the program tonight I think I might have an idea why. Many, if not most, of the contestants just don’t seem believable to me. You’ve got Frankie ‘jack the lad’ Cocozza (how much have they tried to build that reputation?), Kitty – the Lady Gaga wannabe, Janet the pure, quiet little Irish girl, I won’t go on.

Everyone knows the X Factor always says they are looking for something new and different and then they reproduce some manufactured act which fits their predictable mould every time. This year it seems this is even more evident. Most of the singers in the competition to me are not being their true selves and are giving answers they’ve been told to give. They are singing songs they aren’t comfortable with and they’ve had makeovers into characters which they don’t suit them and aren’t true to them.

Now I know that when we see film stars and music acts we aren’t necessarily seeing the true them, but at least the acts that are already famous are believable.

The show is always centred on the judges and becomes a popularity contest, but this year again seems worse. Just watching Kelly Rowland tell people off for having opinions if they dare to disagree with her and Louis Walsh and Gary Barlow bicker, it just makes the show even more of a mockery. As for Alexandra Burke last week, don’t even get me started…

You have a young boy who can’t sing and was staying in the competition based on his fake image the program has tried to create. People start to admit this and then it turns into an argument between the judges to divert away from that fact. At first I was pleased to have Gary Barlow as a judge, someone who would know what they were speaking about and came from the industry and had success. However, I’m starting to think the show might be damaging for his reputation, if anything. Defending a contestant who clearly can’t sing and having petty squabbles with other team members, isn’t the best portrayal of him I’ve seen.

I won’t lie though, after nosing out my window at the local fireworks banging and sparkling outside, I will be tuning into ITV2 for the Xtra Factor to check out the fireworks on screen…

Random hungover Sunday musings

What a shocker, I am indeed hungover today as I suspected. I had a great night last night and ended up reliving old memories as we ended going to a club we used to have nights out at back when we were at college and teenagers. I am suffering for it today though. Why is it as you get older hangovers are so bad?... I am sitting here watching X Factor and still feel rough, am not impressed.

Another discovery I have made since going out last night - and looking back at the photographic evidence - is that I have definitely put on weight recently. Something I have got to sort out, particularly as in less than 4 weeks I will need to put a bikini back on! Woohoo!! Yes I have a holiday booked and I cannot wait, just a week of sun, relaxing, reading and listening to music. A nice break. Okay, yes, it is away with my parents and we may well kill each other, but I'm sure we'll survive a week together.

Especially now I have a proper bed and will not have to sleep on a camp bed or short, cramped, sofa bed. Yes, that's right, when searching for a holiday we found that companies seem to think it's acceptable for three people wanting to go on holiday together to not allow for 2 rooms and under occupancy fees, but in fact have them in the same room and one person can't have a proper bed. What a cheek and as I'm sure most people will agree and have seen if they have booked a holiday recently, holidays are not cheap right now...

Anyway that aside, I have a holiday booked and I can't wait! As long as the sun is out in full I will be a happy bunny.

So, last night, I was shocked when we got to the restaurant/bar, after blogging about how many 'orange' visitors it usually attracts, I actually found that when we arrived there wasn't a TOWIE wannabe in sight. Regardless, I just have to say the food in The Brickyard is great, yes it's not the cheapest of local eateries to dine at, but they do great food, it's well presented and you get huge portions! The cocktails are yummy too. Last night I sampled a starter of pigeon breast (something I've not tried before) salad, served with walnuts, mixed salad leaves, a raspberry vinagerette, crispy bacon and raspberries. It was amazing, not wanting to sound like a Masterchef judge, but it was such a good mix of bitter and sweet flavours. I then moved on to enjoy sea bass fillets, on a bed of saffron fondant potato, carrot puree and a mussel and prawn ragout - again a great mix of tastes.

And I think we've realised I'm probably not made up to be a TOWIE star, after applying my tinted body lotion yesterday, I awoke this morning to find my arm half 'tanned' and half white. Nice.

I also stupidly decided to go to the gym today and have a workout in this state too. After a night of drinking and hours of dancing to garage, going into a gym with music pumping out the speakers was not the best solution.

Oh well, by the time I have finished typing my random musings, X Factor has finished and Nu Vibe have been voted off. I have to agree with the bottom two though, both gave pretty naff performances in my opinion...

I'm going to carry on vegging out on my sofa and feeling sorry for myself whilst I nurse my hangover and cringe after last night's pictures! Oh and I might even indulge in a bit of The Only Way Is Essex later too. What an exciting life I lead indeed.

Tattoos - body art or trashy tat?

I was asked recently what my thoughts are on tattoos. My honest answer? I really am divided.

A key thing for me with tattoos is the individual who has chosen to have them. And of course, what the actual tattoo is. I always remember a big muscular guy who lived in halls with us at University, he came back one day having had a tattoo done – no word of a lie, a big heart on his bicep with ‘Mum’ inscribed in it. Not what we were expecting at all. This student was rather scary and very butch and to see such a permanent mark on his arm like this, well it kind of make us laugh to be honest. Or what about the new contestant on X Factor, Frankie? Having girls names tattooed onto your bum cheeks, hm classy!

People who choose to cover their whole bodies in tattoos is not something I really get. For some people, perhaps those who are very creative, tattoos are an artform and a way to express themselves. For me, I think it’s too much.

Tattoos are like cool clothes/individual looks, there are those who can pull them off and those that can’t. Those that aren’t so successful with their tattoos end up often making themselves look rough, cheap or chavvy.

I may sound like an old woman, but what about when you’re old and wrinkly? When that design you picked when young and fun, looks totally inappropriate for a pensioner!

So, when do I like them? Certain designs on a muscular man’s arm can be very attractive. Well positioned, discreet designs can be sexy on a girl. On the other hand, a proud father having a well designed and not too showy tattoo as a gesture towards his child or children, I find this really touching. Perhaps David Beckham may have gone a bit far with his, but something a bit lower key is acceptable.

There are those tattoos you have to look cool, those to show support – perhaps for your favourite band or football team. Showing your commitment to a loved one, but best to wait until you’re married than getting somebody’s name permanently inked on your body… Chinese symbols seem a hit, but how do you know what they really say?

Of course, we were given the chance to remove those accident tattoos. This costs a lot of money though and can still leave scarring or some marks.

Dodgy or dirty images aren’t the best choice either, do people not think of the impact overall? It sounds dull, but if it’s noticeable then you need to think about how people will react – potential employers, future partners – people will judge. Or even in your future, your children or grandchildren – how would you explain that inappropriate wording or picture on your arm?

Still, as I blogged previously, I opted for a temporary tattoo when I went to the Isle of Wight festival this year. I laughed as the original ‘drawing on’ of the design scratched a bit and where we had to peel off the initial layer it actually hurt quite a lot! What a wuss, how would I cope with a real tattoo?

However, once I had it done I became a bit obsessed with the design and loved how it looked on my shoulder and back. Although, on starting my new job I soon realised in that position it was in quite a noticeable spot. This also highlighted to me just how important it is to get it right. After all, a tattoo is for life and not just for that drunken night out or those carefree teenage years…

Nasty Factor

I am sitting here watching X Factor on a Saturday night – sad I know and even sadder that I was pleased I am in tonight to see it. However, I am just so annoyed I had to blog about it.

Recently in the press I saw reports where the X Factor was criticised for an older woman having gone to the auditions four years in a row and always being rejected. People suggested she may not be mentally stable, others hinted that in fact the programme was behind her repeat visits because it was ‘good TV’. I admit I laughed it off and thought it was just another silly story for publicity.

However, on watching tonight’s show, ‘Bootcamp’, where people had been told at their audition they were through to this stage, things have now changed. Before Bootcamp started the judges actually went back and looked through audition tapes and realised that in fact around 40 or so of those they put through, actually weren’t up to the challenge.

Clearly this is a decision to make ‘good TV’ and cause controversy, but surely it gets to a point where people’s lives and feelings need to be considered somewhat? I’m not an actress, singer, or in any way an entertainments type of person. I do however recognise this sort of industry is tough and people need to be prepared for it.

Getting all those people in front of one another and then humiliating those individuals that for some reason all of a sudden aren’t good enough anymore in my opinion is just not right.

Yes in that sort of industry people have to go through various stages of auditioning, tests, callbacks and more. From my knowledge though they are aware of those stages? They have not been told they’ve reached another stage and then before that stage begins they get cut, without any explanation and without a chance to fight for their place.

Three of the judges are in musical groups – do they not remember how tough it was for them and that one person in their life that gave them a break or a chance? No, it’s all about what outfit to wear this week and how many front covers they can get on ready for next week’s show. As each group is coming on stage what is it they are asking – has anybody had any fights over the song choice! Another group sings and one young boy who they all clearly love has been deemed the stand out of that selection – he was so weak!

Already you can get a good idea of who they are looking at to put through – they are smiling at those people within seconds of them singing, or in some cases as soon as they walk on stage or in the room. Not a very fair competition then in my eyes…

I know X Factor has always been – and likely always will be – a show for entertainment and people have complained about it for a long time. I too am now feeling myself join the camp of being anti this show and understanding although people with talent will also feature in it that’s not what the show’s producers are interested in. They want people who are prepared to be humiliated or one side, or on the other be someone who will allow themselves to be moulded and modelled into the exact robotic replica star Mr Cowell and his team need to make their bank balances even bigger.