Season two of the X Factor USA may be nine months away, yet that hasn’t stopped the Fox hit from drumming up drama aplenty this week.
Changes to the show’s cast had long been expected, yet few anticipated the axe falling on so many, so fast.
Indeed, just like that host Steve Jones, and judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul were handed their pink slips. And while all have since gone on record to address their respective departures, Simon Cowell has been notable by his silence.
That is until now.
The show’s producer and head judge has released a statement on the mass cull. Find out what he had to say after the jump…
“I want to say a massive thank you to Paula, Nicole and Steve for being part of the X Factor last year.
You do develop friendships with the people you work with and Paula, in particular, is a very close friend and I expect to be working with her on another project in the near future.”
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As titillating a story as this is (and one that ensures the show remains in the headlines), there’s no spinning it – Cowell has scrambled egg on his face.
Much of the year following his 2010 American Idol departure was spent gassing up the US arrival of the X Factor franchise, only for the show to be marred by so-so ratings, garbage judging (largely via the departing), and a toasty dry host.
That said, as somewhat of a “believer” in the format, I can only hope season two sees the show find its mojo. Less syrupy sob-stories, better judges, and better talent.
Your thoughts?
Tidbit: Who you want to replace Paula and Nicole? Let us know by clicking here!
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THE SHOW STILL GONA FLOP ALL THIS NEGATIVE PUBLICITY IS NOT HELPING IT AT ALL U WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE LEARNT FROM THE CHERLY COLE FIASCO
@Sam —
So do you REALLY think TGJ’s favorite daughter, the 30-something-year-old Kelly Rowland will be “so” blessed?
That ‘less-than-stellar 200-K U.S. total retail’ speaks volumes, no? Sam, “scrambled egg on his face,” or not, Simon is NOT a man to make the same mistake twice: NO MORE Kelly Rowland. Not on U.K. X-Factor, nor, in any way associated with X-Factor U.S. ..
..Just…NO..!!
X,Y,”and Z” – OUT..!!
@X,Y,”and Z”: Honey you clearly need to see a mental doctor, why are you obsessed about Kelly SO DAMN MUCH?? Is she giving you money or something?? Is she your relative of yours? Jeez!!! That’s all you talk about, do you need pills or something to make you occupy yourself?? You need a book to read, on the real truth and stop going on retarded. Goodnite
Jessica OUT!!!! LMAO!!!
Watch how THE VOICE tops the ratings.
Get Kelly Rowland on it as a judge! America love her now and she enjoys being a judge!
X, Y, AND Z
…. IS A CRAZY ASS SIMPLE SIMONE IDOT !
get Kelly Rowland!!!
This didn’t make me like Simon any more…
And by the way I think it’s just karma’s revenge on Simon for axing Cheryl. I can’t help it, I don’t feel sorry for him or the flop of the show at all ^^
this no problem. the most of judges get replaced on casting shows every season.
we all need a different opinion/star to make ours go nuts on it. 😉
Get Kelly Rowland!!
Honestly he needs someone like Mariah or Beyonce (doubt she’d do it tho) but he needs real star power like Idols did with J Lo, maybe Whitney or Mary J or Cyndi Lauper… someone who actually matters
12 million is hardly a flop, the way u all toss the word “flop” around is pathetic and annoying.
I think THE VOICE is a better Format…
I am mad that Paula isnt coming back,, i was over The host and Nicole cried too dam much,,, UGH… Hope they Bring MIMI on season two!!!
Twitter @DarealRastaBwoi
and chk my funny clips out http://youtu.be/MKYQdQD-kYY
HAHA at this guy and his pure focus on Sam & Kelly Rowland. Lets hope you pay as much attention to your own day to day life.
The broken record ends in X,Y,”and Z”
I want Kelly and That white lady/ choreographer from Americas beat dance crew
Bring Kelly Rowland, she was brilliant at UK XFactor, although I have to say some viewers in the UK thought she was too American. Overall she was real good plus she wouldn’t have the problem of being too American in America anyway. Mariah will be great, but she may turn down the offer. Maybe Cher or Queen Latifah.
I would love for Stevie Nicks to take one spot
X Factor US finalist ((except Chris Rene) were way better than the UK finalist
The thing I didn’t like about it was the pity party they played every week for Chris Rene. Chris made it to the finals solely on sympathy and the producers and judges played a major role in it. Nicole and Paula never critiqued him and told him he was s*** when he deserved it…instead they spoke of rainbows and beacons of light -__- …I expected LA Reid to big him up because he was his mentor. The only judge that told it like it was was Simon. I hope this doesn’t happen next season because it really made the show worse.
Sam, in a previous post, you said Xfactor US was a success. *side eye* #BipolarBlog
After 10 years, we know it by now, the real stars of American Idol and X-Factor are the shows themselves.
Both XFactor and Idols suck there is nothing innovative about them to the point where it feels like you’ve seen the same shyte over and over and over again. The Voice (although I do not watch it much) has a far more interesting premise to it.
@antertain re: January 31, 2012 at 9:04 pm —
“The broken record ends in X,Y,”and Z”'” —
If you see it that way. But then you’ll be doing what ‘the industry’ has now been doing since 2002’s ‘Simply Deep’: pretend; wish; hope for the best; repackage and reissue.
..And let’s be MORE frank and even MORE to the point: the 30-something-year-old Kelly Rowland had WEEKLY-ACCESS, as that X-Factor U.K. sitting judge/mentor, to some 12-15 Million U.K./European viewers with discretionary monies at THEIR disposal. And what did she do with it? World Wide sales LESS-THAN 350-K! (If you can furnish an industry link that contradicts this figure, then I’d appreciate it)
“Here I am” debuted at #46 and in only a scant 10-weeks quickly fell off the U.K. Top-100 Album Chart. Which all means that, that “less-than 350-K” sales figure is within actual range and ‘just’ close enough.
The “broken record” ends with you BEGINNING to coming to grips with an ugly, bitter, UNmotivated reality..
X,Y,”and Z” — OUT..!!
@XYZ , I really think you are obsessed with kelly. I will pull out all your comments on tgj and it is about kelly and it is very repetitive. forget about kelly exposure and sales, she is not the first and not the last. Why can’t you use Jlo as an example wasn’t she on AI exposed to millions but where is her album now? i am starting to think that you have something personal against kelly. furthermore kelly is a millionnaire and if she falls short some way or the other SHE will be be just ok cause she have all the support and help you can only dream of having. stop criticizing, she was a great judge in the UK and she can be a better job in her US
@Kimberly re: Feb 1st, 7:41 am —
It seems the 30-something-year-old Kelly Rowland just may be coming back to the U.S.: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/4100716/X-Factor-news-Nicole-Scherzinger-and-Paula-Abdul-are-yanked-out-by-Simon-Cowell.html
..But, if the aforementioned suggestions/rumors, ARE true, then 2012 U.S. X-Factor will prove to be the VERY public stage where Kelly Rowland, and “Brand Kelly” is finally put to an end: publicly executed!!
You see, the U.S. always proved itself to be the ‘weakest of all’ market places for her to shuck her wares (CD or whatever). ‘Here I am’ debuted with 77-K First Week, and has YET to move 200-K U.S. retail units.
Kimberly, it’s a peculiar thing, ALL of the 30-something-year-old Kelly Rowland’s music debuted with between 77-86K U.S. First Week. And yet-more “peculiar”: ‘Motivation’ took some 4-5 months to go Platinum – an eternity – which to me, suggests that it really didn’t “sell” a million; more-like it was force-fed down our collective throats till our grasp on that $1.10 (or whatever itunes held ransom our faculties) relented!
Kelly Rowland will return to the U.S. and our collective senses will be traumatized by gay black men as they jump for joy, with their ‘badly-damaged jiggly displaced self-image projections’ then peculating to the surface: raw sewage in the streets, Teanus, Giardia, and ‘H******** A’ between the sheets..!!
But there-then, our prayers WILL be answered. Our God is a good, just and righteous God: he’ll ONCE AGAIN remind and prevail upon the U.S. discretionary spending public why ‘Simply Deep’ and ‘Ms. Kelly’ precipitated ‘Colombia’ record’s removing the 30-something-year-old Kelly Rowland from their roster.
..So, Kimberly, you see, re: Kelly Rowland on 2012 X-Factor U.S. ..All is NOT lost: the U.S. will have ring-side seats to the 2012 public beheading of the 30-something-year-old Kelly Rowland/Brand Kelly..
..And Kimberly, you can BEST believe, I X,Y,”and Z”, will be there to provide you-all with color-commentary as only one so familiar and unphased by all the gimmickry that has defined and fueled the career/brand of the 30-year-old Kelly Rowland!
X,Y,”and Z” — OUT..!!