The X Factor Australia Eliminations: Week Three

This is the third in a series reviewing The X Factor results shows. Week one can be read here and week two here. Please note that no contestant or judge/mentor was harmed in the writing of this blog. The RRSPXFCJ (Right Royal Society for the Protection of X Factor Contestants and Judges) was in attendance, this time in the ‘person’ of Angel (featured top right) with claws at the ready (the scratches will heal eventually).

For the first time in a results show this season, the outcome was not unexpected. It was ‘third time is a curse, dammit’ for three-time, Bottom Two contestant, Blonde Piece. Mel B had saved her the week before and had justified her decision then by saying, “Hair pieces, extensions and wigs are far more versatile than a single hair colour when it comes down to it”.

This week Mel’s fellow judges out-voted her attempt to save Blonde for a third time and the likeable Piece accepted their decision tearfully but resolutely. In their remarks, judges praised her personality but were critical of hair extension placement saying that it was “too uneven”. Judge Ronan Keating’s comments that “At this level of competition, curls have to be perfect but too many of yours are just flat, really just too flat” were echoed in heavily sympathetic tones by Natalie Bassingwaighte and Guy Sebastian. Former Spice Girl Mel B countered by saying that she couldn’t understand what the other judges were thinking because, in her opinion, Blonde’s positioning of hair extensions was “near-perfect”.

In her Sunrise interview, Blonde thanked her supporters and promised them that this would not be the last they would see of hair pieces, extensions, wigs and blondes on Australian tv. She added that she was looking forward to a reunion that evening with X Factor ex room mate and fellow ex contestant, Clairol “Flaming Red” Hairdye, at the well-known Sydney venue, combination hair salon and eatery Curl Up and Dye. She also hinted at a possible collaboration on a future project tentatively titled: Blonde and Red in the P!nk. We wish her luck.

The X Factor Australia Eliminations: Week Two

This is the second in a series reviewing The X Factor results shows. The first can be read here. Please note that no contestant or judge/mentor was harmed in the writing of this blog. The RRSPXFCJ (Right Royal Society for the Protection of X Factor Contestants and Judges) was in attendance at all times with a blunt musical instrument (the bruises will fade eventually).

Week 2

The bottom two this week shared the same mentor and in an unexpected move that stunned viewers, Mel B took it upon herself to avoid deadlock and choose between her two contestants. In her remarks she said: “Y’ know I luv yous both equally” then concluded by saying that beautiful hair just wasn’t enough of an X factor and voted to send Clairol “Flaming Red” Hairdye home.

Clairol held back the tears to prevent dye run while Mel B stood by in support of the stricken contestant. Mel B had been an obvious fan of Clairol’s from her very first appearance so it was a surprise to viewers when she sent her home.

While Clairol’s demise didn’t incite the kind of frenzied reaction in response to the elimination of Xtra Factor the week before, there was spirited discussion across social networks as to whether Mel B should or should not have gone to deadlock. One fan lamented “When the breeze from the stage fan blew her hair back like that, my heart skipped a beat. I know I’ll always remember that moment from the performance. I’ll really miss Clairol but will be buying her new colour-defence shampoo as soon as it’s released.”

At her Sunrise interview the following morning, the bubbly Hairdye hinted at future gigs and excitedly told viewers, “Don’t be surprised to see more red heads popping up in Home and Away!” If that includes Ray Meagher’s character, Alf, viewers won’t be merely surprised, they’ll be in shock.

Meanwhile the juggernaut that is X Factor rolls on, lighter now by two contestants, as bookmakers adjust the betting odds ahead of next week’s elimination.

The X Factor Australia Eliminations: Week One

This is the first in a series that will be reviewing The X Factor results shows. While these reviews are based on the Australian franchise, I will be interested to learn how well they relate to franchises in other countries and invite you to comment in the box provided below.

In Australia, we have had thus far four weeks of live performances and results shows. I am, therefore, somewhat behind with my reviews but will endeavour to catch up to the show’s schedule in the next few days.

Week 1

In a move that shocked the nation, the early and outright favourite was the first to be eliminated: Xtra Factor. During voting, judges criticised Xtra Factor’s performances as being flawed from the beginning and “trying too hard to cover every angle so that it was all over the place”.

The popular performer had built a steady and enthusiastic fan base that massed onto forums, Twitter and Facebook to register their outrage and dismay. The unofficial head of their fan club, Natalie Garonzi¹, tearfully declared that she couldn’t understand how they could have been in the bottom two and that if it had gone to deadlock “they would have won for sure ‘cause I alone voted for them 1208 times.”

Xtra Factor’s mentor agreed that Ms Garonzi may well have voted alone as the problem with favourites is that everyone thinks everyone else has voted for them so there’s no need for them to spend money on voting² at such an early stage. He went on to warn the fans of remaining contestants to consider Xtra Factor’s demise as a wake-up call and urged them to take out substantial loans now in order to vote early and often for their favourites in future weeks.


Notes:
¹For those unfamiliar with the Australian version, Natalie Garonzi was the host of The Xtra Factor in 2010. Channel 7 chose not to renew the show in 2011 because of its poor ratings the year before. The show’s cancellation has elicited considerable comment across social networks.

²In Australia, viewers pay to vote at the rate of 55c per standard call with mobile calls to the 190 number charged extra. As I understand it, all profits from these calls are split between Telstra and The X Factor Australia franchise.