The Why Factor?

I'm so glad I don't watch X Factor.

Aside from the fact I'm not keen on karaoke competitions, or programmes where we have to vote, I find the whole crowd-baiting thing a bit grating.

But I hate not knowing what's going on. I like to be slightly informed, without investing the time in the actual show. I've discovered that the best way to watch X Factor is on Twitter and Facebook.

With such valuable insight as "WTF??!!!" (Gadget Show's Ortis Deley), "The REAL scandal is - how did Jamie not end up in the bottom two?" (Heat's Boyd Hilton) and "I suspect there will be a lot of people who've gone far with little talent up in arms about Jedward who've er gone far with little talent" (Starsailor's James Walsh), I don't need to watch the show, or even read the Sun the day after.

And this is just the celebrity tweetage. On Facebook, friends are saying similar things. One "is amused that the public is outraged that they were given the chance to decide. not exactly embracing democracy are they?", another said "I never thought those silly twins could possibly win me £300. LOL". Political commentary meets Bet365.com.

Frankly, any programme on ITV immediately incurs an air of cynicism. In fact I can't remember the last thing I watched on ITV that wasn't football. I am baffled though by how seriously people take this show.The prize appears to be the chance to spend a year recording Westlife covers, a year pretending to be a serious artist, followed by either a touring production of Joseph, Eurovision, or Dancing on Ice. Unless you are extremely lucky, anyway.

But a testament to the seriousness was presented to me on "Inside Out", presented from Reading recently. As part of a piece with camp financial advisor Alvin Hall, a lady is belting out "The sun will come out tomorrow" with her kids. Turns out she was in X Factor last year but missed out after Boot Camp (? seems a bit harsh, they are only singers after all, and she didn't look the build for assault courses and canoeing on oil drums), but had clearly seen the cameras on Broad Street and seen an opportunity to try again. These people just can't let go. Seems being on X Factor is the ambition for everyone, regardless of talent.

So while these folks participate and vote in numbers far greater than any politician could dream of, my family quietly ignores the inane goings on.

Not least because, thanks to the internet, my friends are watching X factor so that I don't have to.