OPORTUNITY KNOCKS
The cultural significance of Simon Cowell’s X Factor was dramatically underlined by past winner Leona Lewis being selected to represent modern Britain at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, singing atop an iconic red London bus.
It is a well crafted entertainment format, combining many of the themes of the Zeitgeist. The early shows walk a delicate balance between humiliating the hapless hopefuls, while surrounding the rare finds of talent with the charisma of success; especially as carefully crafted back stories are built around them through the middle section of the series, the boot camps and visits to the judges houses – which also show a glimpse of the luxury that success can bring. And of course such luxury bears with it its own moral justification – how could anything so beautiful be wrong?
Although skilfully presented, and enjoyable entertainment, the content is as conformist and safe as possible: hackneyed covers of pop music staples, built around a contrived and confected faux-rivalry between the judges. The criteria of success is always focussed on who can be commercial. If the drama of the knock-out competion was removed it would be a joyless parade; and of course it is the public voting that engages the audience, and sustains the interest.
The whole phenomenon was artfully described by Pat Devine and others, in the brilliant pamphlet Feelbad Britain:
Much of our popular culture is now imbued with an air of self-reflexive, nostalgic yearning. There is constant recycling of tried and trusted form and substance, so that only in the realms of high or elite art is innovation possible, and then at the whims and favours of wealthy patrons or the dispensers of what remains of state subsidy. This is why British popular culture today largely consists of repeats, remakes and re-mixes, paradoxically at a time of ever-proliferating modes and techniques of cultural delivery. We have a million new ways of saying the same old thing. The only apparent novelties are the freak-shows of celebrity and reality TV, sad and sordid parades of exhibitionists and attention-seekers, craving fame for its own sake rather than for any discernible talent or achievement. Even these are simply hi-tech versions of much older forms of ritual public humiliation and titillation.
It is a central and core belief of our society that the market determines worth. So instead of building a shared sense of purpose and promoting common social values of compassion and cooperation, we instead celebrate only that which sells. Individuals are judged successful becasuue they are rich and famous, not because they contribute anything of worth, nor because their accomplishments are respected, or As Lord Layard wrote in his 2005 book Happiness: “If your sole duty is to achieve the best for yourself, life becomes just too stressful, too lonely - you are set up to fail.”
If value is measured only by commercial success, then those who have already succeeded are more intrinsically valuable than those who have yet to succeed, or who will never succeed. The opinions of those who cannot become rich are only consumers, and if they seek to step out of this passive role (described by one New Labour spin doctor as the “sad, the bad and the mad”) they are seen as dangerously non-conformist and anti-social. The early audition rounds of X-Factor specialise in mocking the self-deluded, but these poor youngsters have been sold the idea that celebrity is all that matters, society has offered them no better route to self worth.
The public voting is expected to reinforce the message that mass popularity is the best arbiter of artistic worth; on the assumption that those who vote will also buy. But the voting sometimes seems to defy this logic. Ray Quinn nearly defeated Leona Lewis in 2006, despite her clearly greater talent, and likeable pub crooner Daniel Evans has only just been evicted this year. Laura White, judged by many to be the best singer in this year’s competition is already out.
At one level, this suggests a decadence that our society prefers likeable mediocrity to talent. But that is a misreading – the format of the show anyway presents all the acts as middle of the road mediocrity; any genuine talent will be corralled into safe conformity. But the voting adds a sense of authenticity, in the sense that the outcome is not pre-determined. The voting public can potentially derail commercial philistinism of Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh, they may even buy the terrible recordings that result from this small rebellion, as with the hit of “Chico Time”.
But the real tragedy of X-Factor is that despite all its limitations, the elements of drama and unpredictability still make it better entertainment than most of the other offerings on TV. There can be fewer examples of how pointless and aimless our society has become than that.
“But the voting sometimes seems to defy this logic. Ray Quinn nearly defeated Leona Lewis in 2006, despite her clearly greater talent, and likeable pub crooner Daniel Evans has only just been evicted this year. Laura White, judged by many to be the best singer in this year’s competition is already out.”
I think X-Factor is beyond the stage where the singing matters. All of the contestants sing in exactly the same way - the collection of learned tics and tricks that all trained pop singers use (the woman who occasionally throws in a sub-Cranberries ‘celtic’ wail is presented as some kind of out-there leftfield choice). The programme is teatime melodrama, where the public vote on the quality of the contestants’ back stories. Daniel Evans lasted as long as he did because he brought up the fact that he was a widower every 5 minutes - whenever things looked bad for him, he’d dedicate his song to his dead wife. Laura White, on the other hand, was rumoured to have been voted off because the contestant she was head to head with is currently sleeping with one of the judges.
Comment by McGazz — 18 November, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
That is a good point McGazz - this is part of the homogenisation of culture. Anything unexpected is removed, because the safest option is what has already been commercially successful.
Hence the utter soulless dreadfulness of snow patrol and coldplay
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 November, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
McGazz: “the woman who occasionally throws in a sub-Cranberries ‘celtic’ wail is presented as some kind of out-there leftfield choice”
You noticed that too? It irritates me, to be honest. Yeah, singing and taste is subjective but they are a much of a muchness. In the auditions it’s Marie Carey, Whitney, Take That (pre-/post Robbie)and in the past year or so some of them take to “murdering” Amy Whinehouse’s Valerie…(Nooo I say, please don’t..hurts my ears).
But it is based on faux sympathy, personal tragedy, sugar coated unpalatable pap revolving around music and ‘talent’. It also gives the wannabes a false understanding of creativity, imagination and yeah…talent. They go along to these auditions believing they can be the one, no perspective… They get knocked back and some it devastates. Though I wonder how much of that is hyped up by the producers to give it an extra kick!
I think the Peter Kaye parody of the X-Factor hits the nail on the head when Pete Waterman rushes over to the funeral where one of the wannabes is attending (R Wayne) and tells him that he has to get back to London as “this is what I call tragedy”! Also, comments (from Pete Waterman) like, “Wow, I haven’t heard vocals like that since Sonya”!
Classic!
Oh, ’bout time Daniel whatshisname got voted off. I know sod all about singing but that was deffo off key.
Comment by Louise — 18 November, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
Sorry to interrupt this thread but over at the Lancaster UAF site they’ve just mentioned that someone has let slip the entire BNP membership details. Who’s going to be the first to reveal this? It would certainly be useful to know!
Comment by Doug — 18 November, 2008 @ 4:12 pm
“Who’s going to be the first to reveal this? It would certainly be useful to know!”
Opportunity Knocks?
Comment by Seán — 18 November, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
Andy sorry to go off the thread but this thing about the complete list of 2007 BNP members being released is very worrying. Anti- Fascist activists must resist the temptation to contact, phone or e-mail any paper BNP members in anyway that can be presented as hassrassment or intimidation.
To pursue any other course of action could be extremely counter productive.
However, this information has been leaked you can be sure that similar information will be finding its way to the BNP activists about those of us on the left.
Now is not the time to launch any form of open warfare.
Comment by mark anthony france — 18 November, 2008 @ 7:21 pm
well we can safely assume ALL of the people on the list will either hate black people, hate strikers and trade unions, hate jews and hate gay people (or probably all of these!!!!!!!)
so far as im concerned they are all fair game for a bit of socialist retribution - whatever form that may take.
Comment by david — 18 November, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
More inteesting is the fact that this kind of “entertainment” is cheap to make and makes a lot of money. It was not that long ago that broacasters were in the business of supplying a product. The situation now seems to be “entertain yourselves”: here’s a microphone, or here’s a house full of small cameras, recording your every move. And this is broadcasting? Unbelievable!
Comment by Tawfiq Chahboune — 18 November, 2008 @ 8:36 pm
Mark #6
I agree.
the last thing we need is some sort of vigilante response to the BNP.
I will delete any comments that include a link to the BNP membership list.
Comment by Andy Newman — 18 November, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
Well it’s a handy list to have to see who’s writing to local paers and knowing where they are. I won’t be taking any other action but I won’t lose any sleep if anything happens to them after what some of my friends had to put up with in the past - especially as it’s their own sort that published it as part of a faction fight.
There’s quite a few on that list with ‘88′ in their email addresses for a start.
I do like that a couple live on ‘Scapegoat Hill’ in Huddersfield.
Comment by M — 18 November, 2008 @ 9:12 pm
On the fascists list. No doubt many of the people on it fascist views. But any contact with them will allow claims of victimhood - claims which are used in an attempt to legitimise fascism.
We must not be tempted to use the bullying tactics of the fascists.
Comment by Charlie Marks — 19 November, 2008 @ 12:12 am
I think it was Utah Philips who remarked that, “in world of mass marketing making your own music is a revolutionary act.” Too true.
If we want people to have the capacity to escape an ever more deracinated, commodified world we should start by dumping our TV’s and adopting a DIY ethos towards music and the arts in general. We might lack the polish of ‘professinal performers,’ but maybe that’s a good thing?
Comment by Sergioleonine — 22 November, 2008 @ 11:46 pm