Boot Camp, The X Factor

The X Factor picks its mansion-bound; delivers hokiest segment yet

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So, The X Factor has picked its 32 mansion-bound contestants.

My first impressions …

* Much of the suspense of the final elimination was gone because you just knew — like on Idol — the most hyped contestants were going to survive. That would include Josh Krajcik, Melanie Amaro, Chris Rene and Tiah Tolliver.

* Did you notice how many girls were standing on stage for the final elimination? Oh, yes, just like on Idol, the competition among the gals was the toughest. Congrats to those who survived. In contrast, only about six over 30s were cut in the final elimination. In other words, more than half advanced.

* I will be rooting against young rapper Brian Bradley and Rachel Crow. Sorry, but after watching Idol go young this spring I have no interest in watching The X Factor go younger yet this fall.

* Thank you, judges, for ridding us of Siameze Floyd. I really feared you might keep him around for the entertainment factor.

* The foreign guy behind the shades who assigned the judges their groups clearly has a screw loose. He gave the over-3os to Nicole Scherzinger, who’s 33 but acts like she’s 19. Well, maybe in makes sense in this respect: They should require the least coaching.

* Most conceited quote of the night comes from, of course, Simon Cowell, upon learning that he’d be coaching the girls (big surprise, right?). Said Simon: “That just made eight girls very, very happy.”

Wondering who advanced? Here’s the list …

Girls (aka Simon’s group)
Ciatlin Koch
Drew Ryniewicz
Jazzlyn Little
Melanie Amaro
Rachel Crow
Simone Battle
Tiah Tolliver
Tora Woloshin

Boys (aka L.A.’s group)
Brennin Hunt
Brian Bradley
Chris Rene
Marcus Canty
Nick Voss
Phillip Lomax
Skyelor Anderson
Tim Cifers

Over 30s (aka, they got stuck with Nicole)
Christa Collins
Dexter Haygood
Elaine Gibbs
James Kenney
Josh Krajcik
LeRoy Bell
Stacy Francis
Tiger Budbill

Groups (aka Paula’s group)
2 Squar’d
4 Shore
The Answer
The Brewer Boys
Illusion Confusion
The Stereo Hogzz
Mystery Group #1
Mystery Group #2

Ah, yes, that was Thursday’s big twist.

The judges brought back about a dozen eliminated contestants from the boys’ and girls’ groups and formed two new groups, one of four gals and one much larger group that included, among others, Nick Dean, who botched just about every line of his song on group day.

Oh, and I’d be remiss not to add this.

The last 5 minutes of tonight’s show, when the mystery man behind the half-drawn shades makes the much-anticipated (LOL!!!) phone calls to tell the judges which group they’ll be mentoring ranks as hokier — far, far hokier — than anything we’ve ever seen on American Idol.

If that was your goal, congrats to you, too, Simon Cowell.

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1 Comment

  1. J Isbell October 10, 2011 at 6:14 pm -  Reply

    Hokie is the perfect word, I have been calling it “shtick”, the strongest shtick I have ever seen in this sort of thing. The camera work that shows mom and dad and family, the guy, or guys (not clear their job) that stands on the sidelines and basically says “find your center, go get em”, stuff like that–and the insane music they play while the contestant breaks down because of great news. I mean, when Caitlin had such a great audition–her emotion was not enough you know–they were playing “the only girl in the word” LOUD. The shtick is just too powerful, too “Hokie” to believe. Glad we have Tivo so we can pop through and get to the singing

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