An anonymous insider who claimed to have worked in artist development for X Factor USA during it’s 3 year run on FOX from 2011-2013 has written a tell-all essay for Cracked.com.
Titled “I Was a Reality Judge: 5 Secrets I shouldn’t tell you, the entire article is worth a read. I’ve bulleted the highlights below. The insider’s insight into why Season 1 winner, Melanie Amaro failed is particularly fascinating.
- Confirmation that first round auditioners are casting for types, not talent. But we already knew that.
- Despite contract language that gives producers carte blanche over a hopeful’s presentation and image, the insider insists producers don’t play too fast and loose with editing, fearing litigation from disgruntled contestants. If an auditioner seemingly sucked on television, they most likely actually did in the audition room as well.
- X Factor, American Idol, The Voice DO NOT GAME votes! It would ruin their respective franchises. Lawyers go over the results with a fine tooth comb. The person who leaves the competition truly has the lowest number of votes. However, producers attempt to manipulate viewers to get the results that they want. Duh.
- The insider blames Tate Stevens’ Season 2 win on out-of-touch producers laying heavy on his sob story, while making the act with more potential (and ultimately more successful) Fifth Harmony come off like a quintet of ditzes.
- Oh. A popular contestant was given a “nice guy” edit because he was a fan favorite. But the crew could not wait until he was gone–he was that damn scary. “He would grope the wardrobe team, text producers that he wanted a “taste” of them, and would even try to make them stop by his room for some “extra rehearsal.” Unfortunately, because he was so popular and obviously talented, the producers had to continue portraying him as a good guy, despite us praying for the day he got voted off.” Hm. Wonder who could it be…
- The story told about bringing back Don Philip to audition in front of judge Britney Spears is cringe inducing, and illustrates how cold reality show casting can be. This man had recorded a duet with Britney early in her career, but his star faded while hers soared. His voice gone, the judges not only rejected him, but scolded him as well. Britney’s reception was chilly. Completely blindsided, Don ran away sobbing. Before you say…”but he auditioned.” No. The producers went out looking for him. While the insider felt horrible, others on the team were elated after creating such “great TV.” The full edit is horrible to watch.
Very telling is what the insider had to say about Season 1 winner, Melanie Amaro. She was dropped after her first two singles bombed, her finished album shelved “indefinitely” aka forever. There was also that erratic behavior on twitter. What was up with Melanie? The author’s thoughts shed light on the matter.
X-Factor’s first season featured an incredible talent named Melanie Amaro. We really saw her as a new benchmark in singing show talent. As the competition wore on, though, the stress took a huge toll on her. It got to the point where she stopped caring about her health or appearance, showing sudden weight gain over the course of the competition. Before live performances, she’d burst with anxiety, tearfully demanding last-minute changes to her production and song choices. Then she received some terrible news: She had won.
This victory netted her a $5 million recording contract, though we might as well have handed it to her in Toys “R” Us Geoffrey Bucks, for all she cared. Actually recording her own album, which a few months earlier was her dream come true, was suddenly very low on her priority list.
After Melanie’s singles flopped, her label dropped her and shelved her album “indefinitely,” which is industry speak for “Axl Rose will release a Chinese Democracy sequel before she finishes one record.” I don’t think she cared. Her dream became to open up a nail salon, because she figured obnoxious customers and acetone fumes are still easier to deal with than all that. Fame simply wasn’t for her — as it likely isn’t for many singing show hopefuls who dream of gigantic mansions, but not the 130-hour work week required to live in one.
It all makes sense now.
