Monday 16 November 2009

X-Factor votes skewed by voters voting for free...

There are reports in a number of newspapers on how thousands are voting unofficially for free in the X-Factor show.

Voters are said to be able to vote for the free through sites such as free2call.tv, all that is required of them is that they listen to a 15-second online advert.

ITV has held a crisis meeting with regulator Ofcom last Wednesday, and, underlining the gravity of the problem, lawyers from Channel 4 and the BBC also attended amid worries it may have implications for other shows, such as Strictly Come Dancing.

No one from outside Britain is allowed to vote on The X Factor and attempts to make premium-rate calls from abroad are instantly blocked.

But Mark Hillman, the businessman behind free2call.tv, conceded that up to 12% of the 50,000 X Factor viewers who have used his service are from Ireland. As well as being in breach of the rules, Mr Boddington said this was 'likely to distort the voting patterns in favour of those contestants or judges that have an association with Ireland'.

Although Mr Boddington didn't mention them by name, one of the acts on the show, twins John and Edward Grimes - dubbed Jedward by their fans - are from Dublin. And one of Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole's fellow judges, Louis Walsh - who 'mentors' the twins - is also Irish.


Full Report

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Saturday 14 November 2009

Calvin Harris aplogies for his stage invasion...

Dj and producer Calvin Harris has apologised after his stage invasion tonight on the Live X-Factor show.

Writing on his Twitter Account a few hours after the incident he apologised for running on stage with a pineapple on his head and mooning during the performance by John and Edward Grimes.


He first posted

Was just thrown out of x factor for jumping onstage during Jedward with a pineapple on my head.


and then a bit later

At the end of the day, I had a pineapple on my head. Sorry if I caused anyone embarrassment. P.s I love Jedward.


and then he finally posted a picture of the pineapple



Calvin was there with friends including Grace Dent and was scheduled to appear afterwards on the Xtra-factor show.

Another week, another high-brow Jedward article.

We all know Jedward aka The X-Factor Twins aka John and Edward Grimes have totally dominated the tabloids coverage of the X-Factor this years. Well it seems even the high brow broad sheets can't get enough of them.

A few weeks back we reported on a supposedly very serious piece in the Guardian. Well it seems despite their best instincts the other broadsheets simply cannot resist the allure of the Twins.

The Telegraph leads the way with an article "Jedward: infuriating but irrepressible ". and this is probably the only place you will ever find Rameau's opera "Castor et Pollux" used in the same breath as Jedward.

In the article Judith Wood describes how her family have found the Twins irresistable saying:

I can't think why; they're so colossally bad, they're fabulous. More crucially, they are immensely, addictively watchable. Even my husband, whose concept of musical twins begins and ends with Rameau's opera Castor et Pollux – and still thinks Kylie is one of the judges (but why's she dyed her hair?) – has found himself ineluctably drawn into the fray, settling down on the sofa to watch his wife and daughter yell at the television and occasionally hide behind the cushions, for an hour and a half.


and clearly ewarms to their upper-middle class background

Their unassailable self-belief is down to a potent combination of nature, nurture, and an expensive education at some of Ireland's top private schools (I expect the lines are jammed with inquiries every Monday morning). And so even as we shake our heads in bafflement at their entirely ill-founded, but utterly unshakeable confidence, it's hard not to admire secretly their sheer brio.


and their money making prowess

Early in the series, their mentor, Boyzone manager Louis Walsh, was ridiculed for describing Jedward as an antidote to the recession, but it seems he showed remarkable prescience: advertising rates for the programme are rocketing. ITV is currently selling 30-second adverts to late buyers for an estimated £190,000, and it is believed that the price tag for a slot could rise as high as £250,000 for the last show in December.

Sunday 8 November 2009

Louis give X-Factor Fans two fingered salute

Last night we saw Louis Walsh's fury as fans jeered and booed the Twins John and Edward after scrapped through to another week in the x-Factor Show.


Louis was pictured giving what can only be a two-fingered salute to the crowd



A spokesman for Walsh said: "Louis apologises if any offence was caused."

The Twins ended in the bottom two with Lucie Jones after the public vote, with Judges split it went to the public vote and Lucie had polled the least votes and was sent home.

Saturday 7 November 2009

What do you get the Jedward Fan who has everthing ?

If you consider yourself a true Jedward (aka The X-Factor Twins aka John and Edward Grimes) Fan you definitely could not go wrong with any of these


1.) The "I LUV JEDWARD" Shirt. A must for anyone who truly appreciates the entertainment value the Twins have brought to the show. Expect to still be wearing this right through to Christmas (and the X-Factor finals) cos the twins are going to be right there.



Click Image to buy from Amazon UK.

2.) If you'd like to get cosy with the Twins each night, then this "I LOVE JOHN AND EDWARD" pillow case is just what you need.





Click Image to buy from Amazon UK.


If on the other hand you rue the day the twins darkened the door steps of the X-Factor the do not despair we have something for you.


1) You might think the twins are a joke and if you do, you may also find this t-shirt amusing. The front says - "Want to hear a joke?" the back says "John and Edward - Jedward"



Click Image to buy from Amazon UK.

Friday 6 November 2009

British Prime Minister slams the Twins

As the Jedward bandwagon rolls on, more and more celebrities are hopping on. The latest celebs to declare their support for the Irish twins are the Royal Princesses Bea and Eugenie and Peter Andre.

The support is not universal though as the British Prime Minister has waded in to debate declaring that John and Edward Grimes are "not very good".

The prime minister told Manchester radio station Key 103 he did not rate the twins but added that some of the other contestants were "really good".

Mr Brown has declared himself a "fan" of X Factor.

Questioned by an audience of mostly young people in Manchester, the prime minister said : "I don't think they're very good".

The prime minister then asked the audience : "Does anyone want John and Edward to win X Factor?"

Only two said yes.

Thursday 5 November 2009

Jedward take on China....and win!

Is there no end to powers of the twins. They've taken on the most populous nation on earth and won!

Yes the People's Republic of China have conceded defeat to the Twins.

We reported how a diplomatic row was brewing between China and the UK over fans of the Twins making a nuisance of themselves next to the Chinese Embassy residence and how the embassy threatened to take up the matter with the Foreign Office.

Today they did a dramatic u-turn as the Chinese ambassador Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying issued a public statement in which she declared her love for the X-Factor.

She wrote "I have to admit that I also enjoy watching the X Factor when there is time and have my favourite contestants.

She went further to pointedly praise the Twins "for their determination and spirit in the face of a lot of criticism."

She also had kind words for the other contestants praising Stacey Solomon for being "more and more brave" each week and Jamie 'Afro' Archer's "sincere and energetic voice".

"Danyl and Olly are both great showmen while Lloyd and Joe have got a lot of potential.

"Lucie, who is from a small village, has a lovely voice like the country she is from [Wales], and is clearly very popular."

She added that the show reminded her of a Chinese reality show called "Chao Girls", saying: "The beauty of such shows is that they give young people a chance to realise their dreams. When I was young, the circumstance in China was different, I am glad my daughter's generation is lucky to have more opportunities in life thanks to the progress and prosperity that China today offers.

"Good luck to the contestants of X Factor."

She might think she has us fooled but we know a letter of surrender when we see one, and we can say categorically Jedward 1 China 0

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Friedman unhappy with the "Jedward" Rollercoaster

Yep it is no longer John and Edward Grimes, or even the twins, it is "Jedward". You know you've hit it big time in the publicity stakes when you are known by one name, especially if there are two of you.

Yes John and Edward are on the verge of growing out of the X-Factor into athe cultural phenomenon of the day (or if we are generous the next few days).

It seems though not everyone is pleased with this. Take for instance a certain Brian Friedman, who is also known as the choreographer-in-chief for the X-Factor. He is been outspoken about the Twins, sorry I meant Jedward, for a while.


Jedward at last night's Christmas Carol premiere


At last night's film premiere of A Christmas Carol in Leicester Square, the choreographer was asked if he thought the twins were taking more deserving contestants' places.

Brian replied: “Yes, but the thing is the public are voting for them. It's going to show in the weeks to come if they do a ballad. Then the public will decide if they should stay.”

Last week he told the London Lite the Irish pair needed medication as they are so “crazy” to work with.