Reality TV: X-Factor vs America's Got Talent

I'm watching the finale of America's Got Talent. Passing on X-Factor for tonight. Interesting there are two shows so similar...with a few differences.

It's as if everyone has forgotten that if you want to be a star you have to work for it. Many people try out for these two shows and if they don't make it they think their lives are over. There is more than one way to make it in the entertainment businesses. Most of the people from these shows disappear, not many have long lasting careers. American Idol seems to be the exception.

Judges

X-Factor

Simon Cowell, Britney Spears, LA Reece, and Demi Lovato. I didn't know what to expect with Britney Spears but she seems to be doing an okay job so far. I have only watched one episode. It really looks like she has come through the other side relatively sane. I still love Simon. I like his honesty. He seems nicer on here than he did on American Idol.

America's Got Talent

Howard Stern, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne. I was pleasantly surprise by Howard Stern and find him quite entertaining. I have loved Howie Mandel for ages and I really like Mrs O.

Contestants

There were some great singers on yesterday's X-Factor. They had an interesting piece about showing one woman contestant and her sister making snide comments about other singers. Of course, the contestant was awful and didn't even get past the first audition. The woman they were laughing about having a run in her stocking was amazing and all the judges loved her. I should have known that is the way it would end.

America's Got Talent has a variety of acts in the finals. A comedian, a dance troupe, a singer, an artist, a dog act and I'm not sure what else. Like last year's winner, I don't expect to see the winner again. I'm rooting for either the dog act or the comedian.

Watching these shows is a nice pastime and you sometimes get to witness some amazing talent. They are both somehow more entertaining than American Idol, which takes itself so seriously these days. I am not impressed with the new judges chosen for this year's show and may not be watching. I had gotten to the point where I was just watching the auditions and losing interest after that.

Goodbye summer

Margerit

Summer is fading away, on its last legs. Not a cloud in the sky and as hot as a day in August. The Ex is over for another year. I haven't been in years but it was always part of my summer as a teenager. You know when the Ex was over that school beckoned. It was not a happy time for me. But the Ex was fun and that was all that mattered. I saw the best concerts of my life at the Ex: David Cassidy, The Beach Boys, The Police; and Bruce Springsteen.

The very first time I went to the Ex was in 1969. It was our first summer in Toronto. I won a huge pink furry cat. I held onto that thing for years. In later years, I went with my friend Lyn and then Anne.

September was always a stressful time for me. School was not a great time. I am thankful that high school is far behind me. College was much better, I hit my stride there. I discovered then that I had some talent for writing. Although, I did write poems throughout my teens. I still have the grey notebook I wrote them in. I'll have to go find them again.

Doctor Who in 9 hours

I am so looking forward to the start of the new Doctor Who season which starts tonight. I am such a geek. I love that show so much. I am a Doctor Who viewer from way back in the very first season. In fact, it's the first television show that I remember. We were living in Scotland at the time and I was 5 when the show began. It has been a part of my life ever since.

As a child, I played with a toy Dalek. I was never one for girly toys, I also had a Batmobile. I did have dolls but preferred to play with cars and my Lego.

Doctor Who got me into science fiction. I remember watching all of the sci-fi shows in the 60s. During the 70s and early 80s, Doctor Who was only available on PBS in the US. It was a highlight of my week to watch it. I am sure Doctor Who is the reason I became such a Trekkie in the 80s.


I am so happy that Doctor Who is now broadcast around the world without a delay of months or even years, as it seemed in the 80s. I have been watching videos all week about Doctor Who and the actors involved. I joined a page on Facebook that has the best stuff.  Doctor Who and The Tardis is definitely the place to get the latest news.

In the meantime, I am passing time watching the new Star Trek movie; I hadn't seen it before and I am enjoying it so far.

Aftermath:

I managed to find a live stream and watched the show on the BBC. This was a great season opener. Of course, I watched it again on SPACE at 9 PM.  Next week's looks good "Dinosaurs on a space ship!"