Notes From the "X Factor" Finale

When the new season of "X Factor" started, I made it a priority to watch.  The primary reason for that was I wanted to see how Britney Spears would do.  I only made it through the first 2 episodes.  It was too boring.  I'd expected Britney to be a train wreck.  Instead, she seemed almost too controlled.  She had very little to say and, aside from a few amusing facial expressions, she didn't hold my attention.  So, I tuned out and stopped watching.

As the season progressed, there were a couple times when I stumbled across the show while channel surfing.  Each time, I'd stick with it for a few minutes to see if I was missing anything.  I wasn't (other than the sheer hilarity of watching Khloe Kardashian read from a teleprompter like a sixth-grader).

Then, all of a sudden, I found myself watching the entire show last week.  It was final four week.  By the end of the show, I'd made a complete 180-degree turn.  I'd gone from not even thinking about "X Factor" to having incredibly strong opinions about who should win.

• I hated the guys in Emblem 3.  They were much too full of themselves and really needed to just go back to the skate park.
• Carly Rose Sonenclar drove me crazy.  I think it was her bug-eyed stage mother that did it for me.  The last thing this world needed was for Carly Rose to win.  Her mom would just be way too happy.
• Tate Stevens could actually sing.  On top of that, he seemed like a pretty nice guy who really just couldn't believe that he was geting this chance.
• Finally, there were the girls from 5th Harmony.  How incredibly annoying, with all their posing and hair flipping!  But, I have to confess that they had me singing right along with "Anything Can Happen."

I missed the elimination show last week (so sorry to hear the news, Emblem 3) but, this past Wednesday, there I was, glued to the TV for the finale.  I was completely into it, critiquing each performance, making predictions, applauding 5th Harmony for bringing out "Anything Can Happen" one more time, cringing at Carly Rose's duet with LeAnn Rimes, laughing at the sight of Simon Cowell with his shirt unbuttoned all the way down to his navel, and praying to God that Carly Rose wouldn't win.  Why did I all of a sudden care about this ridiculous show?  Who knows?  And, who cares?

Last night, it was time to reveal the winner.  I dutifully tuned in at 8PM, all ready for a 2-hour extravaganza.  By 8:15PM, I was gone.  It was another complete 180-degree turn.  The show was ridiculous.  In fifteen minutes, we got fake paparazzi lining a fake red carpet, an embarassing technical difficulty that really threw cute little Mario Lopez for a loop, lip syncing finalists, and just one too many "amazings" from poor Ms. Kardashian.  I couldn't take it.  I gave up control of the remote, leafed through the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, and was in bed by 8:45PM.  What a night.

Of course, the first thing I did this morning was hop on-line to see who won.  That's right -- they got me.  I know I'll be back next year to give it another try.