‘The X Factor’ UK: James Arthur booked to perform this weekend; controversy erupts
“The X Factor” UK has managed to figure out yet another way to create all sorts of drama for itself, and this time around it is all due to the decision to book someone for this weekend’s results show who made some offensive comments earlier this year. We’re talking about winner James Arthur, and it is a long a tradition for the show to bring back its reigning champ the following season.
Here’s basically the scouting report on James, if you’re unfamiliar with his story. At one point last year, we considered him the greatest winner of a singing show in history. He was cocky, but not too cocky, and he had an edge about him that made his different from the typical reality TV contestant that often relies way too much on a sappy story to get to the top. He also had great performances that were completely original, and ones that nobody else could ever think of doing.
But, the problem here for James has is in the stuff that he’s put on the internet since the show. He’s gone on Twitter rants, dissed current contestants, and took part in a rap battle that included a term that can be a homophobic slur. He denied that it was used in reference to that, but has since turned over his Twitter account to his promotional team and has gone relatively off the grid.
James has a new single in “Recovery” that he could be promoting soon, and this weekend’s show can be an opportunity for him to shine. But how welcome will he be? There’s a story out there about a petition with 6,000 signatures on it from fans who are angry about him performing, but when you consider that “X Factor” averages more than 8 million live viewers in the UK alone watching live, that is a number that has probably been overblown in the press, since there is no way that the network will change its mind over such a small number of signatures. Otherwise, they would have canceled his gig weeks ago.
Here’s the real thing to do if you don’t like James: Allow the market to take care of itself. All protests do is give him more attention, and if the public decide that they don’t want his music, he’ll go away. Our opinion of him has certainly changed over the past few months, but as an “X Factor” viewer, we’re curious to see what the reaction to him is going to be on the show.
Do you think that James should perform this weekend? Share your thoughts below, and click here if you want to read some more “X Factor” news.
Photo: ITV