Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul out on ‘X Factor’
In this Dec. 22, 2011 file photo, television host Steve Jones poses on the red carpet at "The X Factor" Finale show in Los Angeles. Jones said on Twitter on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, that he wouldnt be returning to host the show's second season. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, file)
Loading ...UPDATE at 7:47 a.m., January 31: Five hours ago, Nigel Lythgoe Tweeted that Simon Cowell has fired Paula Abdul? What?
UPDATE at 2:43 p.m.: Paula has officially confirmed the news with this statement:
“Yes, it’s true; I won’t be returning to The X Factor next season. I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations. Simon and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation. Simon is, and will remain a dear friend of mine and I’ve treasured my experience working this past season with my extended family at Fox and Fremantle. I want nothing more than for The X Factor to exceed ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am most grateful.”
UPDATE: 4:08 p.m. Simon has also confirmed the news, thanking everybody for their services. Mike Darnell of Fox specifically thanked Paula for her services. Nicole Tweeted her departure this afternoon as well.
We made fun of Steve Jones here relentlessly during “The X Factor” season, probably more so than anybody this side of Sanjaya. And now he’s out, according to his Twitter page.
“I won’t be hosting next seasons X Factor which is a shame but I cant complain as I’ve had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show.”
The fact of the matter is Steve Jones was bad at his job. And for a reality competition program with $5 million at stake, it’s an important job – at least for a TV show. He looked perpetually stressed and uncomfortable, even when he tried so hard to look relaxed and in control. He read the teleprompter with the authenticity of a politician and the joy of a wax figure. He was the anti-Seacrest, the Robo-host, the man lost in a vortex of confusion and sadness. By the third live episode, he probably realized he was toast.
During a phone press conference in the middle of the season, the poor man complained to reporters about producers barking in his ear and mistook a question comparing him to Seacrest, thinking it was a compliment. The journalist didn’t bother to correct him. Very awkward.
Bottom line: Simon Cowell goofed on that hire!
UPDATE at 10:48 a.m. Jan. 31: As for Nicole Scherzinger, Fox has confirmed to Hollywood Reporter that she it out as well.
Loading ...She is also missing that authenticity gene. She lacks the warmth of Paula Abdul. She seemed almost redundant given Paula’s spot. Of course, she was supposed to be a co-host with Jones until Cheryl Cole was booted. I almost wish we had Cheryl. I’m certain she would have been better.
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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
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121 comments Add your comment
JTesla
January 31st, 2012
3:24 pm
Maybe Rodney can do a special “Where are they now” feature just before next seasons X-Factor and he can tell us what Robo-Host is doing. Nicole have it easy landing another gig, but Steve Jones… not so easy.
G
January 31st, 2012
3:28 pm
You guys are WAY too emotional in your opinions of LA. His job isn’t meant to be nice, just support his acts and offer a fair critique. I have to stick up for LA. He’s the only judge on XF and AI that’s qualified to offer a legitimate critique, based on his experience of producing mega pop and r&b stars. LA balances out the playing field, much like Shawn (Boyz II Men/Sing Off judge). Anything less than that is……AI.
DanJ
January 31st, 2012
3:55 pm
G, as I posted LA Reid signed all 3 of his guys so he must believe in them. The criticism of LA is based on several of his comments towards Josh, Melanie and Drew among others. He was not objective most of the time, in fact he was the least objective judge to contestants not his own IMO.
There’s no questioning his credentials as far as being a producer goes.
Deirdre
January 31st, 2012
3:58 pm
G..he was not even close to “fair” in his critiques. He was all about building up his singers and putting down everyone else’s singers. He is highly qualified at his job as a producer. He knows the business. He picks good talent. However, on X-F he did none of that.
Just because someone is good at one job doesn’t mean they’ll be good at a similar job.
JTesla
January 31st, 2012
4:00 pm
My problem isn’t with LA it’s with the format that he is put in where he has to “compete” with the other judges. He’s obviously successful, and he probably got to where he is by being competitive. Throw him into a competitive mix with Simon and he will try to win.
I feel that I understand it, I just don’t think that it makes for good television.
Jenny (the usual one)
January 31st, 2012
4:02 pm
G…. Well yes, my opinion of LA is based much more on his demeanor than on his experience. (And I fully admit it is an emotional opinion… that’s just how I roll.
)
There’s no question that he’s produced a lot of big names. And of course it’s not his job to be nice. But I just personally didn’t care for how he acted. It bothered me that he couldn’t bring himself to be objective, even when one of the other singers really deserved praise. And I will never enjoy watching someone be so unnecessarily rude.
Only my opinion, though.
Rickster
January 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Unless they stop the inane bickering back and forth between the judges/mentors… it won’t matter who the judges are.
Only my opinion, though.
Only 27 hours till Idol!
Have a great evening, everybody.
Highlander
January 31st, 2012
5:25 pm
Not at all surprised that Steve Jones is out at X-F. …Very surprised that he may have any Twitter followers to tweet to about it!
Highlander
January 31st, 2012
5:28 pm
I love DanJ’s idea (props, dude!) of cutting X-F down to 3 categories and keeping the 4-person panel with Simon ONLY judging, not mentoring!
Then maybe we could see more of the old, honest, snarky Simon.
Rodney Ho
January 31st, 2012
5:39 pm
@Highlander. Hard to believe but Steve Jones has 97,000-plus Twitter followers.
Annie
January 31st, 2012
7:52 pm
JTesla, I agree. LA’s comments and criticisms were just as scripted as the other judges. That’s one more problem that the show has. If a contestant did well, then the other judges congratulated his or her mentor, instead of the contestant, and the reverse is also true, if they did poorly, then we were told that it was the mentor’s fault. Because of that the contestants looked like puppets, and the focus of the show was all about the mentors. The dialog among all of the judges/mentors seemed fake and forced, it was their way of trying to build up drama, but people don’t watch these types of shows to see the judges.
I do have to agree with LA about Skyscraper, it is a song that seems like it is meant for someone who is older than 15 or 16, even if the person who originally sung it is just 19.
Annie
January 31st, 2012
7:54 pm
Rodney Ho, Steve Jones is pretty funny on twitter. He has a great sense of humor. You should check him out on a concert that Beyonce did that aired on ITV1. He’s really relaxed, funny, and he even interacts with Beyonce and the audience. It’s like he’s a totally different person.
linny ,,,=^..^=,,,
January 31st, 2012
8:47 pm
Peeking in….GASP!…. look! it’s linny….and y’all have already said everything i wanted to say, so i’ll just agree with those i agree with, and laugh at those i don’t!!! no seriously! XF turned out to be truly truly overproduced, overhyped, and over judged. Deirdre said it best way back on the first page, imho. I love some of the suggestions y’all have made, similar to my own. But between the overproduction and the judges bickering and hogging the attention, i doubt i’ll spend much time on XF next run… we’ll see. you all know i like ALL the talent/reality shows, dancing and singing, so i may not be able to stay away. Speaking of those shows, i do believe i WON’T be watching AGT if what’s his vulgarface is indeed hosting — howie was hard enough to handle. but looking forward to this season of idol, even tho i’m not much in a position to blog with you guys during the show; i’ll be checking in afterwards and commenting post-show.
and tomorrow is my (#*(%& #th birthday so, i’m going out to dinner, after all these years hubby FINALLY got the hint and “asked me out”…
woohoo…. so enjoy the auditions tomorrow and i’ll try to start catching up and commenting a LITTLE more contemporary with you guys!!! i sure do miss you, tho’!!!
Seth T.
January 31st, 2012
11:09 pm
The good thing about any of the talent shows for an aspiring singer/artist is the TV exposure, the “Boot Camp” of working with pro musicians and/or performing before large audiences for experience in the big leagues.
Here’s a great and beautiful example of using the right stage setting, lighting and musicians to support the artist. Hope the link works ….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE1wwHwS70U&feature=related
G
February 1st, 2012
8:51 am
Yeah, maybe LA put on a little “extra” when it came to Drew. But it was only in retaliation to the UNFAIR critique of Marcus, coming from Simon. That kid is an r&b artist true and thru, and Simon didn’t have a clue. LA knew “exactly” who and what Marcus was, just like he knew who and what Drew wasn’t. IJS
JTesla
February 1st, 2012
11:08 am
“But it was only in retaliation to…”
Drew gets put down because Simon? I think that IS the complaint against LA. Very bad reason to add a little “extra”.
Deirdre
February 1st, 2012
12:12 pm
Seth…thanks, you just explained why I don’t like X-F
A 15 year old girl gets a bad critique, not because she sang badly, but because Simon gave LA’s guy a bad critique. Seriously???? That’s how we pick a winner???? That solidifies my point that the singers are just there as fodder for the judges’ competition.
Tbone
February 1st, 2012
1:09 pm
I didnt care for Steve as a host he just did’nt have that it factor.
Eric
February 1st, 2012
6:10 pm
Cheryl Cole’s run as judge on the first season on ‘X-Factor’ didn’t last all that long either… was replaced by Nicole, who got axed, along with Steve and Paula. It remains to seen on what the second season has in store… we may likely see guest hosts, along with a guest judge or 2… until permanent replacements are named.
There have been rumors of Cher and Elton John as possible candidates to judge on ‘X-Factor’. I could see Cyndi Lauper as another possible candidate to judge as well. We don’t have a clear picture at this time of possible candidates to host the show.
NBC summer reality show ‘America’s Got Talent’ is seeing a judge shake-up too… Talk radio shock jock Howard Stern replacing Piers Morgan.
I assume that ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ is coming back to FOX, with Nigel Lythgoe, Cat Deely, Mary Murphy, and company. I assume that ‘Big Brother’ will be back as well, but not sure if CBS will be producing the show in high-def… fans of CBS’ summer reality show also wanting new faces, and no returning contestants from previous seasons. We don’t know if NBC plans on reviving ‘Last Comic Standing’ as another summer reality show either.
It's me God
February 2nd, 2012
9:24 am
You prayed for the elimination of “What’s his face-host guy” and I delivered. I am working on delivering Mariah Carey as a new judge, but in our negotiations, she has demanded to have her assistant and make up team ascend to heaven when she does.
YouWho1
February 4th, 2012
9:01 pm
Thank god!
I am so relieved to know XFactor has cleaned house for next season. I hated the fake judging of Nicole and the ridicuously irritating British host Steve Jones (altho he’s probably a nice guy at home). I think Simon made alot of mistakes in allowing the stage managers & directors go WILD with the dancers, flashy displays and flashing lights. STUPID STUPID STUPID. So my hope Simon is this: Give it another try and remember how A.Idol got sucessful-by being as real as any show could be and not beefing up the stage stuff…Just let the singers SING!