X Factor, Reality Show | featured news

News broke yesterday that Britney Spears was in final talks to join Simon Cowell on Fox's "The X Factor" as a new judge for Season 2, but now reports are swirling that she's rejected their initial $10 million offer. So the question is: How much is Fox going to have to pony up? Try $20 million.

Simon Cowell is playing it coy about rumors that Fergie, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being considered for "The X Factor."...

Paula Abdul joined the exodus from Fox's disappointing "The X Factor," attributing her departure to business trumping all else....

“I wont be hosting next seasons X Factor which is a shame but I cant complain as Ive had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show,” “X Factor” host Steve Jones tweeted Monday evening. Fox later announced that both Jones and judge Nicole Scherzinger are gone from the show.

The powerful 19-year-old vocalist from Sunrise, Fla., won the Fox talent competition Thursday over soulful 30-year-old singer Josh Krajcik of Wooster, Ohio. Amaro, who was mentored by judge Simon Cowell and was at one point eliminated from the contest, was awarded the grand prize: a $5 million recording contract and a starring role in a Pepsi commercial. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God," Amaro repeated after host Steve Jones announced her as the winner.

"The X Factor" judges didn't want to stop listening to Melanie Amaro. The powerful 19-year-old vocalist from Sunrise, Fla., wowed the Fox talent competition's panel with her soaring rendition of Beyonce's "Listen" during Wednesday's final performance round, prompting head judge Simon Cowell to declare that Amaro should win the show's grand prize: a $5 million recording contract and a starring role in a Pepsi commercial.

After a huge hot mess of a Thursday results show featuring Mary J. Blige, lots of filler, and all of the remaining cast alternating between screaming and crying onstage at the end of the hour, the act eliminated from the "X Factor" laser field on December 8 was... Rachel Crow.

On Tuesday night's Thanksgiving-themed episode, the contestants dedicated each performance to the person for whom they felt most thankful. (Parental units were amply represented here.) After Wednesday night, seven of the nine acts have even more to be grateful about – having survived a double-downsizing. None should be more appreciative than Astro, though, who knelt prostrate before an incensed public, and charmed his way back into their good graces. Of course, there are two others who won't be so thankful; those for whom turkey time will be tempered with tears. We'll get to them in a minute.

It’s movie night on “X Factor.” All the tunes, says show host Too-Tall Steve Jones, were “used in iconic movie soundtracks.” The mood set, out come the judge-mentors to the Star Wars theme, introduced by Too Tall as “the four super heroes/villains.” They take the stage, dwarfed by the giant mother ship set, and – wow, Paula is in some kinda short skirt. It barely covers her empathy.

Fox admitted to lip syncing on its singing competition "X Factor" after contestant Leroy Bell was heard singing on Thursday's episode before he even held his microphone to his mouth... "For the group ensemble performance, the vocals are pre-recorded to allow acts to concentrate on preparing for their own live competitive performances on Wednesdays -- this is also no different to what other competition shows do for ensemble performances."