'X Factor' judges laugh at the mentally deficient, says Joey Barton
Published Jun 13 2012, 12:10 BST | By Mayer Nissim
Joey Barton has accused The X Factor and other reality talent shows of exploiting human souls.The controversial footballer, who was banned for 12 matches after being sent off in the final game of QPR's season, made the comments in his regular column for The Big Issue earlier this month.
© PA Images
© Ken McKay/TalkbackThames/Rex Features
"The X Factor turns out, in the end, to be a show for really talented people, giving them the chance to rise to stardom from humble beginnings," Barton said.
"But it comes at the expense of making someone else incredibly rich - and the carnage of the contestants' private lives being dragged on to the public agenda to sell the show."
He continued: "I find myself cringing at the beginning of the show's auditioning format - which they're filming now.
"You get people who are clearly mentally deficient being openly laughed at by the judges and the viewing public. How long before one of these contestants turns up bearing a grudge, seeking revenge?"
Barton added: "And there are countless shows like this. From I'm a Celebrity... (or used to be, anyway) Get Me Out of Here to Britain's Got (not a lot of) Talent. I am not blaming any one show in particular. I just think they send the wrong message to the youth of today.
© Twitter / The X Factor
"While I feel such shows do create opportunities, in my opinion they're the wrong sort. They exploit, they feed corporate greed, they churn up and consume human souls on a ridiculous scale, year on year.
"For every success, countless more suffer heartache, public intrusion into their lives and ridicule. All apparently justifiable in the search for fame and fortune."
Joey Barton has a weekly column in The Big Issue. The magazine is sold by homeless and vulnerably-housed vendors for £2.50, with £1.25 of the cover price going directly to the vendor.
Barton has previously dismissed the cast of The Only Way Is Essex as "freaks" and called the stars of Desperate Scousewives "disgusting human beings".
He also called the BRIT Awards a "giant pile of s**te" and called Gary Lineker an "odious little toad".
i know he is allowed a say but is he just a bit ott
coz how are the judges know they are a bit diffirent to others
i rally love the x factor and i am not gunna stop watching coz he is having a moan
June 23rd 2012 at 9:18am
i agree he has a point but he also on same hand misses a point as he says what if they want reveng but who says they will take revenge as sum might turn to suicide as sum times what the the judges say to contestants an not just the ones with obvious mental issues but there are ones with mental issues that dont show and if they say what they say to ever one wen they feel down will kick them over the edge and could drive them to suicide or revenge this is a good example how the rich bullys the poor or needy peeps and any peeps that dont have the same iq as them selfs one day they will say sumthing to the rong person and tht person will commit suicde because of them then they will be saying how sorry they are but realy dont giv a dam the only reason they will say there sorry is to get publicity to foolin peeps to think they care so they dont lose money its a joke they r the joke
June 20th 2012 at 6:36pm
`The Big Issue` must be the only mag. that is interested in what Barton has to say!
June 14th 2012 at 1:44pm
For once he has a point but I STILL think the man's a humongous prat.
June 13th 2012 at 11:58pm(+1 like)
He is correct its only a matter of time before some reject ends up smacking one of the judges preferably Cowell please. Thing is though Barton is on £60k pw, isn't he making a ridiculous living off the back of the normal average fans.
June 13th 2012 at 11:43pm