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Columnist defends Gately comments….
Oct 23rd
Jan Moir has expressed regret over her Daily Mail column on late Boyzone star Stephen Gately, while maintaining that aspects of his death were “sleazy”.
But she insists that there was nothing homophobic in the column, published on the day before the singer’s funeral.
The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) received more than 21,000 complaints about the piece, which called Gately’s death “strange, lonely and troubling”.
“I regret any affront caused,” writes Moir in her latest Mail column.
She goes on to apologise to Gately’s family and friends for any distress caused by her column’s “insensitive timing”.
However, the writer stands by her earlier assertion that the circumstances surrounding his death were “more than a little sleazy”.
She also maintains there was “nothing natural” about his demise on 11 October, but claims her remarks have been “misinterpreted”.
“What I meant by ‘nothing natural’ was that the natural duration of his life had been tragically shortened in a way that was shocking and out of the ordinary.
‘Over-reaction’
“Absolutely none of this had anything to do with his sexuality.”
Moir faced particular censure for suggesting that Gately’s death had struck a blow to the “happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships”.
In her follow-up column, though, she insists there was “nothing in my article that could not be applied to a heterosexual couple as well as to a homosexual one”.
According to the PCC, Moir’s column provoked the most complaints ever made about a single newspaper article.
In Friday’s Daily Mail, however, the writer suggests that the “hysterical over-reaction” was part of “an orchestrated campaign”.
Her column, she continues, was “generally and gleefully accepted into folklore as a homophobic rant”.
According to Moir, though, she received “thousands of supportive emails” from readers who felt it “perfectly reasonable” for her to comment on Gately’s death.
Celebrities, friends and family gathered in Dublin last Saturday for the singer’s funeral.
Among them was X Factor judge Louis Walsh, who absented himself from the ITV1 show to attend the ceremony.
According to the show’s creative director, though, Walsh will be back this weekend to resume his duties.
“Louis is definitely going to be back,” said Brian Friedman. “We’ve been talking about his song choices and I think they’re really good.”
X Factor colleague comforts Walsh…
Oct 22nd
X Factor creative director Brian Friedman says he is working hard to make judge and mentor Louis Walsh happier in the wake of Stephen Gately’s death.
The grieving music manager was absent from the ITV talent contest’s live shows last weekend after attending the Boyzone singer’s funeral in Dublin, but continued to give mentoring advice to his group acts – girl band Miss Frank and twins John and Edward Grimes – over the phone.
Friedman said: “Louis is definitely going to be back, we’ve been talking about his song choices this week and I think they’re really good.
“Louis has been involved, even though he’s been away he was still instrumental.
“He was still talking to his acts, he was still talking to me and making sure everything was going smooth and giving approval on all the things that I wanted to happen on stage.
“He loved John and Edward’s performance of ‘Oops!… I Did It Again’ – he thought it was incredible.
“I’m just trying to make him happy as well, because he’s already lost one act and obviously he lost Stephen so I’ve got to make him happy.”
The 32-year-old choreographer – who has worked with Britney Spears, Pink and Fatboy Slim – also revealed he is frustrated by The X Factor studio’s new state-of-the-art stage as it limits how creative he can be when staging the contestants’ routines.
Friedman revealed: “Our new stage – it’s gorgeous, it’s massive but I can’t do anything on it.”
He added: “It definitely is limiting with the creativity which makes it more challenging to try to come up with ideas.”
Louis to miss live shows this weekend….
Oct 16th
As the world of pop mourns the loss of Stephen Gately, a spokesperson for The X Factor released the following statement with regard to Louis’ attendance at this weekend’s live shows:
‘Due to recent tragic events, Louis Walsh will not be appearing on either the Saturday or Sunday live The X Factor shows this weekend as he is attending Stephen Gately’s funeral. Louis has been in close contact with his acts throughout the week, although his opinions will not be represented in the show this weekend.’
Our thoughts are with Stephen’s family and friends at this sad time.
X Factor in chaos over Louis’ grief……
Oct 14th
From the London Lite:
Louis Walsh is “unlikely” to appear on X Factor this Saturday as he is attending Stephen Gately’s funeral, his agent said today.
It will mean the 57-year-old will be in Dublin to pay his final respects to the Boyzone star just hours before the show.
Walsh will crucially not be there to introduce his acts and defend them against the criticism from fellow judges. Producers were meeting today to discuss the format of Sunday’s live results show if Walsh cannot appear at all this weekend. He missed last Sunday’s X Factor after being told just before that Gately had been found dead in his apartment in Majorca. Today Walsh paid a tearful tribute to his friend, saying “We’re all in shock. Nobody can believe it – Boyzone, me nobody. The boys are devestated. It’s like theyy have lost their very best friend, and me too. Stephen was never happier when I met him last Monday. I never saw him in better health or better form. We had a laugh as usual, things were going so well – I still can’t believe he’s gone.”
The pop manager’s fellow X Factor judge Simon Cowell said: “We all know how close Louis and Stephen were and how much he meant to Louis. We will all support Louis in whatever he needs to do and have total respect and understanding of his wishes.”
Today a spokesman for Walsh said a decision has not yet been made on whether he would fly back to London to be on the show on Sunday. She said “I spoke to him last night and it is highly unlikely he will appear on Saturday’s X Factor as he’ll be in Ireland. I’m not sure about whether he will be on Sunday’s show, it will depend on how he feels. But I can tell you, even though it’s been a difficult week, he has been in constant touch with his bands.” Before the date of the funeral was announced, Cowell’s sidekick Sinitta said she thought Walsh would be on the show as he did not want to let down his two remaining acts – John and Edward and Miss Frank.
An X Factor spokesman said Walsh had been carrying on as normal as best he could under the circumstances, had chosen songs for his acts and was “very much in the loop” with their progress.
But they added that as the date of the funeral was only announced last night, no decision had yet been made on the format of Saturday’s show.
Gately’s family last nnight revealed that the singer’s funeral would take place on Saturday at St Laurence O’Toole’s Church in Dublin – a few hundred yards from where he grew up.
X Factor….My views so far….
Sep 29th
So with bootcamp over, the topic of x-factor related conversations has gone from ‘I like/hate the new format of the auditions’, to ‘Who’s gonna win?’. So here is my predictions of what is gonna take place from now until the final:
Judges houses, who will make it to the live show?
Cheryl Cole & The Boys:
1.
2. 
3. 
Duane Lamont Rikki Loney Ethan Boroian
Duane looks and sounds modern and I genuinely think there is room for him in the pop market. Rikki has the bouncebackability factor, and Cheryl will find it hard to send him home from this stage for a second time. Ethan is the eye candy for the girls, not a great voice but if my flatmates views represent the views of the country then he will stay and stay for quite some time, however there is only so far looks can get you! I can’t honestly say that there is anyone in this group that will win X-Factor this year.
Danni Minogue & the Girls
1. 
2. 
3.
Rachel Adedeji Stacey Solomon Lucie Jones
Slightly sticking to the last formula, Rachel is the cool, modern one, with a voice to match think Rhianna with Amy Winehouse vocal capabilities. Stacey is the character of the group, the typical Essex Girl who also has the ’sob-story’ that she has a little baby to provide for. Lucie Jones however is someone I think could make the final, she has one of the best voices in the competition, but something is telling me that she doesn’t have that little extra something to actually win the whole thing. The only other one that could be in the final 3 and a little bit of a black horse is Stacey McLean, as she is already a D-list pop star apparently so Danni may want to go with someone who has a little experience in the industry. We shall see….
Louis Walsh & The Groups
1. 
2. 
3.
John & Edward Kandy Rain Miss Frank
Well what can I say? The groups this year are definately the worse since X Factor begun, not a hint of a JLS or even a Same Difference!!! John & Edward are the most annoying creatures to ever grace the X Factor stage, but Louis will pick them because of the Irish Connection. Miss Frank is a group put together at the last minute because there was an obvious lack of talent in the group auditions, it most likely Louis’s idea though so he will put them through to prove himself right. Finally the only group that may stand half a chance is Kandy Rain, purely because they look like a group, think Pussycat Dolls without any decent singers. My predictions are that all of the groups will go out before any of the others.
Simon Cowell & The Over 25’s
1. 
2. 
3.
Wow, have I saved the best for last. This group is so good that I can’t decide on the third one. Jamie Archer is a pop star, he already looks like he should be on stage at Glastonbury, his rendition of Sex on Fire made me dance in my seat and I think he will go fire. Danyl Johnson has THE best voice in the competition, and although he wasn’t great in bootcamp, in my opinion he is the one to beat. And then it comes to between Daniel Pearce, Nicole Lawrence & Olly Murs; I think Olly is likeable but don’t think his voice is strong enough, he showed that in a mediocre performance of Elton John’s Your Song, so he is a no. But it is tight between Nicole & Daniel, Nicole has a great voice, she is the female representation in the overs and she has a sob story which we know Simon likes. However Daniel has proved he can win (he was a winner in Pop Stars-The Rivals, the TV show that shot Cheryl Cole to fame), and he would inevitably sell more albums than Nicole would, which after all is what Simon is looking for which is why I have gone with Daniel, but we will have to see!
Who will go out each week?
So here is the order in which I think each act will be eliminated;
Week 1: John & Edward, surely they can’t be kept in!
Week 2: Miss Frank, they just don’t bond together, get them off!!!
Week 3: Kandy Rain, Louis has a mental breakdown as all his acts leave first!
Week 4: Ethan Boroian, As I said earlier, there is only a certain point that looks can get you to, and that’s week 4!
Week 5: Duane Lamont, Just doesn’t have the extra umph to get any further in the competition.
Week 6: Stacey Solomon, It’s curtains for the Essex girl as the judegs realise she can only do ballads.
Week 7: Daniel Pearce, Should be in the final, but will come up against someone like Jamie or Lucie and the judges will keep the youngsters in.
Week 8: Rikki Loney, He’s good but not good enough, as the Scot heads back up North!
Week 9: Rachel Adedeji, Unfortunately comes up against Jamie and the judges plump for the most versatile of the two.
THE FINAL: Jamie Archer, Danyl Johnson & Lucie Jones reach the final. Jamie teams up with the Kings of Leon for a superb rendition of Sex on Fire, Danyl Johnson sings a duet of my endless love $with Mariah Carey and Lucie Jones joins Miley Cirus for a rendition of her new Christmas Ballad!
3rd Place goes to Jamie Archer
2nd Place to Lucie Jones
And the winner of X Factor 2009 is………….. Danyl Johnson!
Bookmark this page to keep checking back and see how correct I was!
X Factor Judges Revealed…..
Aug 22nd
According to www.xfactorblog.co.uk the Judge’s have found out who they will be mentoring and it is as follows:
Dannii Minogue – Girls (16-24)
Louis Walsh – Groups
Simon Cowell – 25s and Over
Cheryl Cole – Boys (16-24)
The only thing that I can see wrong with that is that Danni Minogue is still a judge! Simon Cowell is obviously a very clever man, so why has he not realised that there are soooo many other people out there that would MUCH better in that role? Here is my top 3 of who I would like to see take over from Danni Minogue:
1. Sharon Osbourne (Bring her back! She was the life and soul of the show!)
2. Kylie Minogue (Much more successful than her sister)
3. Mel B aka Scary Spice (Great personality and knows what it takes to make it in pop)
Oh well, its still gonna be a great show! Will try and post regularly on all things X!
