The X Factor

The X Factor is a television music competition franchise created by Simon Cowell. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol (2001–2003). It is held in various countries. The programmes are produced by executive producer Simon Cowell and his company SYCOtv. The "X Factor" of the title refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality. The prize is usually a recording contract, in addition to the publicity that appearance in the later stages of the show itself generates, not only for the winner but also for other highly ranked contestants.

The similarities between The X Factor and Idols prompted Idol creator Simon Fuller, along with 19 Entertainment, to file a lawsuit against Cowell, SYCOtv, and FremantleMedia in 2004. An out-of-court settlement was reached in 2005 allowing Fuller to gain a 10% share in The X Factor format, and preventing an American version until 2010. Fuller later filed another lawsuit in 2011, claiming that he had also been promised that he would be credited as an executive producer of The X Factor USA, but that Syco, FremantleMedia, and Fox Broadcasting Company had failed to fulfill that promise; that lawsuit is pending.

X (disambiguation)

X is the twenty-fourth letter of the Latin alphabet.

X may also refer to:

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My Own

My Own is a scripted series aired on MTV. The show features a person who pretends to be obsessed with a celebrity, and a group of six contestants resembling that celebrity who compete to win a date with the obsessed person. The contestant who is believed to most closely match the celebrity wins after several rounds of competition, including a live singing performance.

The Show

The show starts with the introduction of the person who is seeking his/her singer. Then, two friends of him/her introduce themselves and tell somethings about the participant and afterwards they head to the "My Own" studio, where they meet the six challengers. Most times punch lines are said, causing laughing in the "audience". Then the trivia round starts. In this round the contestants have to answer trivia questions about the singer, followed by a mini singing and dancing round. Based on not only the results of this round but also on looks and (apparent) personality, the "chooser" chooses four contestants to pass to the next round. In the second round, the contestants show their houses and talk a bit about their hobbies and tastes, finishing every "dialog" with "that's why you should pick me as your own..." or "now that you've seen what I can do, pick me as your own...". In this part of the round the chooser and friends often laugh. Then, his/her friends take the four contestants to a competition that involves something that has to with the star in cause. Afterwards the chooser eliminates one contestant and the three that are left are going to fare against each other in a singing performance to determine the winner. The contestants are dressed like the video clip that the star appears in, they have singing and dancing training. It is a fact that each contestant has its weak and strong points. With advisory of their friends the chooser picks his/her contestant. The show has since been cancelled.