so here we are.  a whole eight weeks in, and it's time for the live finals of the X.  but there's an extra edge this year thanks to the lovely Dale who's organised a tipping competition of all things.  the rules are simple, every week until we get to the final five Mediation has to pick two acts I think will
survive (yes’s) and two acts that you think could
be sent home (no’s)…  scoring is more complicated:

5 points for
each ‘yes’ that survives
5 points for each
‘no’ act that's in the bottom two,and
10 points for each ‘no’ act that is sent home

but there is, however, a
twist.  if one of Mediation's ‘yes’ acts is in the bottom two I lose 5 points and if
one of them is sent home I lose 10 points!

so it's all to play for and with all the acts unproven on live TV there's been a fair bit of discussion, with the final tips going as follows:

first up to stay, Alexandra.  outrageously robbed of a place in the live finals in 2005, this year she gave a performance for Cheryl head and shoulders above the other girls.  she's worked for three years for this chance and Mediation expects her to grab it with both arms.

next up to stay was more tricky but I've settled for Laura.  quirky, down to earth and vulnerable, reckon the public are going to love her.  and great voice makes her solid from a vocal point of view

first of my nominations to go is Girlband.  admittedly Louis had not a lot to choose from (so much so that the producers had to form a band from solo contestants that didn't make it) and it's not a strong line up for the groups.  they're up against another – and arguably stronger vocally – girl group who'll divide the girl group vote in week one.  not a chance.

the second nomination to go again is harder and despite lots of lobbying for Dan, who can't sing for toffee but has a flawless back-story so will stay in the competition for way longer than he should, I'm reluctantly settling on Ruth.  just not convinced that the great British public will buy Enrique-esque stylings on prime time…  sorry.

it would be nice to think that this is all is aid of proving Henry Jenkins' theories of Convergence Culture – demonstrating how the evolving ecology of broadcast and consumer-generated media are developing in a harmonious and mutually beneficial way.  it would also be nice to think that this proof that the live-TV model is still very much (a)live and kicking; proof that this kind of involvement just wouldn't be feasible if the broadcast was time-shifted… but it's not.  Mediation just loves a bit of X.

finally it should be noted that Mediation is very much in two minds about Austin.  please please can someone stop him crying, its all very distracting.  plus the poor boy has been styled to within an inch of his life…  I don't know who put Morticia Adams in charge of styling but they need to be pointed in the direction of the pasture.  fast.

enjoy the show.

Austin before…

Austin after Morticia had her way… poor guy.