Jump to content

The X Factor (British TV series): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Brap
Line 1: Line 1:
Shit is usually considered a vulgarity and profanity in Modern English. As a noun it refers to fecal matter (excrement) and as a verb it means to defecate or defecate in; in the plural ("the shits") it means diarrhea. Shite is also a common variant in British English and Ireland English.[1] As a slang term, it has many meanings, including: nonsense, foolishness, something of little value or quality, trivial and usually boastful or inaccurate talk, or a contemptible person. It may also be used as an expression of annoyance, surprise, or anger.
{{Dablink|For the most recently completed series, see [[The X Factor (UK series 7)]]}}
{{Refimprove|date=October 2010}}
{{Infobox television
| show_name = The X Factor
| image = [[File:XFactorTitles.jpg|300px]]
| caption = The ''X Factor'' logo (2006–present)
| format = Interactive [[reality television|reality]] [[talent show]]
| creator = [[Simon Cowell]]
| presenter = [[Dermot O'Leary]] <small>(2007-present)</small><br />[[Kate Thornton]] <small>(2004–2006)</small>
| judges = [[Simon Cowell]] <small>(2004-present)</small><br /> [[Louis Walsh]] <small>(2004-present)</small><br /> [[Dannii Minogue]] <small>(2007-present)</small><br /> [[Cheryl Cole]] <small>(2008-present)</small><br /> [[Sharon Osbourne]] <small>(2004–2007)</small><!-- please do not add 2010 as the infobox is for listing main judges, not guest or assistant judges, thank you. -->
| creative_director = [[Brian Friedman]]
| voices = [[Peter Dickson (presenter)|Peter Dickson]]
| country = [[United Kingdom]]
| location = Various (auditions)<br />[[Fountain Studios]] (live shows)
| network = [[ITV]] <small>([[ITV1]]/[[STV (TV network)|STV]]/[[UTV]])</small> (UK)<br /><small>(also [[ITV1 HD]]/[[STV (TV network)|STV HD]]/[[UTV#UTV HD|UTV HD]])</small><br>[[TV3 (Ireland)|TV3]] (Ireland)
| picture_format = [[SDTV|SD]]: [[576i]]<small> (2004–2009)</small><br>[[HDTV|HD]]: [[1080i]]<small> (2010–present)</small>
| first_aired = 4 September 2004
| last_aired = present
| runtime = 60–150 minutes
| num_episodes = 195 <!-- ({{As of|2010|12|12|lc=on}}) -->
| num_series = 7
| related = ''[[#The Xtra Factor|The Xtra Factor]]''<br> ''[[The X Factor (U.S.)]]''
| producer = [[Talkback Thames]]<br />[[FremantleMedia]]<br />[[Syco|SYCOtv]]
| website = http://www.itv.com/xfactor
}}
The X factor is shit. '''''The X Factor''''' is a [[British television]] singing competition contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions, which started in September 2004. It is the originator of the international [[The X Factor (TV series)|''X Factor'' franchise]]. The seven series of the show to date have been broadcast from August/September through to December. The show is produced by [[FremantleMedia]]'s [[TalkbackThames]] and [[Simon Cowell]]'s production company [[Syco|SYCOtv]]. The "X Factor" of the title refers to the undefinable "something" that makes for star quality.<ref>Described as "something you can't quite put your finger on" by judge Cheryl Cole, ''The Xtra Factor'', 23 November 2009</ref> The show is broadcast on the [[ITV]] network in the United Kingdom and on [[TV3 Ireland|TV3]] in Ireland, with spin-off behind-the-scenes shows ''[[#The Xtra Factor|The Xtra Factor]]'' and ''The X Factor 24/7'' screened on [[ITV2]] and TV3. ''The X Factor'' was devised as a replacement for the highly successful ''[[Pop Idol]]'', which was put on indefinite hiatus after its second series, largely because Cowell wished to launch a show to which he owned the television rights. The perceived similarity between the shows later became the subject of a [[Controversy and criticism of The X Factor (UK)#Legal dispute|legal dispute]].


Contents [hide]
In the initial televised audition phase of the show, contestants sing in front of the judges – currently [[Simon Cowell]], [[Louis Walsh]], [[Dannii Minogue]] and [[Cheryl Cole]] – and, from [[The X Factor (UK series 6)|series 6]], a live audience, in the hope of getting through to the "bootcamp" round. After a further selection process, the judges are each given a category to mentor and the chosen finalists then progress to the final phase of the competition, during which the public vote for their favourite act following weekly live performances by the contestants. There have been seven winners to date: [[Steve Brookstein]], [[Shayne Ward]], [[Leona Lewis]], [[Leon Jackson]], [[Alexandra Burke]], [[Joe McElderry]] and [[Matt Cardle]]. The winning contestant's single is released in time for the end of year chart battle for the UK's [[Christmas number one single|Christmas number one]], a spot which was gained in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. All of the winners' singles have gone on to achieve the number one chart position nevertheless, with Brookstein and McElderry going on to claim the New Year's number one spot a week later instead. As of December 2010, a total of 17 number-one singles have been released by artists who have appeared on the show. The all-new ''X Factor'' champion receives a recording contract with record label [[Syco Music]] with a stated value of [[pound sterling|£]]1,000,000. This includes a cash payment to the winner, but the majority is allocated to marketing and recording costs.<ref name=TheTimes/> The show is the biggest television talent competition in Europe and has proved hugely popular with the public. Series 6 attracted 200,000 auditionees<ref name="dailymail.co.uk">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1207888/The-X-Factor-Wailing-Lithuanians-Cheryl-Cole-lookalike-heartthrob-twins-appear-show.html "The X Factor: Essex Cheryl Cole lookalike with an Estuary drawl makes judges drool as she starts to sing"], ''Mail Online'', 21 August 2009</ref> and peaked at 19.7 million UK viewers (a 63.2% audience share).<ref name="digitalspy.co.uk">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a191274/joe-mcelderrys-x-factor-win-draws-197m.html "Joe McElderry's 'X Factor' win draws 19.7m"], ''Digital Spy'', 14 December 2009</ref> 10 million votes were cast in the series 6 final.<ref name="ReferenceA">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1236415/X-Factor-winner-Joe-McElderry-second-place-bookies-suspend-betting-Christmas-number-1.html "X Factor winner Joe McElderry outsold by Rage Against The Machine as bookies suspend betting on Christmas No. 1"], ''Mail Online'', 17 December 2009</ref>
1 Etymology
1.1 False etymology
2 Usage
2.1 Vague noun
2.2 Surprise
2.3 Trouble
2.4 Displeasure
2.5 Dominance
2.6 Positive attitude
2.7 Shortening of bullshit
2.8 Emphasis
2.9 Drug usage
2.10 The verb “to shit”
2.11 Backronyms
3 Usage in English media
3.1 Television
3.1.1 United Kingdom
3.1.2 Canada
3.1.3 United States
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
EtymologyThe word is likely derived from Old English, having the nouns scite (dung, attested only in place names) and scitte (diarrhoea), and the verb scītan (to defecate, attested only in bescītan, to cover with excrement); eventually it morphed into Middle English schītte (excrement), schyt (diarrhoea) and shiten (to defecate), and it is virtually certain that it was used in some form by preliterate Germanic tribes at the time of the Roman Empire. The word may be further traced to Proto-Germanic *skit-, and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European *skheid-. The word has several cognates in modern Germanic languages, such as German Scheisse, Dutch schijt, Swedish skit, Icelandic skítur, Norwegian skitt etc. Ancient Greek had 'skor' (gen. 'skatos' hence 'scato-'), from Proto-Indo-European *sker-, which is likely unrelated.[2]


False etymologyA popular belief is that the word shit originated as an acronym for "Ship High In Transit", referring to the apparent need to stow manure well above the water line when transporting it by ship. This has been shown to be a myth.[3][4]
The ''X Factor'' format has been adopted [[The X Factor (TV series)|in a number of other countries]]. Versions of the format have become successful throughout the world, most notably in Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy, as well as Spain, Greece, Portugal, India and Colombia. However, the original British version has not been broadcast in any other country (except Ireland) due to unresolved rights issues. Television stations in many countries, but especially [[Scandinavia]]n ones, have expressed an interest in showing the UK version but have not been able to acquire the rights.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}


UsageThe word shit (or sometimes shite in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Northern England and Wales) is used by English speakers, but it is usually avoided in formal speech. Minced oath substitutes for the word shit in English include sugar and shoot.
On 18 October 2010, ITV announced that Cowell had signed a three year contract renewing ''The X Factor'' until 2013.<ref>{{cite press release|title=ITV signs new, three-year deal for The X Factor & BGT|publisher=[[ITV]]|date=18 October 2010|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/pressreleases/programmepressreleases/itvsignsnewthreeyeardealthexfactorbgt/default.html|accessdate=18 October 2010}}</ref>


In the word's literal sense, it has a rather small range of common usages. An unspecified or collective occurrence of feces is generally shit or some shit; a single deposit of feces is sometimes a shit or a piece of shit, and to defecate is to shit, to take a shit and a new variant to leave a shit. While it is common to speak of shit as existing in a pile, a load, a hunk and other quantities and configurations, such expressions flourish most strongly in the figurative. For practical purposes, when actual defecation and excreta are spoken of in English, it is either through creative euphemism or with a vague and fairly rigid literalism.
==Series summary==
To date, seven series have been broadcast, as summarised below.


"Shit" can also be combined with other words to denote the type of feces one has. For instance, "Snake shit" describes feces that are long and thin in shape, thus reminiscent of a snake's appearance. "Shapeepee" or "Shit pee pee" is another word for diarrhea, or can be used to describe feces that are almost entirely of liquid composition.
{{colorbox|#E0E8FF}} Contestant in "Boys" category or male contestant in "Under 25s" category<br />
{{colorbox|#FFE0E0}} Contestant in "Girls" category or female contestant in "Under 25s" category<br />
{{colorbox|#CEF2E0}} Contestant in "Over 25s" or "Over 28s" category<br />
{{colorbox|#FFFFD0}} Contestant in "Groups" category


Shit carries an encompassing variety of figurative meanings, explained in the following sections.
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
! scope="col" |Series
! scope="col"|Start
! scope="col"| Finish
! scope="col"| Winner
! scope="col"| {{nowrap|Runner-up}}
! scope="col"| {{nowrap|Third place}}
! scope="col"| {{nowrap|Main host}}
! scope="col"| {{nowrap|UK sponsor}}
! scope="col"| Main judges
! scope="col"| Guest judges
|-
! scope="row"| {{nowrap|[[The X Factor (UK series 1)|One]]}}
|{{nowrap|4 September 2004}}
|{{nowrap|11 December 2004}}
|bgcolor="CEF2E0"|[[Steve Brookstein]]
|bgcolor="FFFFD0"|[[G4 (band)|G4]]
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Tabby Callaghan]]
|Rowspan="3"|[[Kate Thornton]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Nokia]]<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/jun/19/broadcasting.realitytv Carphone Warehouse gets The X Factor] The Guardian, 19 June 2007</ref>
|rowspan="3"| {{nowrap|[[Simon Cowell]]}}<br>{{nowrap|[[Sharon Osbourne]]}}<br>{{nowrap|[[Louis Walsh]]}}
|rowspan="2"| N/A
|-
! scope="row"| [[The X Factor (UK series 2)|Two]]
|20 August 2005
|17 December 2005
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Shayne Ward]]
|bgcolor="CEF2E0"|[[Andy Abraham]]
|bgcolor="FFFFD0"|[[Journey South]]
|-
! scope="row"| [[The X Factor (UK series 3)|Three]]
|19 August 2006
|16 December 2006
|bgcolor="FFE0E0"|[[Leona Lewis]]
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Ray Quinn]]
|bgcolor="CEF2E0"|[[Ben Mills]]
|{{nowrap|[[Paula Abdul]] (London auditions)}}
|-
! scope="row"|[[The X Factor (UK series 4)|Four]]
|18 August 2007
|15 December 2007
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Leon Jackson]]
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Rhydian Roberts]]
|bgcolor="FFFFD0"|[[Same Difference]]
|rowspan="4"|[[Dermot O'Leary]]
|rowspan="2"|[[The Carphone Warehouse]]
|{{nowrap|Simon Cowell}}<br>{{nowrap|Sharon Osbourne}}<br>{{nowrap|Louis Walsh}}<br>{{nowrap|[[Dannii Minogue]]}}
|{{nowrap|[[Brian Friedman]] (London auditions;<br /> was originally planned to be permanent judge)}}
|-
! scope="row"| [[The X Factor (UK series 5)|Five]]
|16 August 2008
|13 December 2008
|bgcolor="FFE0E0"|[[Alexandra Burke]]
|bgcolor="FFFFD0"|[[JLS]]
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Eoghan Quigg]]
|rowspan="3"|{{nowrap|Simon Cowell}}<br>{{nowrap|Dannii Minogue}}<br>{{nowrap|Louis Walsh}}<br>{{nowrap|[[Cheryl Cole]]}}
|rowspan="2"|N/A
|-
! scope="row"| [[The X Factor (UK series 6)|Six]]
|22 August 2009
|13 December 2009
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Joe McElderry]]
|bgcolor="CEF2E0"|[[Olly Murs]]
|bgcolor="FFE0E0"|[[Stacey Solomon]]
|rowspan="2"|[[TalkTalk]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1002476/Talk-Talk-20m-X-Factor-sponsorship/ |title=Talk Talk in £20m X Factor sponsorship |date=12 May 2010 |work=MediaWeek}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[The X Factor (UK series 7)|Seven]]
|21 August 2010
|12 December 2010<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a289423/itv-confirms-x-factor-final-schedule.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4cebea5fa25595d2,0|title=ITV confirms 'X Factor' final schedule|last=Love|first=Ryan|date=23 November 2010|work=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hachette Filipacchi UK]]|accessdate=23 November 2010|location=London}}</ref>
|bgcolor="E0E8FF"|[[Matt Cardle]]
|bgcolor="FFE0E0"|[[Rebecca Ferguson (singer)|Rebecca Ferguson]]
|bgcolor="FFFFD0"|[[One Direction]]
|{{nowrap|[[Geri Halliwell]]}} (Glasgow auditions)<br>{{nowrap|[[Natalie Imbruglia]]}} (Birmingham auditions)<br>{{nowrap|[[Katy Perry]]}} (Dublin auditions)<br>{{nowrap|[[Pixie Lott]]}} (Cardiff auditions)<br> {{nowrap|[[Nicole Scherzinger]]}} (Manchester auditions, bootcamp)}
|}


Vague nounShit can be used as a generic mass noun similar to stuff; for instance, This show is funny shit or This test is hard shit, or That was stupid shit. These three usages (with funny, hard, and stupid or another synonym of stupid) are heard most commonly in the United States.
==Format==
The show is primarily concerned with identifying singing talent, though appearance, personality, stage presence and dance routines are also an important element of many performances. For series 1–3 the competition was split into three categories: Solo Singers aged 16–24, Solo Singers aged 25 and over, and Vocal Groups (including duos). In series 4–5, the age limit was lowered from 16 to 14, creating a 14–24 age group. This was split into separate male and female sections, making four categories in all: 14–24 males ("Boys"), 14–24 females ("Girls"), Over 25s, and Groups. For series 6, the age limit returned to 16, meaning the four categories were: 16–24 males ("Boys"), 16–24 females ("Girls"), Over 25s, and Groups. In series 7, the age group boundaries were changed, and the Over 25s became Over 28s, with Boys and Girls categories becoming 16–28.<ref name="age group boundaries">{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a250495/x-factor-changes-age-group-boundaries.html|title='X Factor' changes age group boundaries|last=Tobin|first=Christian|date=26 July 2010|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|accessdate=26 July 2010}}</ref>


In Get your shit together! the word shit may refer to some set of personal belongings or tools, or to one's wits, composure, or attention to the task at hand. He doesn't have his shit together suggests he is failing rather broadly, with the onus laid to multiple personal shortcomings, rather than bad luck or outside forces.
There are five stages to ''The X Factor'' competition:


To shoot the shit is to have a friendly but pointless conversation, as in "Come by my place some time and we'll shoot the shit."
*Stage 1: Producers' auditions (these auditions decide who will sing in front of the judges)
*Stage 2: Judges' auditions
*Stage 3: Boot camp
*Stage 4: Visits to judges' houses
*Stage 5: Live shows (finals)


SurpriseTo shit oneself, or to shit bricks can be used to refer to surprise or fear. The latter form can be commonly seen in a form of Internet meme which goes by the phrase when you see it, you will shit bricks, used in connection with an image of a busy scene with an often unnoticed laughing face or disturbing object which is hard to see until you study the picture.[citation needed]
===Auditions===
A round of first auditions is held in front of producers months before the show is aired, either by application and appointment, or at "open" auditions that anyone can attend. These auditions, held at various venues around the UK, attract very large crowds. The auditions themselves are not televised, but shots of crowds waving and "judges' cars" arriving are filmed and later spliced in with the televised auditions shot later in the year. The production team supply the crowds with "home-made" signs.<ref name="audition">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8209429.stm |title=What happens at an X Factor audition? |work=BBC News |author=Genevieve Hassan |date=21 August 2009}}</ref> After waiting at the venue for hours and filming more inserts of screaming and waving, candidates are given a brief audition by someone from the production team.<ref name="audition"/> Should they pass that audition (either for reasons of talent or for the potential of making entertaining television) they are given a "golden ticket" allowing them to sing to a more senior production member.<ref name="audition"/> Only candidates who successfully pass that second audition are invited to perform to the judges.<ref name="audition"/> The televised version misrepresents the process by implying that the entire huge crowds are all interviewed by the judges.<ref name="audition"/>


The word can also be used to represent anger, as in Jim is totally going to flip his shit when he sees that we wrecked his marriage.[citation needed]
A selection of the auditions in front of the judges – usually the best, the worst and the most bizarre (described by judge Louis Walsh as "the good, the bad and the ugly")<ref>[http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/book-reviews/Walsh39s-charm-factor.3421083.jp "Walsh's charm factor"], ''Whitby Gazette'', 30 October 2007</ref> – are broadcast over the first few weeks of the show. In the first five series, each act entered the audition room and delivered a stand-up unaccompanied performance of their chosen song to the judges. In series 6 (2009), the judges' auditions were held in front of a live audience and the acts sang over a backing track. If a majority of the judges (two in series 1–3 or three in series 4–6) say "yes" then the act goes through to the next stage, otherwise the act is sent home.


TroubleShit can be used to denote trouble, by saying one is in a lot of shit or deep shit. It's common for someone to refer to an unpleasant thing as hard shit (You got a speeding ticket? Man, that's some hard shit), but the phrase tough shit is used as an unsympathetic way of saying too bad to whoever is having problems (You got arrested? Tough shit, man!) or as a way of expressing to someone that they need to stop complaining about something and just deal with it (Billy: I got arrested because of you! Tommy: Tough shit, dude, you knew you might get arrested when you chose to come with me.) Note that in this case, as in many cases with the term, tough shit is often said as a way of pointing out someone's fault in his/her own current problem.
Over 50,000 people auditioned for series 1,<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-330333/Wholl-1m-Xmas-present.html Who'll get a £1m Xmas present?], ''Mail Online'', 11 December 2004</ref> around 75,000 for series 2<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4171518.stm New X Factor proves ratings hit], BBC News, 21 August 2005</ref> and around 100,000 for series 3.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-appeal-of-the-macdonalds-425763.html The appeal of the Macdonalds], ''The Independent on Sunday'', 25 November 2006</ref> The number of applicants for series 4 reached 150,000,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6951467.stm |title=All change as The X Factor returns|publisher=BBC News|date=17 August 2007|accessdate=18 August 2007}}</ref> 182,000<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2541534/X-Factors-Dannii-Minogue-says-she-wont-miss-Sharon-Osbourne.html X Factor's Dannii Minogue says she 'won't miss' Sharon Osbourne], ''Daily Telegraph'', 11 August 2008</ref> people auditioned for series 5, and a record 200,000 people applied for series 6.<ref name="dailymail.co.uk"/> In 2010, applicants for the seventh series were given the opportunity to apply by uploading a video audition to the Internet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1254077/X-Factor-wannabes-given-opportunity-post-audition-videos-online.html|title=X Factor wannabes given opportunity to post audition videos online|date=26 February 2010|work=Mail Online|publisher=[[Associated Newspapers]]|accessdate=27 February 2010}}</ref>


When the shit hits the fan is usually used to refer to a specific time of confrontation or trouble, which requires decisive action. This is often used in reference to combat situations and the action scenes in movies, but can also be used for everyday instances that one might be apprehensive about. I don't want to be here when the shit hits the fan! indicates that the speaker is dreading this moment (which can be anything from an enemy attack to confronting an angry parent or friend). He's the one to turn to when the shit hits the fan is an indication that the person being talked about is dependable and will not run from trouble or abandon their allies in tough situations. The concept of this phrase is simple enough, as the actual substance striking the rotating blades of a fan would cause a messy and unpleasant situation (much like being in the presence of a manure spreader). Whether or not this has actually happened, or if the concept is simply feasible enough for most people to imagine the result without needing it to be demonstrated, is unknown. Another example might be the saying shit rolls downhill, a metaphor suggesting that trouble for a manager may be transferred to the subordinates. There are a number of anecdotes and jokes about such situations, as the imagery of these situations is considered to be funny. This is generally tied-in with the concept that disgusting and messy substances spilled onto someone else are humorous.
===Boot camp and visits to judges' houses===
The contestants selected at auditions are further refined through a series of performances at "boot camp", and then at the "judges' houses", until a small number eventually progress to the live finals (nine in series 1 and twelve from series 2 onwards). Judge Louis Walsh revealed in November 2007 that the houses the contestants visit do not actually belong to the judges, but are rented for the purpose.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7040283.stm "Walsh's X Factor house 'not his'"], BBC News, 11 October 2007</ref> During these stages, the producers allocate each of the judges a category to mentor. In early series this allocation took place after completion of the auditions and prior to boot camp, but from series 4 all four judges have worked together at the boot camp. They collectively choose 24 acts (six from each category) for the next round, and only then find out which category they are to mentor. The judges then disband for the "visits to the judges' houses" round, where their six acts are reduced to three for the live shows.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://xfactor.itv.com/2008/footer/about.html|title=About The X Factor |publisher=ITV|year=2008|accessdate=19 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/a71993/cowell-x-factor-judges-are-out-of-sync.html|title=Cowell: 'X Factor' judges are out of sync'|publisher=Digital Spy|date=16 August 2007|accessdate=16 August 2007}}</ref> In series 7, a total of thirty-two acts went through to judges' houses, giving each judge eight acts instead of six.<ref name="age group boundaries" />


DispleasureShit can comfortably stand in for the terms bad and anything in many instances (Dinner was good, but the movie was shit. You're all mad at me, but I didn't do shit!). A comparison can also be used, as in Those pants look like shit, or This stuff tastes like shit. Many usages are idiomatic. The phrase, I don't give a shit denotes indifference. I'm shit out of luck usually refers to someone who is at the end of their wits or who has no remaining viable options. That little shit shot me in the ass, suggests a mischievous or contemptuous person. Euphemisms such as crap are not used in this context.
===The ''X Factor'' house===
The selected top 12 singers and groups move into shared accommodation to take part in the show. The house accommodates both contestants and TV production staff <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.primelocation.com/articles/hampstead-house-for-sale/ |title=Private view: A house with real X Factor |date=11 April 2010 |author=Nigel Lewis |work=Primelocation}}</ref> and footage from the house is often used in spin-off show ''The Xtra Factor''. In 2009 the house, in West Heath Avenue, [[Golders Green]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1260605/X-Factor-house-market-song-asking-price-drops-half-million.html |title=X Factor house on the market for a song, as asking price drops by over half a million |date=25 March 2010 |work=Mail Online}}</ref> received significant press coverage when it was mobbed by fans, leading to the police being called.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/2702567/X-Factor-house-could-be-shut-down-by-cops.html |title=Grimes Scene Investigation |first1=Sean |last1=Hamilton |first2=Veronica |last2=Lorraine |date=28 October 2009 |newspaper=[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]}}</ref> This led to concerns by the neighbours of the 2010 house in Hyver Hill, [[Mill Hill]] <ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.findaproperty.com/general/weird-world-factor-houses/ |title=The weird world of X Factor houses |date=29 September 2010 |author=Nigel Lewis |work=FindaProperty.com}}</ref> that it would receive similar attention,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/playlist/view/155945/X-Factor-house-safety-fears/ |title=X FACTOR HOUSE SAFETY FEARS |date=29 September 2010 |author=Keir Mudie |newspaper=[[Daily Star (United Kingdom)|Daily Star]]}}</ref> with a local farmer worried his land would be damaged,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8426347.Farmer_worried_over_X_Factor_house_fans/ |title=Mill Hill farmer concerned at presence of X-Factor fans on private land |date=1 October 2010 |author=Alex Hayes |newspaper=Edgware & Mill Hill Times}}</ref> but local businesses were said to be looking forward to increased trade.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8421554.X_Factor_house_back_in_the_borough/ |title=X Factor finalists to be housed in £3.5m Mill Hill mansion |date=29 September 2010 |author=Alex Hayes |newspaper=Edgware & Mill Hill Times}}</ref>


The term piece of shit is generally used to classify a product or service as being sufficiently below the writer's understanding of generally accepted quality standards to be of negligible and perhaps even negative value.The term piece of shit has greater precision than shit or shitty in that piece of shit identifies the low quality of a specific component or output of a process without applying a derogatory slant to the entire process. For example, if one said "The inner city youth orchestra has been a remarkably successful initiative in that it has kept young people off the streets after school and exposed them to culture and discipline, thereby improving their self esteem and future prospects. The fact that the orchestra's recent rendition of Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony in B minor was pretty much a piece of shit should not in any way detract from this." The substitution of shit or shitty for pretty much a piece of shit would imply irony and would therefore undermine the strength of the statement.
===Live shows===
[[File:The Fountain Studios.JPG|right|thumb|Entrance to the [[The Fountain Studios]]]]
The finals consist of a series of two live shows, the first featuring the contestants' performances and the second revealing the results of the public voting, culminating in one or more acts being eliminated. Celebrity guest performers also feature regularly. These live shows are filmed at [[The Fountain Studios]] in [[Wembley]], [[London]]. In series 1–5, both live shows were broadcast on Saturday nights. In series 6, the results show moved to Sunday nights. In series 1, nine acts were put through to the live shows, increased to twelve in series 2. In series 7, following the addition of four wildcards, it increased to 16.<ref name="age group boundaries" />


DominanceShit can also be used to establish superiority over another being. The most common phrase is eat shit! symbolizing the hatred toward the recipient. Some other personal word may be added such as eat my shit implying truly personal connotations. As an aside, the above is actually a contraction of the phrase eat shit and die!. It is often said without commas as a curse; they command the other party to perform exactly those actions in that order. However, the term was originally Eat, Shit, and Die naming the three most basic things humans have to do, and it is common among soldiers.[citation needed]
====Performances====
In the initial live shows, each act performs once in the first show in front of a studio audience and the judges, usually sing over a pre-recorded backing track. Dancers are also commonly featured. Acts occasionally accompany themselves on guitar or piano.


Positive attitudeInterestingly, in slang, prefixing the article the to shit gives it a completely opposite definition, meaning the best, as in Altered Beast is the shit, or The Oregon Trail is the shit. Again, other slang words of the same meaning, crap for example, are not used in such locutions.
In the first two series, acts usually chose a cover of a pop standard or contemporary hit. In series 1, much was made of the idea that each performer/mentor combination was free to present the performance however they wanted, including the performer playing live instruments, or the addition of choirs, backing bands, and dancers. From the third series each live show had a different theme; each contestant's song chosen according to the theme. A celebrity guest connected to the theme is often invited onto the show, and clips are shown of the guest conversing with the contestants at rehearsal. After each act has performed, the judges comment on their performance. Heated disagreements, usually involving judges defending their contestants against criticism, are a regular feature of the show. Once all the acts have appeared, the phone lines open and the viewing public vote on which act they want to keep.


Shortening of bullshitThe expression no shit? (a contraction of no bullshit?) is used in response to a statement that is extraordinary or hard to believe. Alternatively the maker of the hard-to-believe statement may add no shit to reinforce the sincerity or truthfulness of their statement, particularly in response to someone expressing disbelief at their statement. No shit is also used sarcastically in response to a statement of the obvious, as in no shit, Sherlock.
Once the number of contestants has been reduced to four (series 1 and 3) ,five (series 2, 4, 5 and 6), or seven (series 7), the format changes. Each act performs twice in the first show, with the public vote opening after the first performance. This continues until only two (series 1 and 3), three (series 2, 4, 5 and 6) or four (series 7) acts remain. These acts go on to appear in the grand final which decides the overall winner by public vote. In past series some of the more memorable failed auditionees from the early rounds have also returned for a special appearance in the final.


In this form the word can also be used in phrases such as don't give me that shit or you're full of shit. The term full of shit is often used as an exclamation to charge someone who is believed to be prone to dishonesty, exaggeration or is thought to be "phoney" with an accusation. For example:
====Results====
Before the results are announced, there are live or pre-recorded performances from one or more invited celebrities, often with performers connected to the week's theme. In series 6, the results show began with a group performance from the remaining contestants. However, the song is pre-recorded and the contestants mime, due to problems with the number of microphones.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/xfactor/view/159939/X-Factor-bosses-admit-We-re-faking-it/|title=X Factor bosses admit: we're faking it|last=Dyke|first=Peter|date=26 October 2010|work=[[Daily Star (United Kingdom)|Daily Star]]|publisher=[[Northern & Shell]]|accessdate=26 October 2010|location=London}}</ref> The two acts polling the fewest votes are revealed. Both these acts perform again in a "final showdown", and the judges vote on which of the two to send home. In the first four series the bottom two contestants reprised their earlier song, but from series 5 they were able to pick new songs. In series 3, a twist occurred where the act with the fewest votes was automatically eliminated, and the two with the next fewest votes performed in the "final showdown" as normal. Ties became possible with the introduction of a fourth judge in series 4. In the event of a tie the show goes to deadlock, and the act who came last in the public vote is sent home. The actual number of votes cast for each act is not revealed, nor even the order; according to a spokesman, "We would never reveal the voting figures during the competition as it could give contestants an unfair advantage and spoil the competition for viewers".<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/nov/14/x-factor-laura-white-ofcom Fans of X Factor's Laura White complain to Ofcom over voting], ''The Guardian'', 14 November 2008</ref>


"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to invite you to the party, it was a complete accident... But you really didn't miss anything anyway.
Once the number of contestants has been reduced to four (series 1, 3 and 7) or five (series 2, 4, 5 and 6), the act which polled the fewest votes is automatically eliminated from the competition (the judges do not have a vote; their only role is to comment on the performances). In series 1 the <!-- eliminated? -->acts also reprised one of their songs in the second show.
"You're full of shit! You had dozens of opportunities to invite me. If you have a problem with me, why not say it!"
The word bullshit also denotes false or insincere discourse. (Horseshit is roughly equivalent, while chickenshit means cowardly, batshit indicates a person is crazy, and going apeshit indicates a person is entering a state of high excitement or unbridled rage.). Are you shitting me!? is a question sometimes given in response to an incredible assertion. An answer that reasserts the veracity of the claim is, I shit you not.


EmphasisPerhaps the only constant connotation that shit reliably carries is that its referent holds some degree of emotional intensity for the speaker. Whether offense is taken at hearing the word varies greatly according to listener and situation, and is related to age and social class: elderly speakers and those of (or aspiring to) higher socioeconomic strata tend to use it more privately and selectively than younger and more blue-collar speakers.
===Post ''The X Factor''===
[[File:Joe McElderry (Live X Factor Tour).jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Joe McElderry]], winner of [[The X Factor (UK series 6)|series 6]], performing on ''The X Factor Live'' tour in 2010]]
The winner of the competition is awarded a recording contract, stated to be worth £1 million, with [[Syco]] in association with [[Sony Music Entertainment]]. In series 5, this deal consisted of a £150,000 cash advance with the balance covering the costs of recording and marketing.<ref name=TheTimes>[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5333323.ece "Hallelujah: how Leonard Cohen became an X Factor winner without trying"], ''Times Online'', 13 December 2008</ref> Other highly placed contestants may also be offered recording deals, but this is not guaranteed.<ref name=TheTimes/> In series 1–3, the premise of ''The X Factor'' was that the winner would be managed in the industry by their mentor on the show. With [[music executive]] Cowell and [[Music manager|managers]] Osbourne and Walsh as judges/mentors, any of the three would be qualified to do so. Following the appointment of singer Dannii Minogue as a judge in series 4, the same principle could not universally apply. In fact, when Minogue won series 4 with [[Leon Jackson]], a new outside manager was appointed.


Like the word fuck, shit is often used to add emphasis more than to add meaning, for example, shit! I was so shit-scared of that shithead that I shit-talked him into dropping out of the karate match! The term to shit-talk connotes bragging or exaggeration (whereas to talk shit primarily means to gossip [about someone in a damaging way] or to talk in a boastful way about things which are erroneous in nature), but in such constructions as the above, the word shit often functions as an interjection.
The X Factor Live Tour is a live show that tours the UK and Ireland in the months following the conclusion of the TV series. It features an array of finalists and other memorable contestants from the most recent ''X Factor'' series and ''[[Jeff Brazier]]'' hosted the tour.


Unlike the word fuck, shit is not used emphatically with -ing or as an infix. For example; I lost the shitting karate match would be replaced with ...the fucking karate match. Similarly, while in-fucking-credible is generally acceptable, in-shitting-credible is not.
==Judges and presenters==
===Judges===
[[File:Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell.jpg|left|thumb|Judges [[Simon Cowell]] and [[Cheryl Cole]] during filming of the [[London]] auditions for [[The X Factor (UK series 7)|the seventh series]]]]


Drug usageShit itself can be a dysphemism or quasi-euphemism, with many intoxicating or narcotic drugs (notably hashish and heroin) being referred to as shit. A particularly excellent drug may be described as This is some good shit. To be shitfaced is to be extremely drunk. A shitshow denotes a party or gathering during which multiple people become intoxicated to the point of incapacitation.
From series 1 to 3, ''The X Factor'' judges were music executive and TV producer [[Simon Cowell]], music manager and TV personality [[Sharon Osbourne]] and music manager [[Louis Walsh]]. [[Paula Abdul]] was a guest judge at the series 3 London auditions.<ref>[http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2006/07/06/exclusive-x-factor-sharon-s-diva-jibe-115875-17337867/ "Exclusive: X Factor Sharon's diva jibe"], ''Mirror.co.uk'', 6 July 2006</ref> After the third series, Walsh was dropped from the show, being replaced by American choreographer [[Brian Friedman]] who was hired after impressing Cowell on his show ''[[Grease Is the Word]]''. A fourth judge was also brought in: Australian singer, actress and ''[[Australia's Got Talent]]'' judge [[Dannii Minogue]]. Simon hired Minogue after viewing tapes of her judging on ''Australia's Got Talent'', and because of her 30 years experience as a singer and performer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23391432-dannii-minogue-has-the-x-factor-as-louiss-replacement.do |title=Dannii Minogue has the X factor as Louis's replacement |date=4 April 2007 |newspaper=[[Evening Standard]]}}</ref> However, Friedman was re-assigned the role of Creative Director because Cowell believed the judging panel was not working. Walsh then resumed his place on the panel, and the [[The X Factor (UK series 4)|series 4]] judging lineup was Cowell, Osbourne, Walsh and Minogue. Minogue became the first female judge to win after her series 4 victory with [[Leon Jackson]].


The verb “to shit”The preterite and past participle of shit are attested as shat, shit, or shitted, depending on dialect and, sometimes, the rhythm of the sentence. In the prologue of The Canterbury Tales, shitten is used as the past participle; however this form is very rare in modern English. In American English shit as a past participle is often correct, while shat is generally acceptable and shitted is uncommon and missing from the Random House and American Heritage dictionaries.[5]
Speculation surrounded judging lineup changes for [[The X Factor (UK series 5)|series 5]], centring on whether Osbourne would return. On 6 June 2008, six days before filming for series 5 was due to begin, ITV confirmed that Osbourne had left the show,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/Entertainment/celebrity/CelebrityNewsHoldingFolder/SharonleavesTheXFactor/default.html|title=Sharon leaves The X Factor|publisher=''ITV''|date=6 June 2008|accessdate=6 June 2008}}</ref> and [[Girls Aloud]] singer [[Cheryl Cole]] was confirmed as her replacement four days later. A number of other artists and producers had been approached regarding Osbourne's replacement, including former [[Spice Girls|Spice Girl]] [[Melanie Brown]], [[Paula Abdul]], [[Sinitta]], and former ''[[Pop Idol]]'' judge [[Pete Waterman]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/Entertainment/Music/MusicNews/News/CheryljoinsTheXFactor/default.html|title=Cheryl joins The X Factor|publisher=''ITV''|date=10 June 2008|accessdate=10 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xfactor.tv/news/article/?scid=349|title=Cheryl is the new judge!|publisher=''ITV''|date=10 June 2008|accessdate=10 June 2008}}</ref> Osbourne stated that she left ''The X Factor'' because she did not enjoy working with Minogue.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/4642466/Sharon-Osbourne-I-quit-X-Factor-because-of-Danni-Minogue.html "Sharon Osbourne: 'I quit X Factor because of Danni Minogue'"], ''telegraph.co.uk'', 16 February 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/a146955/sharon-i-quit-x-factor-because-of-dannii.html Sharon: 'I quit 'X Factor' because of Dannii'], ''Digital Spy'', 17 February 2009</ref> Despite rumours that Minogue would leave the show after series 5,<ref>[http://news.stv.tv/entertainment/72806-dannii-minogue-faces-the-x-factor-axe/ Dannii Minogue faces the X Factor axe], ''STV'', 29 January 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/a145729/x-factor-judge-decision-next-week.html 'X Factor' judge decision next week?] ''Digital Spy'', 5 February 2009</ref> all four judges from series 5 returned for series 6.<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a149178/ds-fantasies-the-new-x-factor-panel.html "DS Fantasies: The new 'X Factor' panel"], ''Digital Spy'', 12 March 2009</ref> Cole became the first judge to win two series in a row after her victories in series 5 with [[Alexandra Burke]] and series 6 with [[Joe McElderry]].


BackronymsThe backronym form "S.H.I.T." often figures into jokes, like Special High Intensity Training (a well-known joke used in job applications), Special Hot Interdiction Team (a mockery on SWAT), Super Hackers Invitational Tournament, and any college name that begins with an S-H (like Sam Houston Institute of Technology or South Harmon Institute of Technology in the 2006 film Accepted or Store High In Transit in the 2006 film Kenny). South Hudson Institute of Technology has sometimes been used to describe the United States Military Academy at West Point.[6] The Simpsons' Apu was a graduate student at Springfield Heights Institute of Technology.
Due to Minogue's maternity leave for series 7, a series of guest judges filled in for her at the audition stages before she rejoins the panel in September. The guest judges were [[Geri Halliwell]],<ref>[http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/181619-geri-halliwell-to-be-x-factor-guest-judge/ "Geri Halliwell to be X Factor guest judge"], ''STV'', 8 June 2010</ref> [[Natalie Imbruglia]], [[Katy Perry]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a225452/katy-perry-confirmed-for-x-factor.html|title=Katy Perry confirmed for 'X Factor'|last=Millar|first=Paul|date=11 June 2010|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|accessdate=11 June 2010}}</ref> [[Pixie Lott]] and [[Nicole Scherzinger]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a236006/nicole-scherzinger-lands-x-factor-role.html|title=Nicole Scherzinger lands 'X Factor' role|last=Fletcher|first=Alex|date=30 June 2010|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=30 June 2010}}</ref> In July 2010, Cole was diagnosed with malaria towards the end of the auditions. Bootcamp went ahead with Scherzinger as a guest judge.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1295332/Nicole-Scherzinger-returns-X-Factor-judging-panel-boot-camp-Cheryl-Cole-recovers-malaria.html|title=Nicole Scherzinger returns to X Factor judging panel for boot camp as Cheryl Cole recovers from malaria|last=Sheridan|first=Emily|date=16 July 2010|work=Mail Online|publisher=[[Associated Newspapers]]|accessdate=16 July 2010}}</ref>


In polite company, sometimes the backronym Sugar Honey in Tea or Sugar Honey Iced Tea is used.
The judges' appearance on screen is accompanied by several pieces of music including [[Tomoyasu Hotei]]'s ''[[Battle Without Honor Or Humanity]]'', [[Craig Armstrong (composer)|Craig Armstrong]]'s ''[[O Verona]]'', ''[[Come with Me (Puff Daddy song)|Come With Me]]'' by [[Puff Daddy]] and [[Jimmy Page]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}


Usage in English mediaTelevisionRecently the word has become increasingly acceptable on American cable television and satellite radio, which are not subject to FCC regulation. In other English-speaking countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand the word is allowed to be used in broadcast television by the regulative councils of each area, as long as it is used in late hours when young people are not expected to be watching.
===Presenters and other personnel===
[[File:Dermotoleary.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Dermot O'Leary]] has presented the show since [[The X Factor (UK series 4)|series 4]]]]


United KingdomIt is believed that the first person to say "shit" on British TV was John Cleese of the Monty Python comedy troupe in the late 1960s, as he, himself, says in his eulogy[7] for Graham Chapman.
The show was hosted up to series 3 by [[Kate Thornton]]. Thornton was replaced from series 4 by [[Dermot O'Leary]] who signed a contract worth £1 million to present two series of the programme on [[ITV]]. O'Leary was not forced to leave the ''[[Big Brother (UK)|Big Brother]]'' franchise and continued to present ''Big Brother'' sister shows during summer 2007. However, O'Leary announced that ''[[Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack]]'' was to be his last ''Big Brother'' hosting role so he could focus on presenting ''The X Factor''.


CanadaIn Canada, it is generally deemed acceptable, as CBSC states that only "coarse, offensive language intended for adults" (such as "fuck") are required to air after 9pm.
Brian Friedman has continued in his role as performance coach and [[choreographer]] (billed as "Creative Director") since series 4. [[Yvie Burnett]] has been ''The X Factor''{{'s}} vocal coach since series 2, but was replaced in series 7 by Ali Tennant and [[Savan Kotecha]]. However, Tennant's contract was ended before the live shows and Burnett was reinstated.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a280786/simon-cowell-sacks-x-factor-vocal-coach.html|title=Simon Cowell 'sacks X Factor vocal coach'|last=Tobin|first=Christian|date=7 October 2010|work=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hachette Filipacchi Médias|Hachette Filipacchi UK]]|accessdate=14 October 2010}}</ref> In series 7, [[Biffco|Richard "Biff" Stannard]] started work as show song producer for Minogue's contestants,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a281386/x-factor-nicolo-thanks-fans-for-support.html|title='X Factor' Nicolo thanks fans for support|last=Nissim|first=Mayer|date=11 October 2010|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|accessdate=11 October 2010}}</ref> and [[Grace Woodward]] joined the series as Fashion Director.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a281806/cher-lloyd-i-had-a-fashion-meltdown.html|title=Cher Lloyd: 'I had a fashion meltdown'|last=Love|first=Ryan|date=13 October 2010|work=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hachette Filipacchi UK]]|accessdate=30 October 2010|location=London}}</ref> Voice-overs are provided by [[Peter Dickson (presenter)|Peter Dickson]] and [[Enn Reitel]].


The Canadian Showcase television show Trailer Park Boys frequently uses the term "shit". Trailer park supervisor James "Jim" Lahey employs many metaphors with the negative slang "shit" bizarrely worked in. For example, in one episode, Mr. Lahey likens Ricky's growing ignorance to that of a "shit tsunami", while in another episode, Mr. Lahey tells Bubbles that the "shit hawks are swooping in low" due to his deplorable behavior and company.
For information about ''The Xtra Factor'' presenters, see [[#The Xtra Factor|''The Xtra Factor'']] below.


The term "shit" is also used in the titles of the episodes themselves. Some of which include "The Winds of Shit,"[8] "A Shit Leopard Can't Change Its Spots,"[9] and "Never Cry Shitwolf".
===Judges' categories and their finalists===
[[File:Leonalewis.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Leona Lewis]] won the [[The X Factor (UK series 3)|third series]]]]


United States"Shit" was one of the original "Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV", a comedy routine by American Comedian George Carlin. In the United States, although the use of the word is censored on broadcast network television (while its synonym crap is not usually subject to censorship), the FCC permitted some exceptions. The 14 October 1999 episode of Chicago Hope is believed to be the first show (excluding documentaries) on U.S. network television to contain the word shit in uncensored form. The word also is used in a later ER episode "On the Beach" by Dr. Mark Greene, experiencing the final stages of a deadly brain tumor. Although the episode was originally aired uncensored, the "shit" utterance has since been edited out in syndicated reruns.
{{See also|List of The X Factor (UK) finalists}}


An episode of South Park, "It Hits the Fan", originally aired on 20 June 2001, was a parody of the hype over the Chicago Hope episode. "Shit" is used 162 times, and a counter in the corner of the screen tallies the repetitions. The moral of this episode is that swearing is okay occasionally, but if it is done over and over and over, it takes away from a word's impact and the word gets very, very boring. South Park airs on American cable networks, outside the regulatory jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where censorship of vulgar dialogue is at the discretion of the cable operators.[10]
In each series, each judge is allocated a category to mentor and chooses a small number of acts (three or four, depending on the series) to progress to the live finals. This table shows, for each series, which category each judge was allocated and which acts he or she put through to the live finals.


American terrestrial radio stations must abide by FCC guidelines on obscenity to avoid punitive fines, unlike satellite radio. These guidelines do not define exactly what constitutes obscenity, but it has been interpreted by some commissioners as including any form of words like shit and fuck, for whatever use.
'''Key:'''


Despite this, the word has been featured in popular songs that have appeared on broadcast radio in cases where the usage of the word is not audibly clear to the casual listener, or on live television. In the song "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains, the line "Buried in my shit" was played unedited over most rock radio stations. The 1980 hit album Hi Infidelity by REO Speedwagon contained the song "Tough Guys" which had the line "she thinks they're full of shit," which was played on broadcast radio. On 3 December 1994, Green Day performed "Geek Stink Breath", on Saturday Night Live, shit was not edited from tape delay live broadcast. The band did not appear on the show again until 9 April 2005.
:{{colorbox|#BFFFC0;}} – Winning judge/category. Winners are in bold, eliminated contestants in small font.


Some notable instances of censorship of the word from broadcast television and radio include Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner." Although radio stations have sometimes played an unedited version containing the line "funky shit going down in the city." The songs was also released with a "radio edit" version, replacing the "funky shit" with "funky kicks". Another version of "Jet Airliner" exists in which the word "shit" is faded out. Likewise, the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" has a line about having no idea "what kind of shit was about to go down," and has a radio edit version without the word. Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" video had the original album's use of the word censored in its video. The music video title "...On the Radio (Remember the Days)" by Nelly Furtado replaced by the original title "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)." This also happened to "That's That Shit" by Snoop Dogg featuring R. Kelly, which became "That's That". In Avril Lavigne's song "My Happy Ending," the Radio Disney edit of the song replaces "all the shit that you do" with "all the stuff that you do." Likewise, in the recent song "London Bridge" by the Black Eyed Peas member Fergie, the phrase "Oh Shit" is repeatedly used as a background line. A radio edit of this song replaced "Oh Shit" with "Oh Snap."
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="width:9%;" scope="col" | Series
! style="width:18%;" scope="col" | Simon Cowell
! style="width:18%;" scope="col" | Sharon Osbourne
! style="width:18%;" scope="col" | Louis Walsh
! style="width:18%;" scope="col" | Dannii Minogue
! style="width:19%;" scope="col" | Cheryl Cole
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 1)|One]]
| style="background:#BFFFC0;" | '''Over 25s'''<br />'''[[Steve Brookstein]]''' <small><br />[[Rowetta|Rowetta Satchell]]<br /> Verity Keays</small>
| '''16-24s'''<br /><small>[[Tabby Callaghan]]<br />Cassie Compton<br />Roberta Howett<small>
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[G4 (band)|G4]]<br />Voices With Soul<br />2 to go
| rowspan=3 | N/A
| rowspan=4 | N/A
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 2)|Two]]
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[Journey South]]<br /> [[The Conway Sisters]]<br /> 4Tune<br /> Addictiv Ladies
| '''Over 25s'''<br /><small>[[Andy Abraham]]<br /> [[Brenda Edwards]]<br /> [[Chico Slimani]]<br /> [[Maria Lawson (singer)|Maria Lawson]]<small>
| style="background:#BFFFC0;" | '''16-24s'''<br />'''[[Shayne Ward]]'''<small><br /> Nicholas Dorsett<br /> Chenai Zinyuku<br />Phillip Magee
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 3)|Three]]
| style="background:#BFFFC0;" | '''16-24s'''<br />'''[[Leona Lewis]]'''<small><br /> [[Ray Quinn]]<br /> [[Nikitta Angus]]<br /> [[The X Factor (UK series 3)#Ashley McKenzie|Ashley McKenzie]]
| '''Over 25s'''<br /><small>[[Ben Mills]]<br />[[The X Factor (UK series 3)#Robert Allen|Robert Allen]]<br /> [[Kerry McGregor]]<br />[[Dionne Mitchell]]
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[The MacDonald Brothers]]<br />[[Eton Road]]<br />[[The X Factor (UK series 3)#4Sure|4Sure]]<br />[[The X Factor (UK series 3)#The Unconventionals|The Unconventionals]]</small></small>
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 4)|Four]]
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[Same Difference]]<br />[[The X Factor (UK series 4)#Hope|Hope]]<br />[[The X Factor (UK series 4)#Futureproof|Futureproof]]<small>
| '''Girls'''<br /><small> [[Alisha Bennett]]<br /> [[Emily Nakanda]]<br />[[Kimberley Southwick]]<small>
| '''Over 25s'''<br /><small>[[Niki Evans]]<br />[[Beverley Trotman]]<br />[[Daniel DeBourg]]
| style="background:#BFFFC0; text-align:center" | '''Boys''' <br />'''[[Leon Jackson]]'''<small><br /> [[Rhydian|Rhydian Roberts]]<br />[[The X Factor (UK series 4)#Andy Williams|Andy Williams]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 5)|Five]]
| '''Boys'''<br /><small>[[Eoghan Quigg]]<br />[[Austin Drage]]<br />[[Scott Bruton]]</small>
| rowspan=3 | N/A
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[JLS]]<br />[[List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 5)#Girlband|Girlband]]<br />[[Bad Lashes]]</small>
| '''Over 25s'''<br /><small>[[Ruth Lorenzo]]<br />[[Rachel Hylton]]<br /> [[Daniel Evans (singer)|Daniel Evans]]</small>
| style="background:#BFFFC0; text-align:center" | '''Girls''' <br />'''[[Alexandra Burke]]'''<small><br />[[Diana Vickers]]<br />[[Laura White]]</small>
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 6)|Six]]
| '''Over 25s'''<br /><small>[[Olly Murs]]<br />[[Danyl Johnson]]<br />[[Jamie Archer]]</small>
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[Jedward|John & Edward]]<br />[[Miss Frank]]<br />[[Kandy Rain]]</small>
| '''Girls'''<br /><small>[[Stacey Solomon]]<br />[[Lucie Jones]]<br />[[Rachel Adedeji]]</small>
| style="background:#BFFFC0;" | '''Boys''' <br />'''[[Joe McElderry]]'''<small><br />[[List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 6)#Lloyd Daniels|Lloyd Daniels]]<br />[[Rikki Loney]]</small>
|-
! scope="row" | [[The X Factor (UK series 7)|Seven]]
| '''Groups'''<br /><small>[[One Direction]]</small><br /><small>[[Belle Amie]]<br />[[Diva Fever]]<br />[[F.Y.D.]]</small>
| '''Over 28s'''<br /><small>[[Mary Byrne (singer)|Mary Byrne]]<small /><br /><small>[[Wagner (singer)|Wagner]]<br />[[John Adeleye]]</small><br /><small>[[Storm Lee]]</small>
| style="background:#BFFFC0;" | '''Boys'''<br />'''[[Matt Cardle]]'''<br /><small>[[Paije Richardson]]<br />[[Aiden Grimshaw]]<br/>[[Nicolo Festa]]</small>
| '''Girls'''<br /><small>[[Rebecca Ferguson (singer)|Rebecca Ferguson]]</small><br /><small>[[Cher Lloyd]]<br />[[Katie Waissel]]<br/>[[Treyc Cohen]]</small>
|}


See alsoBullshit
==Reception==
Feces
===Ratings and awards===
Night soil
Viewing figures of around 10 million were claimed for series 2 and 4, and 11 to 12 million for series 5.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}{{Clarify|date=January 2010}}<!-- What do these figures mean? They are not fully consistent with either the peak or average viewing figures claimed in other parts of this section --> Over three million public votes were cast in the series 2 semi-final, and six million in the first part of the final. The series 3 final attracted eight million votes<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6182453.stm Leona crowned winner of X Factor] BBC News, 17 December 2006</ref> and a peak of 12.6 million viewers.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/dec/18/overnights1 ITV1 on song with The X Factor] The Guardian, 18 December 2010</ref> The series 4 final drew 12.7 million viewers – a 55% share of the terrestrial TV audience.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-x-factor-final-12-956442.html "Everything you need to know about the X Factor final 12"], ''The Independent'', 10 October 2008</ref> In series 5, 12.8 million tuned in to see the 29 November 2008 show featuring guest [[Britney Spears]], a new ''X Factor'' record.<ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/article1988677.ece "Britney Xposed"], ''The Sun'', 1 December 2008</ref> The series 5 final peaked with 14.6 million viewers,.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1094884/X-Factors-Alexandra-banned-having-boyfriends-mentor-Cheryl-Cole.html "X Factor's Alexandra is 'banned from having boyfriends' by mentor Cheryl Cole"], ''Mail Online'', 15 December 2008</ref> The series 6 final was watched by 19.1 million viewers (a 63.2% audience share)<ref name="digitalspy.co.uk"/> with 10 million votes cast<ref name="ReferenceA"/> and the series 7 final topped this attracting 19.4 million viewers with over 15 million votes cast.<ref>http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a292894/x-factor-final-peaks-with-194-million.html</ref>
Profanity
Seven dirty words
Shit happens
References^ "Shite". Cambridge Dictionary Online. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/shite. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
^ Harper, Douglas. "shit". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shit. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
^ "Shit is not an acronym". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/baloney.php. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
^ Mikkelson, Barbara (8 July 2007). "Etymology of Shit". Snopes. http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/shit.asp. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
^ "Shit". dictionary.reference.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/shit.
^ "The Origin of the S-Word". About.com. http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:KqoLeNenNsEJ:urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-s-word.htm+South+Hudson+Institute+of+Technology&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=firefox-aIn. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
^ "Graham Chapman's funeral". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsHk9WC7fnQ.
^ "Trailer Park Boys homepage". http://www.trailerparkboys.com/site_show.php#. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
^ Trailer Park Boys - Complete Third Season, Alliance Atlantis, 2003 TPB III Productions. Disc 2
^ "South Park Libertarians". Reason Magazine. http://www.reason.com/news/show/116787.html.
External links Look up shit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Indo-European Roots: skei-
English place names containing "shit".
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shit"
Categories: Profanity | Feces | Interjections
Hidden categories: Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism | Wikipedia protected pages without expiry | Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages | Articles needing additional references from February 2009 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from February 2009 | Use dmy dates from September 2010
Personal toolsLog in / create account NamespacesArticle Discussion VariantsViewsRead View source View history ActionsSearch NavigationMain page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Donate to Wikipedia InteractionHelp About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact Wikipedia ToolboxWhat links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Cite this page Print/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFPrintable versionLanguagesالعربية Español Français Italiano Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本語 ‪Norsk (nynorsk)‬ Polski Português Ripoarisch Sicilianu Simple English 粵語 中文 This page was last modified on 4 January 2011 at 02:39.


Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details.
At the [[British Comedy Awards 2005]], ''The X Factor'' beat ''[[Friday Night with Jonathan Ross]]'' and ''[[Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway]]'' to take the award for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme, prompting Simon Cowell to remark "We're not a comedy programme, we're a serious factual drama".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4530000/newsid_4531200/4531232.stm X Factor in top comedy award win], BBC Newsround, 15 December 2005</ref> In both 2005 and 2006, ''The X Factor'' won the award for "[[Results of the National Television Awards#2006 results and nominations|Most Popular Entertainment Programme]]" at the [[National Television Awards]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} At the same awards in 2007 the show won the "[[Results of the National Television Awards#2007 results and nominations|Most Popular Talent Show]]" category.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} In 2008 it lost out to ''Strictly Come Dancing'' at the [[TV Quick]] Awards, [[TRIC Awards]] and National Television Awards,{{Clarify|date=October 2010}} <!--in what categories?--> despite beating it in the ratings.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} In 2009, ''The X Factor'' won "Best Talent Show" at the National Television Awards.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.


Contact us
The BBC's rival talent show ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'' initially{{When|date=December 2009}} beat ''The X Factor'' in viewing figures, although in recent years ''The X Factor'' has reversed this trend, and when the shows went head-to-head for the first time{{When|date=December 2009}} ''The X Factor'' attracted a larger audience share.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/sep/20/x-factor-strictly-come-dancing X Factor beats Strictly Come Dancing in ratings war] The Guardian, 20 September 2009</ref> It rates as [[ITV]]'s most popular programme whilst it is broadcast, and is the first format (along with ''[[Britain's Got Talent]]'') in years to knock ''[[Coronation Street]]'' off the top.
Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers

===Series averages===
The show's viewing figures have generally trended up each series. However, this was not the case for series 2 and 3, when the former attracted more viewers than the latter.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Series
! Series premiere
! Series finale
! Episodes<br>(inc. results shows)
! Average UK viewers<br />in millions<br>(inc. results shows)
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 1)|Series 1]]
| 4 September 2004
| 11 December 2004
| 23
| 7.40
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 2)|Series 2]]
| 20 August 2005
| 17 December 2005
| 30
| 8.73
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 3)|Series 3]]
| 19 August 2006
| 16 December 2006
| 26
| 8.27
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 4)|Series 4]]
| 18 August 2007
| 15 December 2007
| 27
| 8.57
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 5)|Series 5]]
| 16 August 2008
| 13 December 2008
| 30
| 10.51
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 6)|Series 6]]
| 22 August 2009
| 13 December 2009
| 31
| 13.00
|- align="center"
| [[The X Factor (UK series 7)|Series 7]]
| 21 August 2010
| 12 December 2010
| 30
| 14.13
|-
|}

*All information in this table comes from [[BARB]].

===Controversy and criticism===
{{Main|Controversy and criticism of The X Factor (UK)}}

''The X Factor'' has, from the outset, attracted criticism. Recurring allegations are: that the excessive commercialism of the show detracts from of its supposed purpose of unearthing musical talent and even actively damages and distorts the UK music industry;<ref>[http://www.newmusictransmission.com/blog/the-x-factor-uprising/ The Factor Uprising] New Music Transmission, 16 December 2009</ref> that auditionees at mass auditions are shabbily treated; that controversy is deliberately courted and orchestrated, and supposedly spontaneous scenes are staged and scripted; that problems with phone lines leave members of the public unable to vote for their favourite acts; and that contestants are manipulated and unfairly edited.

This criticism became very public in 2009 when a [[Facebook]] campaign targeted against ''The X Factor'' and its effect on British music took "Killing In The Name" by [[Rage Against the Machine]] to the [[List of Christmas number one singles (UK)|Christmas number one]] spot at the expense of the ''X Factor'' winner's single by [[Joe McElderry]].<ref>[http://www.newmusictransmission.com/blog/steve/why-it-matters-that-ratm-are-no-1// Why it matters that RATM are No.1] New Music Transmission, 20 December 2009</ref>

==Ireland==
The first series was available to viewers only through the Northern Ireland-based ITV station [[UTV]] which is widely available in the Republic, but subsequent series have also been shown on the Irish terrestrial TV station [[TV3 Ireland|TV3]].

Series 1–4 of the "UK" version of ''The X Factor'' effectively included Irish viewers on an equal footing, and Irish viewers were able to vote in these series via SMS or telephone. However for series 5 in 2008, voting from Republic of Ireland was discontinued, with the decision being blamed on new regulations introduced regarding phone competitions in the UK.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} In 2010 TV3 announced that Irish viewers would only be able to vote using voting numbers posted online once the live shows start.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=45968&locID=1.65.68&pagename=news |title=Phone lines reopen for Irish X-Factor fans |work=[[TV3 Ireland|TV3]]|date=8 October 2010}}</ref> These numbers change weekly.

The show held auditions in [[Dublin]] and [[Belfast]] for the first 3 series, with Belfast auditions continuing for series 4 before being dropped, though Irish singers could still audition in other cities. Dublin first round auditions returned in 2010<ref>Geraldine Gittens and Melanie Finn [http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/thousands-fill-croker-for-shot-at-xfactor-fame-2181582.html Thousands fill Croker for shot at X-Factor fame] Herald.ie, 15 May 2010</ref> with the auditions held on 28 June.

Irish contestants have reached the finals in series 1 ([[Tabby Callaghan]] and [[Roberta Howett]]), series 2 ([[The Conway Sisters]]), series 6 ([[Jedward|John & Edward]]) and in series 7 ([[Mary Byrne (singer)|Mary Byrne]], Rebecca Creighton in group [[Belle Amie]] and Niall Horan in group [[One Direction]]). Northern Irish finalists have included Phillip Magee (series 2) and [[Eoghan Quigg]] (series 5).

==''The Xtra Factor''==
{{Infobox television
| show_name = The Xtra Factor
| image =
| caption =
| format =
| creator = [[Simon Cowell]]
| presenter = [[Konnie Huq]] (2010—)<br />[[Holly Willoughby]] (2008–09) <br /> [[Fearne Cotton]] (2007) <br /> [[Ben Shephard]] (2004–06)
| voices = [[Peter Dickson (presenter)|Peter Dickson]]<br />[[Brian Blessed]]
| country = [[United Kingdom|UK]]
| location = [[Fountain Studios]]
| network = [[ITV2]] (UK)<br />[[TV3 Ireland|TV3]] (Ireland)
| picture_format = [[SDTV|SD]]: [[576i]] <small>(2004 - 2010)</small><br>[[HDTV|HD]]: [[1080i]]<small> (2010—)</small>
| first_aired =
| last_aired =
| runtime = 60-80 minutes
| num_episodes =
| num_series = 7
| related = ''The X Factor''
| producer = [[Talkback Thames|talkbackTHAMES]]<br />[[FremantleMedia]]<br />[[Syco|SYCOtv]]
| website = http://www.itv.com/xfactor
}}
'''''The Xtra Factor''''' is a companion show that is broadcast on digital channel [[ITV2]] and on [[TV3 Ireland]] on Saturday and Sunday nights after the main [[ITV]] show. It features behind-the-scenes footage of ''The X Factor'' and shows the emotional responses of the contestants after the judges comment on their performances. The commissioning of ''The Xtra Factor'' was prompted by the success of ''[[Big Brother's Little Brother]]'',{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} a ''[[Big Brother (UK)|Big Brother]]'' companion show screened on [[E4 (channel)|E4]].

''The Xtra Factor'' was hosted up to series 3 by [[Ben Shephard]].<ref>[http://www.gm.tv/presenters/biographies-of-the-gmtv-presenters/474-ben-shephard.html Find out all about GMTV presenter Ben Shephard] GMTV</ref> The voiceover on series 1 to 3 was Peter Dickson. Shephard did not return for series 4 after being upset at not getting the main ITV presenting job,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,11050-2007200238,00.html|title=Ben Shephard Exits X Factor|work=[[The Sun (newspaper)|The Sun]]|date=2 May 2007|accessdate=2 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/latest/tm_headline=x-factor-ben-quits%26method=full%26objectid=19031113%26siteid=89520-name_page.html|title=Ben Shephard leaves Xtra Factor|publisher=[[The Daily Mirror]]|date=2 May 2007|accessdate=2 May 2007}}</ref> and [[Fearne Cotton]] took over as host, for the fourth series only, before leaving the show to concentrate on her career in the US.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/a88719/cotton-quits-x-factor-role-for-us.html|title=Cotton quits ''X Factor'' role for US|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|date=6 February 2008|accessdate=9 May 2007}}
</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2007210332,00.html|title=Fearne Cotton to host Xtra Factor|work=[[The Sun (newspaper)|The Sun]]|date=9 May 2007|accessdate=9 May 2007}}
</ref> Allegations of a falling-out with Simon Cowell were also reported.<ref>[http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1805_holly_willoughby.shtml "TV Holly Willoughby's nice F-earner"], ''News of The World'' {{subscription}}</ref> For [[The X Factor (UK series 5)|series 5]], Cotton was replaced by presenter and close friend, [[Holly Willoughby]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2008/06/04/holly-willoughby-to-host-itv2-s-xtra-factor-89520-20594247/|title=Holly to host ITV2's Xtra Factor|publisher=[[Daily Mirror]]|date=4 June 2008|accessdate=4 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article1245716.ece|title=Holly has Xtra Factor|work=[[The Sun (newspaper)|The Sun]]|date=4 June 2008|accessdate=4 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/xfactor/a97366/holly-willoughby-to-present-xtra-factor.html|title=Holly Willoughby to present 'Xtra Factor'|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|date=4 June 2008|accessdate=4 June 2008}}</ref> Willoughby first presented ''The Xtra Factor'' on 9 August 2008, a week before series 5 was broadcast. [[Konnie Huq]] replaced Willoughby as the new ''Xtra Factor'' presenter for series 7.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/3003384/Konnie-Huqs-got-the-Xtra-Factor.html|title=Konnie's got the Xtra Factor|work=The Sun|publisher=|date=7 June 2010|accessdate=7 June 2010|first=Cara|last=Lee}}</ref>

Cameras follow the finalists during their day, and in early series some of the footage was aired in a spin-off show '''''The Xtra Factor: The Aftermath''''', which was broadcast in the middle of the week on ITV2. '''''The Xtra Factor: Xcess All Areas''''' was a live show in which there were interviews, games and trips around the contestants' homes. The show also let viewers know which songs the contestants would be singing in the next live show. Both shows were axed after series 3 due to [[ITV2]] cutting back on spin-off programing.

Each year after the series has come to an end, ''The Xtra Factor'' has a week of special programmes titled ''Best and Worst'', featuring the best and worst auditions from the previous series, ranging from 2 to 5 episodes each year.

A 60-minute special titled '''''The Winner's Story''''' is broadcast each year over the festive period, featuring the winner of that year's ''X Factor''. Cameras follow the winner from the announcement of the result through the lead-up to the Christmas No. 1. Before series 6 there featured a special called ''X Factor Rewind''.

==''The X Factor: Battle of the Stars''==
{{Main|The X Factor: Battle of the Stars}}
'''''The X Factor: Battle of the Stars''''' was a celebrity special edition of ''The X Factor'', which screened on ITV, starting on 29 May 2006 and lasting for eight consecutive nights. ''[[Pop Idol]]'' was intended to be broadcast in its place as ''Celebrity Pop Idol'' but was stopped shortly before transmission, when ITV selected ''The X Factor'' instead.

Nine celebrity acts participated, singing live in front of the nation and facing the judges of the previous ''The X Factor'' series, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Voting revenues were donated to the celebrities' chosen charities.

The contestants were [[Michelle Marsh (model)|Michelle Marsh]], [[Nikki Sanderson]], [[Matt Stevens (rugby player)|Matt Stevens]], [[Lucy Benjamin]], [[Gillian McKeith]], [[Chris Moyles]], [[Paul Daniels]] and [[Debbie McGee]], [[James Hewitt]] and [[Rebecca Loos]], and "The Chefs", a quartet of celebrity chefs comprising [[Jean-Christophe Novelli]], [[Aldo Zilli]], [[Paul Rankin]] and [[Ross Burden]].

The winner of the show was [[Lucy Benjamin]], mentored by [[Louis Walsh]].<ref>[http://www.examiner.ie/breaking/index.aspx?c=ireland&jp=cwgbkfojcwgb "Loos, Hewitt booted off X Factor"], ''Irish Examiner'', 2 June 2006</ref>

It was reported on 26 August 2006 that Simon Cowell had axed the show, describing it as "pointless" and adding "we are never going to do it again".<ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-10654,00.html "Simon scraps Celeb X Factor"], ''The Sun'', 26 August 2006</ref>

==Music releases by ''X Factor'' contestants==
{{Main|List of music releases from The X Factor (UK) contestants}}

As of May 2010, the show has spawned six number-one winners' singles (four of which have been the Christmas number one), two number-one charity singles, and a total of 15 number-one singles by contestants who have appeared on the show (including winners and runners-up).

By series 6 (2009) it had seemingly become such a certainty that the ''X Factor'' winner would gain the Christmas number one slot every year that bookmakers [[William Hill (bookmaker)|William Hill]] were considering withdrawing from the 30-year tradition of betting on the outcome.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/x-factor/6717867/Simon-Cowell-killed-Christmas-tradition.html "Simon Cowell Killed Christmas Tradition"], ''The Telegraph'', 4 December 2009</ref> However, hostility to the show's stranglehold on the Christmas number one slot from some quarters had prompted attempts to propel an alternative song to the 2008 Christmas number one spot, and in 2009 a similar internet-led campaign was successful, taking [[Rage Against the Machine]]'s "[[Killing in the Name]]" to Christmas number one at the expense of ''X Factor'' winner Joe McElderry.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8423340.stm "Rage Against the Machine beat X Factor winner in charts"], ''BBC News'', 20 December 2009</ref> McElderry's single climbed to the top of the chart a week later.

In series 1–2, the winner's debut album would be released a few months after their victory in the show. The album would contain some new material but would consist largely of [[cover version]]s. This format changed with series 3 winner [[Leona Lewis]]. Simon Cowell, Lewis's ''X Factor'' mentor and newly-appointed manager, said: "We could have gone into the studio for a month, made the record quick, and thrown it out. It would have been the wrong thing to do."<ref>{{cite news|title=Cowell defends Lewis' chart absence|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a71980/cowell-defends-lewis-chart-absence.html|publisher=Digital Spy|date=16 August 2007|accessdate=22 August 2007}}</ref> The success of Lewis's debut album ''[[Spirit (Leona Lewis album)|Spirit]]'' ensured that the debut albums of future series winners (with Jackson as an example) would consist more of new material than of cover versions.

===Charity singles===
During the fifth series of the show, the finalists released ''[[Hero (Mariah Carey song)|Hero]]'' in aid of [[Help for Heroes]] which reached number one in the UK singles charts. Following the success of the song, Cowell has announced that a charity single will be released annually. He is quoted as saying: "Following last year's record we made with the ''X Factor'' finalists in aid of Help For Heroes, we decided we wanted to do something annually on the show to help good causes."<ref name=HitsFor>[http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/10/25/hit-s-for-kids-115875-21771452/ Hit's for kids] Mirror.co.uk, 25 October 2009</ref>

The 2009 single was a cover of the [[Michael Jackson]] song ''[[You Are Not Alone]]'' which was released in aid of [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]]<ref name=HitsFor/> and reached number one.<ref>[http://xfactor.itv.com/2009/news/viewer/item_100256.htm The X Factor finalists reach Number 1!] ITV, 22 November 2009</ref> The 2010 single was a cover of [[David Bowie]]'s [["Heroes" (song)|Heroes]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/11549701|title=X Factor: finalists cover David Bowie for charity|date=15 October 2010|work=[[Newsbeat]]|publisher=[[BBC Online]]|accessdate=19 October 2010}}</ref> with proceeds once again going to the Help for Heroes charity.

{|class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Song
!colspan="2"| Peak<br />chart<br />positions
! rowspan=2| [[Music recording sales certifications|Certifications]]<br /><small>[[List of music recording sales certifications|(sales thresholds)]]</small>
|-
!style="width:3em;"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]
!style="width:3em;"| [[Irish Singles Chart|IRL]]
|-
|2008
|align="left"|"[[Hero (Mariah Carey song)#The X Factor UK 2008 finalist's version|Hero]]"<ref name=hero-peaks>{{cite web | title= X Factor "Hero" peaks| work= X-Factor Finalists – Hero – Music Charts |url=http://acharts.us/song/40029| accessdate=31 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7705172.stm | work=BBC News | title=X Factor single tops UK charts | date=2 November 2008 | accessdate=25 May 2010}}</ref>
|align="center"| 1
|align="center"| 1
|align="left"|
*[[British Phonographic Industry|UK]]: 2× Platinum<ref name="BPI">[http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/Search.aspx Certified Awards Search] BPI (Search ''Hero'' by "Title")</ref>
|-
|2009
|align="left"|"[[You Are Not Alone#The X Factor UK 2009 finalists version|You Are Not Alone]]"
|align="center"| 1
|align="center"| 1
|align="left"|
*[[British Phonographic Industry|UK]]: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|2010
|align="left"|"[["Heroes" (song)|Heroes]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240001&arch=t&lyr=2010&year=2010&week=47|title=TOP 50 SINGLES, WEEK ENDING 25 November 2010|date=26 November 2010|work=Chart Track|publisher=GfK|accessdate=26 November 2010}}</ref>
|align="center"| 1
|align="center"| 1
|align="left"| TBA
|}

==Merchandise==
;DVDs
* Series 1: ''The X Factor Revealed: The Greatest Auditions Ever'' (2005)
* Series 2: ''The X Factor: The Greatest Auditions Ever'' (2006)
* Series 3: ''The X Factor Revealed'' (2007)

;Games
* Series 4: ''The X Factor'' – interactive DVD game (2007)
* Series 4: ''The X Factor Sing'' – karaoke console game (2007)
* Series 5: ''The X Factor: The Board Game'' (2008)
* Series 5: ''Top Trumps X Factor'' – card game (2008)
* Series 7: ''The X Factor'' – karaoke console game (2010) <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/3079151/First-look-at-an-X-Factor-console-game-that-can-make-you-a-virtual-star.html |title=The Xbox Factor |date=3 August 2010 |newspaper=[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]}}</ref>

;Books
* Series 1–3: ''The X Factor: Access All Areas'' (2007)
* Series 6: ''The X Factor Finalists of 2009: Annual 2010'' (2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.licensemag.com/licensemag/Publishing/Pedigree-Books-Ink-Got-Talent-X-Factor-Deals/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/593938?searchString=The%20X%20Factor |title=Pedigree Books Ink "Got Talent," "X Factor" Deals |date=20 April 2009 |work=License! Global}}</ref>
* Series 7: ''The X Factor Annual'' (2010)

;Magazines
*''X Magazine'' – weekly publication starting in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xfactor.itv.com/2010/xmagazine/|title=X Magazine is almost here|date=13 September 2010|publisher=[[itv.com]]|accessdate=13 September 2010}}</ref>

;Other
''The X Factor'' brand has also appeared on clothing, jewellery,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sugarscape.com/main-topics/fashion-beauty/557790/trend-or-tragic-x-factor-jewellery |title=TREND OR TRAGIC: X Factor jewellery? |date=1 September 2010 |work=[[Sugar Magazine]]}}</ref> perfume, make-up, toiletries,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.licensemag.com/licensemag/Entertainment/UKs-TV-Hit-X-Factor-a-Licensing-Hit-As-Well/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/441660?searchString=The%20X%20Factor |title=UK's TV Hit "X Factor" a Licensing Hit As Well |date=17 July 2007 |work=License! Global}}</ref> bedding, gifts, confectionery,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.licensemag.com/licensemag/Entertainment/FME-Secures-Product-Deals-for-The-X-Factor/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/620820 |title=FME Secures Product Deals for "The X Factor" |date=24 August 2009 |work=License! Global}}</ref> soft drinks <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/in-depth-analysis/tesco-and-coca-cola-sign-exclusive-deal-with-the-x-factor/2057665.article |title=Tesco and Coca-Cola sign exclusive deal with The X Factor |date=29 August 2007 |work=Marketing Week}}</ref> and pizzas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/go/news/article/1022412/dr-oetker-supports-x-factor-pizza-2m-campaign/ |title=Dr Oetker supports X Factor pizza with £2m campaign |author=John Reynolds |work=marketingmagazine.co.uk |date=16 August 2010}}</ref> ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' newspaper reported that the parents of [[Kate Middleton]] were using The X Factor logo without permission to publicise party accessories sold through their mail-order business.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/x_factor/3198384/Family-firm-of-Wills-girl-cashing-in-on-X-Factor-without-asking.html |title=Wills girl's parents cash in on X Factor |author=|first1=James |last1=Clench |first2=Leigh |last2=Holmwood |date=27 October 2010|newspaper=[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{itv.com|id=xfactor|title=''The X Factor''}}
*{{stv.tv|id=xfactor|title=''The X Factor''}}
*{{twitter|thexfactor|''The X Factor''}}
*{{Facebook|thexfactor|''The X Factor''}}
*{{Youtube|u=thexfactoruk|title=''The X Factor''}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0423776|title=The X Factor}}

{{The X Factor}}
{{XFactorContestants}}
{{The X Factor series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2010}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2010}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:X Factor, The}}
[[Category:2000s British television series]]
[[Category:2004 television series debuts]]
[[Category:2004 in television]]
[[Category:2004 in British television]]
[[Category:British reality television series]]
[[Category:ITV television programmes]]
[[Category:Television series by FremantleMedia]]
[[Category:The X Factor (UK)| ]]

[[cy:The X Factor]]
[[ga:The X Factor]]
[[it:The X Factor (Regno Unito)]]
[[hu:The X Factor]]
[[nl:The X Factor (Groot-Brittannië)]]
[[fi:The X Factor (Iso-Britannia)]]

Revision as of 10:55, 19 January 2011

Shit is usually considered a vulgarity and profanity in Modern English. As a noun it refers to fecal matter (excrement) and as a verb it means to defecate or defecate in; in the plural ("the shits") it means diarrhea. Shite is also a common variant in British English and Ireland English.[1] As a slang term, it has many meanings, including: nonsense, foolishness, something of little value or quality, trivial and usually boastful or inaccurate talk, or a contemptible person. It may also be used as an expression of annoyance, surprise, or anger.

Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 1.1 False etymology 2 Usage 2.1 Vague noun 2.2 Surprise 2.3 Trouble 2.4 Displeasure 2.5 Dominance 2.6 Positive attitude 2.7 Shortening of bullshit 2.8 Emphasis 2.9 Drug usage 2.10 The verb “to shit” 2.11 Backronyms 3 Usage in English media 3.1 Television 3.1.1 United Kingdom 3.1.2 Canada 3.1.3 United States 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

EtymologyThe word is likely derived from Old English, having the nouns scite (dung, attested only in place names) and scitte (diarrhoea), and the verb scītan (to defecate, attested only in bescītan, to cover with excrement); eventually it morphed into Middle English schītte (excrement), schyt (diarrhoea) and shiten (to defecate), and it is virtually certain that it was used in some form by preliterate Germanic tribes at the time of the Roman Empire. The word may be further traced to Proto-Germanic *skit-, and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European *skheid-. The word has several cognates in modern Germanic languages, such as German Scheisse, Dutch schijt, Swedish skit, Icelandic skítur, Norwegian skitt etc. Ancient Greek had 'skor' (gen. 'skatos' hence 'scato-'), from Proto-Indo-European *sker-, which is likely unrelated.[2]

False etymologyA popular belief is that the word shit originated as an acronym for "Ship High In Transit", referring to the apparent need to stow manure well above the water line when transporting it by ship. This has been shown to be a myth.[3][4]

UsageThe word shit (or sometimes shite in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Northern England and Wales) is used by English speakers, but it is usually avoided in formal speech. Minced oath substitutes for the word shit in English include sugar and shoot.

In the word's literal sense, it has a rather small range of common usages. An unspecified or collective occurrence of feces is generally shit or some shit; a single deposit of feces is sometimes a shit or a piece of shit, and to defecate is to shit, to take a shit and a new variant to leave a shit. While it is common to speak of shit as existing in a pile, a load, a hunk and other quantities and configurations, such expressions flourish most strongly in the figurative. For practical purposes, when actual defecation and excreta are spoken of in English, it is either through creative euphemism or with a vague and fairly rigid literalism.

"Shit" can also be combined with other words to denote the type of feces one has. For instance, "Snake shit" describes feces that are long and thin in shape, thus reminiscent of a snake's appearance. "Shapeepee" or "Shit pee pee" is another word for diarrhea, or can be used to describe feces that are almost entirely of liquid composition.

Shit carries an encompassing variety of figurative meanings, explained in the following sections.

Vague nounShit can be used as a generic mass noun similar to stuff; for instance, This show is funny shit or This test is hard shit, or That was stupid shit. These three usages (with funny, hard, and stupid or another synonym of stupid) are heard most commonly in the United States.

In Get your shit together! the word shit may refer to some set of personal belongings or tools, or to one's wits, composure, or attention to the task at hand. He doesn't have his shit together suggests he is failing rather broadly, with the onus laid to multiple personal shortcomings, rather than bad luck or outside forces.

To shoot the shit is to have a friendly but pointless conversation, as in "Come by my place some time and we'll shoot the shit."

SurpriseTo shit oneself, or to shit bricks can be used to refer to surprise or fear. The latter form can be commonly seen in a form of Internet meme which goes by the phrase when you see it, you will shit bricks, used in connection with an image of a busy scene with an often unnoticed laughing face or disturbing object which is hard to see until you study the picture.[citation needed]

The word can also be used to represent anger, as in Jim is totally going to flip his shit when he sees that we wrecked his marriage.[citation needed]

TroubleShit can be used to denote trouble, by saying one is in a lot of shit or deep shit. It's common for someone to refer to an unpleasant thing as hard shit (You got a speeding ticket? Man, that's some hard shit), but the phrase tough shit is used as an unsympathetic way of saying too bad to whoever is having problems (You got arrested? Tough shit, man!) or as a way of expressing to someone that they need to stop complaining about something and just deal with it (Billy: I got arrested because of you! Tommy: Tough shit, dude, you knew you might get arrested when you chose to come with me.) Note that in this case, as in many cases with the term, tough shit is often said as a way of pointing out someone's fault in his/her own current problem.

When the shit hits the fan is usually used to refer to a specific time of confrontation or trouble, which requires decisive action. This is often used in reference to combat situations and the action scenes in movies, but can also be used for everyday instances that one might be apprehensive about. I don't want to be here when the shit hits the fan! indicates that the speaker is dreading this moment (which can be anything from an enemy attack to confronting an angry parent or friend). He's the one to turn to when the shit hits the fan is an indication that the person being talked about is dependable and will not run from trouble or abandon their allies in tough situations. The concept of this phrase is simple enough, as the actual substance striking the rotating blades of a fan would cause a messy and unpleasant situation (much like being in the presence of a manure spreader). Whether or not this has actually happened, or if the concept is simply feasible enough for most people to imagine the result without needing it to be demonstrated, is unknown. Another example might be the saying shit rolls downhill, a metaphor suggesting that trouble for a manager may be transferred to the subordinates. There are a number of anecdotes and jokes about such situations, as the imagery of these situations is considered to be funny. This is generally tied-in with the concept that disgusting and messy substances spilled onto someone else are humorous.

DispleasureShit can comfortably stand in for the terms bad and anything in many instances (Dinner was good, but the movie was shit. You're all mad at me, but I didn't do shit!). A comparison can also be used, as in Those pants look like shit, or This stuff tastes like shit. Many usages are idiomatic. The phrase, I don't give a shit denotes indifference. I'm shit out of luck usually refers to someone who is at the end of their wits or who has no remaining viable options. That little shit shot me in the ass, suggests a mischievous or contemptuous person. Euphemisms such as crap are not used in this context.

The term piece of shit is generally used to classify a product or service as being sufficiently below the writer's understanding of generally accepted quality standards to be of negligible and perhaps even negative value.The term piece of shit has greater precision than shit or shitty in that piece of shit identifies the low quality of a specific component or output of a process without applying a derogatory slant to the entire process. For example, if one said "The inner city youth orchestra has been a remarkably successful initiative in that it has kept young people off the streets after school and exposed them to culture and discipline, thereby improving their self esteem and future prospects. The fact that the orchestra's recent rendition of Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony in B minor was pretty much a piece of shit should not in any way detract from this." The substitution of shit or shitty for pretty much a piece of shit would imply irony and would therefore undermine the strength of the statement.

DominanceShit can also be used to establish superiority over another being. The most common phrase is eat shit! symbolizing the hatred toward the recipient. Some other personal word may be added such as eat my shit implying truly personal connotations. As an aside, the above is actually a contraction of the phrase eat shit and die!. It is often said without commas as a curse; they command the other party to perform exactly those actions in that order. However, the term was originally Eat, Shit, and Die naming the three most basic things humans have to do, and it is common among soldiers.[citation needed]

Positive attitudeInterestingly, in slang, prefixing the article the to shit gives it a completely opposite definition, meaning the best, as in Altered Beast is the shit, or The Oregon Trail is the shit. Again, other slang words of the same meaning, crap for example, are not used in such locutions.

Shortening of bullshitThe expression no shit? (a contraction of no bullshit?) is used in response to a statement that is extraordinary or hard to believe. Alternatively the maker of the hard-to-believe statement may add no shit to reinforce the sincerity or truthfulness of their statement, particularly in response to someone expressing disbelief at their statement. No shit is also used sarcastically in response to a statement of the obvious, as in no shit, Sherlock.

In this form the word can also be used in phrases such as don't give me that shit or you're full of shit. The term full of shit is often used as an exclamation to charge someone who is believed to be prone to dishonesty, exaggeration or is thought to be "phoney" with an accusation. For example:

"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to invite you to the party, it was a complete accident... But you really didn't miss anything anyway. "You're full of shit! You had dozens of opportunities to invite me. If you have a problem with me, why not say it!" The word bullshit also denotes false or insincere discourse. (Horseshit is roughly equivalent, while chickenshit means cowardly, batshit indicates a person is crazy, and going apeshit indicates a person is entering a state of high excitement or unbridled rage.). Are you shitting me!? is a question sometimes given in response to an incredible assertion. An answer that reasserts the veracity of the claim is, I shit you not.

EmphasisPerhaps the only constant connotation that shit reliably carries is that its referent holds some degree of emotional intensity for the speaker. Whether offense is taken at hearing the word varies greatly according to listener and situation, and is related to age and social class: elderly speakers and those of (or aspiring to) higher socioeconomic strata tend to use it more privately and selectively than younger and more blue-collar speakers.

Like the word fuck, shit is often used to add emphasis more than to add meaning, for example, shit! I was so shit-scared of that shithead that I shit-talked him into dropping out of the karate match! The term to shit-talk connotes bragging or exaggeration (whereas to talk shit primarily means to gossip [about someone in a damaging way] or to talk in a boastful way about things which are erroneous in nature), but in such constructions as the above, the word shit often functions as an interjection.

Unlike the word fuck, shit is not used emphatically with -ing or as an infix. For example; I lost the shitting karate match would be replaced with ...the fucking karate match. Similarly, while in-fucking-credible is generally acceptable, in-shitting-credible is not.

Drug usageShit itself can be a dysphemism or quasi-euphemism, with many intoxicating or narcotic drugs (notably hashish and heroin) being referred to as shit. A particularly excellent drug may be described as This is some good shit. To be shitfaced is to be extremely drunk. A shitshow denotes a party or gathering during which multiple people become intoxicated to the point of incapacitation.

The verb “to shit”The preterite and past participle of shit are attested as shat, shit, or shitted, depending on dialect and, sometimes, the rhythm of the sentence. In the prologue of The Canterbury Tales, shitten is used as the past participle; however this form is very rare in modern English. In American English shit as a past participle is often correct, while shat is generally acceptable and shitted is uncommon and missing from the Random House and American Heritage dictionaries.[5]

BackronymsThe backronym form "S.H.I.T." often figures into jokes, like Special High Intensity Training (a well-known joke used in job applications), Special Hot Interdiction Team (a mockery on SWAT), Super Hackers Invitational Tournament, and any college name that begins with an S-H (like Sam Houston Institute of Technology or South Harmon Institute of Technology in the 2006 film Accepted or Store High In Transit in the 2006 film Kenny). South Hudson Institute of Technology has sometimes been used to describe the United States Military Academy at West Point.[6] The Simpsons' Apu was a graduate student at Springfield Heights Institute of Technology.

In polite company, sometimes the backronym Sugar Honey in Tea or Sugar Honey Iced Tea is used.

Usage in English mediaTelevisionRecently the word has become increasingly acceptable on American cable television and satellite radio, which are not subject to FCC regulation. In other English-speaking countries, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand the word is allowed to be used in broadcast television by the regulative councils of each area, as long as it is used in late hours when young people are not expected to be watching.

United KingdomIt is believed that the first person to say "shit" on British TV was John Cleese of the Monty Python comedy troupe in the late 1960s, as he, himself, says in his eulogy[7] for Graham Chapman.

CanadaIn Canada, it is generally deemed acceptable, as CBSC states that only "coarse, offensive language intended for adults" (such as "fuck") are required to air after 9pm.

The Canadian Showcase television show Trailer Park Boys frequently uses the term "shit". Trailer park supervisor James "Jim" Lahey employs many metaphors with the negative slang "shit" bizarrely worked in. For example, in one episode, Mr. Lahey likens Ricky's growing ignorance to that of a "shit tsunami", while in another episode, Mr. Lahey tells Bubbles that the "shit hawks are swooping in low" due to his deplorable behavior and company.

The term "shit" is also used in the titles of the episodes themselves. Some of which include "The Winds of Shit,"[8] "A Shit Leopard Can't Change Its Spots,"[9] and "Never Cry Shitwolf".

United States"Shit" was one of the original "Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV", a comedy routine by American Comedian George Carlin. In the United States, although the use of the word is censored on broadcast network television (while its synonym crap is not usually subject to censorship), the FCC permitted some exceptions. The 14 October 1999 episode of Chicago Hope is believed to be the first show (excluding documentaries) on U.S. network television to contain the word shit in uncensored form. The word also is used in a later ER episode "On the Beach" by Dr. Mark Greene, experiencing the final stages of a deadly brain tumor. Although the episode was originally aired uncensored, the "shit" utterance has since been edited out in syndicated reruns.

An episode of South Park, "It Hits the Fan", originally aired on 20 June 2001, was a parody of the hype over the Chicago Hope episode. "Shit" is used 162 times, and a counter in the corner of the screen tallies the repetitions. The moral of this episode is that swearing is okay occasionally, but if it is done over and over and over, it takes away from a word's impact and the word gets very, very boring. South Park airs on American cable networks, outside the regulatory jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where censorship of vulgar dialogue is at the discretion of the cable operators.[10]

American terrestrial radio stations must abide by FCC guidelines on obscenity to avoid punitive fines, unlike satellite radio. These guidelines do not define exactly what constitutes obscenity, but it has been interpreted by some commissioners as including any form of words like shit and fuck, for whatever use.

Despite this, the word has been featured in popular songs that have appeared on broadcast radio in cases where the usage of the word is not audibly clear to the casual listener, or on live television. In the song "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains, the line "Buried in my shit" was played unedited over most rock radio stations. The 1980 hit album Hi Infidelity by REO Speedwagon contained the song "Tough Guys" which had the line "she thinks they're full of shit," which was played on broadcast radio. On 3 December 1994, Green Day performed "Geek Stink Breath", on Saturday Night Live, shit was not edited from tape delay live broadcast. The band did not appear on the show again until 9 April 2005.

Some notable instances of censorship of the word from broadcast television and radio include Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner." Although radio stations have sometimes played an unedited version containing the line "funky shit going down in the city." The songs was also released with a "radio edit" version, replacing the "funky shit" with "funky kicks". Another version of "Jet Airliner" exists in which the word "shit" is faded out. Likewise, the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" has a line about having no idea "what kind of shit was about to go down," and has a radio edit version without the word. Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" video had the original album's use of the word censored in its video. The music video title "...On the Radio (Remember the Days)" by Nelly Furtado replaced by the original title "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)." This also happened to "That's That Shit" by Snoop Dogg featuring R. Kelly, which became "That's That". In Avril Lavigne's song "My Happy Ending," the Radio Disney edit of the song replaces "all the shit that you do" with "all the stuff that you do." Likewise, in the recent song "London Bridge" by the Black Eyed Peas member Fergie, the phrase "Oh Shit" is repeatedly used as a background line. A radio edit of this song replaced "Oh Shit" with "Oh Snap."

See alsoBullshit Feces Night soil Profanity Seven dirty words Shit happens References^ "Shite". Cambridge Dictionary Online. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/shite. Retrieved 22 April 2010. ^ Harper, Douglas. "shit". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shit. Retrieved 6 September 2008. ^ "Shit is not an acronym". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/baloney.php. Retrieved 31 May 2009. ^ Mikkelson, Barbara (8 July 2007). "Etymology of Shit". Snopes. http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/shit.asp. Retrieved 31 May 2009. ^ "Shit". dictionary.reference.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/shit. ^ "The Origin of the S-Word". About.com. http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:KqoLeNenNsEJ:urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-s-word.htm+South+Hudson+Institute+of+Technology&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=firefox-aIn. Retrieved 4 December 2010. ^ "Graham Chapman's funeral". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsHk9WC7fnQ. ^ "Trailer Park Boys homepage". http://www.trailerparkboys.com/site_show.php#. Retrieved 4 December 2010. ^ Trailer Park Boys - Complete Third Season, Alliance Atlantis, 2003 TPB III Productions. Disc 2 ^ "South Park Libertarians". Reason Magazine. http://www.reason.com/news/show/116787.html. External links Look up shit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Indo-European Roots: skei- English place names containing "shit". Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shit" Categories: Profanity | Feces | Interjections Hidden categories: Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism | Wikipedia protected pages without expiry | Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages | Articles needing additional references from February 2009 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from February 2009 | Use dmy dates from September 2010 Personal toolsLog in / create account NamespacesArticle Discussion VariantsViewsRead View source View history ActionsSearch NavigationMain page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Donate to Wikipedia InteractionHelp About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact Wikipedia ToolboxWhat links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Cite this page Print/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFPrintable versionLanguagesالعربية Español Français Italiano Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本語 ‪Norsk (nynorsk)‬ Polski Português Ripoarisch Sicilianu Simple English 粵語 中文 This page was last modified on 4 January 2011 at 02:39.

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

Contact us Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_X_Factor_(British_TV_series)&oldid=408764649"