It turns out that singing is optional on The X Factor, Fox's American Idol-like search for the nation's top vocal talent. After contestant Leroy Bell was caught lip syncing during a group performance on last week's live results show — his mouth was not moving and the microphone was nowhere near his face — viewers cried foul. An X Factor representative clarified: "For the group ensemble performance, the vocals are pre-recorded to allow acts to concentrate on their own live performances on Wednesdays." The X Factor claims that rival competitions also allow lip syncing during group performances, which typically don't have bearing on viewers' votes. Is this really kosher?
No. Make them sing: Viewers actually won't get a better show if contestants lip sync during group numbers, says James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly. The possibility that someone would screw up or stand out carries far more "entertainment value" than an "artificially polished performance." If The X Factor is really about testing the limits of America's top new vocal talents, then lip syncing "feels like it's against the spirit of the contest."
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