[Romantic Old Bird]

I just watched this, due to a mixture of apathy (came on when I switched on the TV) and fascination/horror.

OH-MY-GOD!

It was a complete squelch fest of 'I love you guys', and perfect smiles.

Simon Cowell is camping it up wonderfully as the baddie, and the contestants are (very unoriginally, after Will's approach) of course attacking him back. All the time blissfully unaware of course that they are boosting the ratings and lining his pockets (19 ).

It's an early knock out heat, but the things that struck me were:

All-American self confidence looks and feels like crass arrogance when viewed in comparison to our contestants.

The presenter Ryan Seagrass isn't a patch on Ant and Dec, but I suppose has a Duncan from Blue type appearance going on a BIT..

The winner of this heat was a Waller sized black guy from Birmingham Alabama, and he was wonderful.

AND, awful as it all was, I will probably be watching it again!

[LEE]

I didn't see this weeks ROB, but watched the previous 2. I know exactly what you mean about all the American schmultz and cheese and, even though I started to get into it, there was a lot of it that was very cringeworthy.

I remember the big coloured guy from the previous round and he was very good.

Simon Cowell is so playing up to the cameras. He comes over as a complete caricature of himself. OK, in Pop Idol he was still a big headed egotistical *******, but he also did seem honest most of the time and was just giving his opinions in his own inimitable way. In American Idol that element seems missing and he just seems to be saying everything for effect.