Viewers of tonight’s X Factor were shocked to hear Simon Cowell tell a teenage girl to remove all her make-up, before coming back and auditioning for him again.
It’s Judges’ Houses week on the talent show – Louis Walsh is getting a lot of abuse tonight too over his decisions – and one of those hoping to make it through to the live shows was 17-year-old Samantha Lavery.
Simon described wild card Samantha as “distant” to guest judges Emma Bunton and Mel B as the young girl arrived to perform.
“Samantha I wish we had met without what you think is your pop star image,” he tells her. “With you I think we’ve had a bit of a mask put up. I’d almost like to see you without so much make-up.”
Emma and Mel did not look impressed by Cowell’s words.
Samantha looked upset about the criticism too, and so Simon tried to roll back by saying, “All I’m saying Samantha is I want you to peel back the mask”.
“Does that sound bad?” he then asks Emma and Mel, and they both admonished him, explaining that experimenting with looks is what girls do.
A fresh-faced Samantha later came back and auditioned, singing Ed Sheeran’s ‘Make it Rain’.
Simon was now full of praise for her appearance. “I didn’t say it to be mean,” he told her. “I actually said it because I hadn’t quite connected with you.”
This is the segment in question:
Samantha ended up being selected for the live shows, but viewers were deeply angered by Cowell’s comments to the girl.
https://twitter.com/ryan_simmonds/status/782312833753251840
https://twitter.com/Abbie_Bundo/status/782316498014638084
@EverydaySexism @SimonCowell just refused to watch a girl's audition on #XFactor2016 because she was 'wearing too much make-up'.
— Annabelle Letten (@AnnabelleLetten) October 1, 2016
Simon Cowell demanding a girl takes off her makeup to ‘show the real her’ when he looks like a shiny thumb that’s slept in a car. #xfactor
— ajerf (@FluffCustard) October 1, 2016
In 2016, Simon Cowell apparently made the amazing discovery that you sing better with less make up #XFactor pic.twitter.com/LAJv3AYtiF
— Coraline🌹 (@dreamgirlevil24) October 1, 2016
Thank you @SimonCowell for reminding us that women aren't allowed to dress how we want – by shaming a 17 yr old on national TV. #XFactor
— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) October 1, 2016
Did they really make a girl take her makeup off so Simon could concentrate on her?! #XFactor
— Justin Myers (@theguyliner) October 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/SkermanJo/status/782315314658902020
https://twitter.com/_Maz_Fl/status/782313788699705344
No man or woman for that matter would ever, ever tell me to take my make up off or change my style @SimonCowell #XFactor2016 #oneruleforone
— Soopergirl (@soopergirl) October 1, 2016
Everything wrong with #xfactor: when @SimonCowell told a girl to change her clothes and remove her make up. Disgusting.
— A (@Rish13_) October 1, 2016
Rolling my eyes at Simon cowell ' I want to see you with no make up and see the real you?' WTF #Xfactor pic.twitter.com/4dYs4wtSnq
— Corrie (@corriebromfield) October 1, 2016
All of the girls are wearing equally as much make up as the barely turned 17yro that Simon's basically made go and scrub her face.#XFactor
— Amanda (@Pandamoanimum) October 1, 2016
Has a middle aged man just told a 17 year old girl not to wear make-up on national television? #XFactor
— David ✨ (@betbinch) October 1, 2016
Yeah, that's it Simon, wreck a young woman's confidence by telling her how she should dress #xfactor
— Mic Wright (@brokenbottleboy) October 1, 2016
I don't watch #xfactor, but have you seen Simon Cowell without makeup? How's that feel, creep? pic.twitter.com/lURgtT5R3H
— Gary Rae (@gary_rae) October 1, 2016
Still, make-up change seemed to do the trick for guest judge Emma Bunton…
She only took a bit of make-up off and now you can see INTO HER SOUL?! 👀 #JudgesHouses #XFactor pic.twitter.com/qHfIvgjaRR
— The X Factor (@TheXFactor) October 1, 2016
The important point is:
Make-up on or make-up off. Samantha Lavery has an incredible voice. And that’s what she should be judged on. #XFactor #JudgesHouse
— Elliot Gonzalez (@elliot_gonzalez) October 1, 2016
In the end, here’s who got through to Simon’s group for the live shows…
YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!! [Part 2] 🎉 #JudgesHouses #XFactor pic.twitter.com/fHxJsibsHO
— The X Factor (@TheXFactor) October 1, 2016
…and here’s who was axed.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! [PART 2] 😢 #JudgesHouses #XFactor pic.twitter.com/4YCJNVqRrI
— The X Factor (@TheXFactor) October 1, 2016
