‘The X Factor’: Melanie Amaro Makes Us “Listen”, Geo Godley Draws Controversy

The X Factor aired its second episode last night with auditions in Miami and Dallas, and ratings held steady at around 12 million viewers watching — though the show, for the second time in a row, got trumped by a sitcom’s season premiere. (CBS’ The Big Bang Theory scored 14 million.) Clearly, Simon Cowell expected to make more of a ratings splash with his insanely-hyped show. But let’s focus on the good things: last night brought us our first frontrunner, and today brings us a brand new X Factor scandal!

Eighteen-year-old Floridian Melanie Amaro performed Beyonce’s “Listen”, and basically destroyed the tear ducts of everyone within a three mile radius. Melanie delivered a powerful, emotional performance that deservedly brought the judges to their feet… but if we’re being honest, this clip is worth watching for L.A. Reid’s expressions alone. Is this what he looks like every single time he listens to a song?

Now, why is a scandal considered “good”? Because it means people are paying attention! The Parents Television Council has filed an FCC complaint against the show for airing a clip during its Wednesday night premiere in which a contestant, Geo Godley, appeared to audition with his private parts exposed.

“If Godley performed his act in public, he would have been arrested,” said PTC president Tim Winter. “But if he performs it in front of a Fox camera, his act is beamed via the public airwaves into every home in the nation.”

First of all, his act was pretty tasteless, and it was even ickier that producers decided this is what kind of entertainment America craves. (We don’t, really, we don’t.) However, it appears that Godley wasn’t even nude — he was wearing a thong under his pants, though X Factor producers would like us to believe he was going full commando by blurring the area with a red “X”.

So is it worse that the show is editing content to make it fit their version of reality, or would we be more upset had we actually caught an eyeful of Godley’s thong? Tough call.

Actually, we’d be infinitely more upset had we seen the thong. Gross.