Live at X Factor: Stacy Francis "Confused" by Astro's Behavior, Calls Him "Ungracious"

It's safe to say tonight's elimination on The X Factor will go down as one of the most shocking in reality TV history.

Not because of who went home, but because of the behavior of one of the contestants in the bottom two: 15-year-old rapper Astro, who threatened to not perform then copped a major attitude with the judges. Though

he was ultimately saved by the judges, who called him out on his behavior, we chatted with eliminated contestant Stacy Francis after the show and she definitely had an opinion on her competitor's actions.

So what did Stacy have to say about Astro? And where will she go from here? 

"I'm very confused by Astro's behavior because I think in that moment you should be pleading for your life and not throwing it away," Francis says of Astro's actions during the show, including telling the crowd he didn't think he had to perform. 

"I dont understand his behavior," she continues. "I mean, he's 14. We can call him a teenager and give him an excuse, but bad behavior is bad behavior. I think that he was ungracious in that moment and I think that in the real scheme of things, no matter what, you have to be grateful."

Stacy also says she believes Simon Cowell may have saved Astro because of his onstage antics. "I think Simon likes a little rebellion. He might respect Astro a little bit for being so rebellious. He likes a bad boy."

When asked if she talked to Astro after the show, Stacy says, "No. We saw each other, but I didn't say anything to him." Though she didn't talk to him after the show, Stacy did have some words of wisdom for Astro. "I would tell him to be a little more humble."

Straying away from the Astro of it all, Stacy reveals she wishes she had chosen different songs and believes it would have made all the difference for her in the competition. 

"I regret my song choice last night and I regret my song choice last week as well," she says. "It's all about song choice in this whole thing and I don't feel like I was myself in it. I was trying to be something else because I was persuaded. It's a very difficult thing." 

Not difficult for Stacy was lining up a post-X-Factor gig: she's already been contacted by a potential manager!

"Frontline Management probably will manage me," she say. "Irving Azoff, he said that he's fan. I'm hoping that relationship will blossom and go on. I do have to feed my children, so that's the goal."

What did you think of tonight's elimination? Do you think the right person went home? Do you think Astro was ungrateful?

Cheryl Cole out to prove she really was sacked by US X Factor in new row (Photos)

CHERYL Cole is ready to make public a damning dossier of evidence to prove she WAS fired from American X Factor. It comes as the row over her exit from the show took a dramatic new twist. The Girls Aloud star claims to have emails and text messages from senior US TV executives to verify she was given the chop – amid speculation that TV chiefs are trying to get out of paying her. Friends of the Geordie singer, 27, believe this is the REAL reason why she was bizarrely offered her judging role back

on Friday night. They reckon it is part of a clever ruse by US network bosses Fox and producers Fremantle, who think she may NOT turn up to Wednesday’s auditions in New Jersey – and be in breach of her contract. A friend of the singer said: “They’re hoping it’s a no-show so they don’t have to pay her. But that plan falls flat when you look at the fact of the matter – that she’s already been fired. “There was a meeting attended by Cheryl where it was made clear it wasn’t working. Then there are emails and messages to the same effect. “For the network to try and wriggle out of it by suggesting otherwise is nonsense. If she doesn’t turn up to re-take her place on the panel, she is not in breach of her contract – because Fox breached it themselves.” Cheryl is said to be “in two minds” about whether to take up the TV bosses’ offer. She still believes she’s been made a laughing stock during the course of the past week, with one pal raging: “If they think they can go around treating people like this, they’re wrong.” But at the same time some friends say she would be mad to turn down the chance. One insider said: “It’s a tough decision because it’s a huge show. “There’s still a lot of pain there. At last Cheryl is in charge of the situation. She’s finally calling the shots, but she’s really not sure.” US TV executives yesterday insisted Cheryl will get her €1.3million fee whether she turns up or not. They claim she showed a “willingness” to return to the UK version of the show and that at no point was she actually sacked. A TV source said: “Everyone thought she wasn’t herself and might be happier back home in the UK. It wasn’t a case of being sacked at all. “It was that we made her another offer for the UK show – and both her management and Cheryl herself seemed up for it initially. The reason why it dragged on for so long was that her team severed contact with Fremantle and nobody knew what was going on. Because she missed the deadline on the UK version, bosses wanted to ensure she still had a role on the UK X Factor and that’s what’s happened now. 

“The role could be adapted or discussed to suit her. “It could be that she is a judge alongside Nicole Sherzinger or takes up a mentor role. It’s up to her.” A source close to show boss Simon Cowell said: “Simon cares massively about Cheryl. He’s concerned about her and just wants to do what’s right by her.” Yesterday our sister paper the Sunday Mirror revealed that Cheryl has split from dancer Derek Hough, 25. His step-father Aaron Nelson, 54, said: “It’s sad, but it just wasn’t working out. Derek just wants to move on with his life.” Derek, who nursed Cheryl through her malaria ordeal last summer, is said to have called time on their romance just two weeks ago – before she was axed from American X Factor.

X Factor Judge Cheryl Cole Dropped From Show Because Of Accent(Photo-Video)

If the real reason Cheryl Cole was dropped as a judge from Fox’s upcoming U.S. remake of the popular U.K. talent competition The X Factor is to be believed, the producers are underestimating the American public’s intelligence, or at the very least, our ability to understand a British accent, to an almost insulting degree. TMZ is reporting that Cheryl Cole has been dropped from the upcoming Fox talent competition The X Factor because producers were “concerned her English accent would be too difficult for an American audience to understand.” Just for some frame of reference, below is a video featuring Cole on the British X Factor.

Watch it and see if you can figure out what she’s saying. Sure, she has an accent but would that really be an issue for American viewers? Simon’s been speaking with a British accent for an American audience for over a decade and somehow we’ve all managed to figure out what he’s talking about. Interpreting Paula Abdul’s commentary, on the other hand, was sometimes a challenge. Speaking of Abdul, TMZ adds that they were told that there is a “lack of chemistry” between Abdul and Cole. Whether that’s vague, insider-speak for “they don’t like each other,” or there’s simply something off in the dynamic between the two, it’s likely that it played at least some part in Cole being dropped and reportedly replaced by Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, who was originally set to co-host the show. If one of the two had to go, it’s logical that the producers would keep the more familiar face around. Accents can be toned down. This is just speculation, but I’m calling drama on this one.

Fox Lineup Includes Simon Cowell, Dinosaurs, Mean Girls

After sustaining "American Idol" in the wake of Simon Cowell's departure, Fox Broadcasting is now bringing the wise-cracking talent judge back to its network in the fall to headline an ambitious slate of new shows, including several comedies and a drama with dinosaurs.

On Monday, Fox unveiled the details of its fall line-up, which includes "The X Factor," the splashy talent show that Mr. Cowell will judge, as well as "Terra Nova," a big-budget science-fiction drama about a family that travels back in time, executive-produced by Steven Spielberg. "The X Factor," already a hit in Britain, will air Wednesday and Thursday nights, the same time slots during which "American Idol" is currently running.

 "We feel we have the gold standard in both 'Idol' and 'X factor,'" Fox Networks Group chairman of entertainment Peter Rice said on a conference call Monday morning. "There's an excitement and a buzz around ['X Factor'] that we've never seen before. We had more people show up for the audition than we ever had on Idol."

Fox is part of News Corp., which also owns The Wall Street Journal.

In addition to its talent shows, Fox will add four new comedies to its roster of prime-time shows, which includes returning programs such as "Glee." A number of shows are disappearing from Fox's schedule, most notably "America's Most Wanted." The long-running Saturday evening show hadn't made money for the network for years, according to Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly, and will now run as just a series of specials.

Network executives said that they expect "The X Factor" to draw similar audiences to "American Idol," which has continued to draw huge viewership. Just this season, "Idol" saw its audience increase by 3% and is averaging more than 24 million viewers a week.

Both "X Factor" and "Idol" may face general competition from NBC's stab at the genre, "The Voice." But on Monday, Fox's executives said they were confident in Mr. Cowell's ability to draw fans. "In Simon Cowell we have the absolute star of the genre at the pinnacle of his game," Mr. Rice said.

Overall, Fox says it will finish its TV season first in adults 18 years old to 49 years old. It averaged 9.7 million viewers this season, according to Nielsen Co., leaving it in second place behind CBS, which averaged 11.7 million viewers.

Looking ahead, Fox executives are focusing on "Terra Nova" as well as a slate of new comedies to keep younger viewers watching. It is bringing back "Raising Hope" and aggressively pushing two new shows, including "New Girl" starring Zooey Deschanel, which runs on Tuesday nights, and "I Hate My Teenage Daughter," which focuses on two mothers who realize their daughters have become so-called mean girls and will run on Wednesdays after "The X Factor."

"Terra Nova," which follows a family that travels back to the time to when dinosaurs ruled the earth, was originally supposed to premiere earlier, but will now run in the fall. Its first two-hour episode involved more than 250 sets. "It is unlike anything you've ever seen before," Mr. Reilly said Monday, adding that all 13 episodes of the show would run this fall "short of disaster."

Other dramas that Fox is launching mid-season include a new show from J.J. Abrams called "Alcatraz" after the infamous prison, as well as "The Finder," a one-hour procedural that follows an Iraq war veteran who turns a combat injury into a gift.

Is Paula Abdul fourth 'X Factor' judge?

Taping for the new Fox singing contest "X Factor" is scheduled to start Sunday. But only three of the expected four judges have been announced.

While the clock is ticking, the identity of the show's fourth judge, though widely expected to be Paula Abdul, remains unconfirmed.

Previously announced judges include pop superstar Cheryl Cole and Grammy-winning producer Antonio "L.A." Reid, as well as Abdul's former "American Idol" mate, Simon Cowell.

"The X Factor," based on Cowell's hit British show, will debut this fall on Fox. The likely choice of Abdul to be included is an open secret, fueled in part by Cowell's recent remarks that he would like to work with her again.

On Friday, negotiations with Abdul were continuing, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Fox and the show's producers had not authorized public comment.

Abdul is a dancer, choreographer and recording artist who reigned on "Idol" as the nice, if sometimes dizzy-seeming, judge who often clashed with Cowell, who played the role of bullyboy.

There was no immediate comment from Fox or from Abdul's agent or publicist.

In January, she debuted on CBS with her own talent competition, "Live to Dance," which was a flop.

"The X Factor" is open to solo singers and vocal groups age 12 and up. The winner gets a $5 million record contract.

Lopez chose 'Idol' over 'X Factor'

Jennifer Lopez turned down a role on the U.S. version of 'The X Factor' to become a judge on 'American Idol'.

The 41-year-old singer was approached by 'X Factor' boss and former 'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell about joining the show's much-speculated judging panel but decided to take part in Simon Fuller's rival talent search instead because it has been around for longer and "seemed a better fit".

She said: "We did talk about 'The X Factor' for a little bit. But at the end of the day, thinking about my career and everything that was going on, when the opportunity to do 'Idol' came along it seemed a better fit.

"'Idol' has been a show for so many years. It's an institution. To be involved in something like that felt really great."

The mother-of-two -- who reportedly signed a US$12m deal to join the panel of 'American Idol', alongside Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson -- says although she is enjoying mentoring young hopefuls she is unsure whether she will return to the show next year.

She told the Daily Star newspaper: "I don't know if I will do another season. I'm taking it day by day at the moment and we'll see what happens.

"I've been having a great time, I can't lie. I'm really enjoying it and having fun and enjoying working with the contestants."

Jennifer particularly likes being on the show because while she shares her experience and knowledge with contestants she gains inspiration from them.

She said: "You can't help but learn from them. You're talking about performing and singing and when you're watching them you see them and think: 'I do that.' It's been a great exchange back and forth."