Reality TV | The Adobo Chronicles

Tel Aviv, Israel – On Tuesday night, Rose Fostanes, a Filipina caregiver working in Tel Aviv, was named winner in the first-ever X Factor Israel, the local version of the popular reality TV singing competiton originated by Simon Cowell in Great Britain. She won the most number of viewer votes in the finals, besting three other contestants. Fostanes was the only non Israeli.

But just minutes after the telecast, producers of the show stripped Fostanes of the winner’s title, citing widespread nationwide protests. Producers said their television network was deluged with angry calls insisting that a foreigner should not be declared winner of what was obviously a contest for Israeli nationals. “There is a reason the show is called X Factor Israel, ” the protesters complained, “in the same way as other shows are called American Idol or Britain’s Got Talent.”

While producers acknowledged that talent-wise, Fostanes truly deserved the title, they understood the sentiments of the complaining viewers. They said they wished her well and are confident that if she joined X Factor Philippines in her home country, she would handily win the title.

Fostanes’ winning song was Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”

Contestants of Philippine heritage have done extremely well in reality shows like X Factor Israel and Bulgaria, Britain's Got Talent, Sing Off, and American Idol, among others. — Contestants of Philippine heritage have done extremely well in reality shows like X Factor Israel and Bulgaria, Britain’s Got Talent, Sing Off, and American Idol, among others.

Honolulu, Hawaii – From Israel to Bulgaria, from the U.S. to Great Britain, Filipinos are making waves in reality TV’s singing competitions, and show producers are not pleased.

Meeting in Honolulu for their annual convention, executive producers of the X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, American Idol, The Voice and Sing Off today issued a joint announcement that henceforth, contestants from, or have a connection to the Philippines will be barred from participating in the TV shows.

“The reason we have foreign versions of these “franchise” shows is to discover talents from across the globe, and it is quite unfair that in every one of these shows, Filipinos are either winning or moving on to the finals,” the producers said.

The group added that the Philippines has its own local version of these shows, including Philippine Idol and PH Voice. “If Filipinos want to join these competitions, they should do so in their home country,” the group said.

Readers of The Adobo Chronicles will recall that just recently, the Philippines was also banned from international beauty pageants because its candidates have practically dominated the contest, having been consistently included in the top 5. This year alone, the Philippines won the titles of Miss World, Miss Supranational and Miss International.

Reacting to the announcement by the television producers, the Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu said, “So, what’s next? Are they also going to ban the Philippines from the sport of boxing?”