Twins get dramatic reprieve
Jedwardian era not yet history
John and Edward Grimes got a dramatic reprieve from Simon Cowell. Photo: Getty Images
Monday November 09 2009
THE quiffs live on. Resistance, apparently, is futile.
Twin brothers John and Edward Grimes will be back on 'The X Factor' next week, after they were kept in the show through a last-minute reprieve from judge Simon Cowell -- and because the public simply loves to hate them.
But the conspiracy theorists will have plenty to mull over after the pair's unlikely escape.
The 18-year-old Dubliners appeared to be on their way out last night following a sing-off against Welsh contestant Lucie Jones in the results show.
They performed a predictably chaotic and off-key version of 'Rock DJ' while she produced a somewhat bland 'One Moment in Time'.
While their mentor Louis Walsh voted to keep 'Jedward' in, both Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole said they should get the boot.
It meant that Cowell had the opportunity to finish their controversial run on the show. But despite claiming that some of their performances had been "horrific", he said he would prefer to see them perform again than Ms Jones.
A cynical soul might instead point to the television ratings with Cowell aware that Jedward's shambolic performances are the main talking point of this year's show. There is also speculation that he sees their potential as a money-making novelty chart act.
Public
Either way, his choice ensured the overall decision reverted to the earlier public vote.
And Jedward survived -- to a chorus of boos from the crowd -- because they had got more votes as the act that the public loves to hate.
Minogue said that the result proved that the show was "not a singing competition".
The decision to keep Jedward in was also probably met with howls of derision in homes throughout Ireland and the UK, but it was only greeted with rapturous applause in the Lord Lucan pub in west Dublin, not far from their home.
And, worryingly, Jedward appear to be producing clones.
Twins Robert and Aaron Lynch (8) were in no doubt as to why they liked Jedward. "Because they're Irish and they're twins," both answered in unison.
Dad Brian was a little wary of what, exactly, he had unleashed.
"They saw Jedward on 'Xpose' last Monday and asked could they come over to the pub tonight to have a look," he said on Saturday night.
"Their brother Paul did the hair for them tonight. He just put gel into their hair and combed it up, it took about 20 minutes."
The Grimes twins are now 10/1 to win the competition.
"Talk about the luck of the Irish, but if our betting is anything to go by it looks like storm clouds may be gathering for the terrible twins," Paddy Power said last night. We'll believe it only when we see it.
- Jason O'Brien and Paul Melia
Irish Independent
