X-Factor X-Mas?

Since 2005 the coveted Christmas number one slot has been filled by the winner of that year's X-Factor. However, this year may be about to change that. A protest vote has started out on social networking site Facebook.

Despite being the most popular winner yet of the show, which is now in its sixth series, taking almost two thirds of the 10 million votes cast in the final, Joe McElderry is still battling with Rage Against The Machine's 1992 release, 'Killing In The Name'. Being a metal band they are a stark contrast to what we are used to for Christmas number ones especially when we remember such hits as Bob the 'Builder's Can We Fix It?' and not forgetting Mr. Blobby's 'Mr. Blobby'. Killing in the name is a hard hitting non-sensical song which features a variety of verses that contain the same sentence repeated over and over, ending with the last verse of "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" yelled sixteen times... Very Christmassy. In my view this song works only if the band's name was Rage Against The Machine That Has Learning And Hearing Difficulties... However, now is not the time to pick apart just one artist. No no no. Joe McElderry, the boy who nobody had heard of half a year ago with his weak vocal chords. If he's still in the public eye in two years time I'll buy him a drink. He'll probably end up in theatre or if he's lucky 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' which may well be hosted by John and Edward by then.

Anyway, back to the race for the Christmas number one. The Rage Against The Machine song became a contender after a group was started on Facebook. The money spent on this single goes towards the charitable organisation SHELTER. Originally the group had amassed over 700,000 followers before "The group went down last night in which a member of Facebook's PR team contacted to say it was a 'bug'". Since then a new group has started with an emergency back-up group already prepared. These groups are spread by their many followers to their Facebook friends which of course has infuriated me as my inbox is now cluttered with people asking me to join. Well of course by now I’ve heard the song and will not sully my name by having it associated to me. This group has also gained popularity by appearing on interviews with music magazines, websites and national news networks. It is with this web of PR that many bookies are now placing Killing in the name as favourite to win this year’s Christmas number one.

Killer Hamsters

Is the Ministry Of Defence breeding weaponry? Are they planning to unleash a pack of slavering killer hamsters onto our unsuspecting enemies? Short answer: No. Long answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooo.

This story is of course about the controversial Go Go Hamsters. These toys are set to be on the top of all children's Christmas wish list across the UK. They can act like normal hamsters with the added bonus of not shitting everywhere and dieing. The controversy surrounding this product is reported by PRweek.com: "Go Go Hamsters came under the spotlight yesterday after a US watchdog said the toys had too much of a toxic chemical in their fur. The Good Guide, an independent US-based consumer group, published a report last week in which one item in the range, the hamster Mr Squiggles, was alleged to contain more than the permitted level of the chemical antimony."

A statement was then released by the PR company Citigate. Citigate director Fiona Tooley, who has handled PR support for The Character Group for 20 years, said: ‘We have been doing damage limitation. We do not want worried parents out there. It has had to be handled quickly and sensitively.' This quick statement has enabled the product to remain one of the most popular Christmas gifts this year.