Chart Throb
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Book Description
A biting social satire of one of the world's most popular cultural phenomena from the bestselling author of The First Casualty.
Product Description
Chart Throb.The ultimate pop quest.
Ninety five thousand hopefuls. Three judges. Just one winner.
And that's Colin Simms, the genius behind the show.
Colin always wins because Colin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits smugly in judgement upon the mingers, clingers and blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted 'search' for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The 'real' is about to be put back into 'reality' television and Colin and his fellow judges (the nation's favourite mum and the other bloke) are about to become ex-factors themselves.
Ben Elton, author of Popcorn and Dead Famous returns to blistering comic satire with a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows.
Chart Throb. One winner. A whole bunch of losers.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
No-one would disagree that Ben Elton is a masterful observer of contemporary society. Once again here, he taps into the frustration with the X factor/Pop idol culture that seems to have dominated our "empty lives" in the last few years.
His observations are shrewd, funny and probably altogether true. You'll certainly never take another episode of these dire programmes seriously!!
The problem is that, once the jokes have been told, there is very little else here and the book drags on and on. The plot is flimsy, unfulfilling and ultimately fairly silly (without being clever) and you warm to none of the characters leaving you caring nothing about what happens to any of them.
Sometimes I think that the Ben Elton book machine latches onto the subject du jour much as a stand up comic plan his latest routine. Unfortunately, the book has to be readable and gripping as well and here, with Chart Throb, Mr Elton fails.
His observations are shrewd, funny and probably altogether true. You'll certainly never take another episode of these dire programmes seriously!!
The problem is that, once the jokes have been told, there is very little else here and the book drags on and on. The plot is flimsy, unfulfilling and ultimately fairly silly (without being clever) and you warm to none of the characters leaving you caring nothing about what happens to any of them.
Sometimes I think that the Ben Elton book machine latches onto the subject du jour much as a stand up comic plan his latest routine. Unfortunately, the book has to be readable and gripping as well and here, with Chart Throb, Mr Elton fails.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Chart Throb is Ben Elton in full satire mode. This time, the likes of reality TV shows like Pop Idol, The X Factor and The Osbournes deservedly come under fire. Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne are the stars of the show, although they're given new names and Mrs. Osbourne has been made a transsexual for the benefits of the story. It's stated unambiguously - and rather clumsily - early in the story that the book's characters have nothing to do with their real life counterparts, but Mr. Elton is fooling nobody. Calvin 'Cowell' Simms is a cynical media genius, Rodney 'Walsh' Root is a desperately status-sensitive failure, and Beryl 'Osbourne' Blenheim is an equally cynical fraud who plays the nuturing mother only when the cameras are rolling on her and/or her family.
It's hard to say where Chart Throb exposes the truth about exploitative shows like The X Factor and where the book's eponymous TV program is a far more exaggerated, cruelly cynical form of the shows it righteously pardoies. Mr. Elton is more privy to life behind the cameras than you or I; a short note at the end of the book letting us know from where he drew his inspirations might have made even more interesting reading.
As some of the other reviewers have pointed Mr. Elton does overplay certain jokes in Chart Throb. The vacuous, "keep dreaming the dream, babes" reality TV soundbites are funny the first few times they are repeated to show them in their full, trite witlessness. However, these same catchphrases are used whenever a camera is turned onto any one of the Chart Throb culprits/victims, which is to say almost constantly. The satire becomes as overused as the subject matter.
In spite of this book's flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ben Elton's observations of human nature at its most vulnerable, venal, exploitative, ambitious, desperate and vengeful are never so good as when they're in print and it's this hallmark that gives Chart Throb its strength. I kept my eye out for Mr. Elton's other trademark - the (often multiple) twist at the end of the tale. However, even forwarned, I wouldn't have seen the book's conclusion coming in a month of Sundays. Although in my defence, it was a little far-fetched.
So, buy the book? Go on, you might as well. At the time of writing, my local newsagents is running a two-for-one on paperback bestsellers, so I got this for a relative bargain. I'd say I'd got more than my money's worth.
It's hard to say where Chart Throb exposes the truth about exploitative shows like The X Factor and where the book's eponymous TV program is a far more exaggerated, cruelly cynical form of the shows it righteously pardoies. Mr. Elton is more privy to life behind the cameras than you or I; a short note at the end of the book letting us know from where he drew his inspirations might have made even more interesting reading.
As some of the other reviewers have pointed Mr. Elton does overplay certain jokes in Chart Throb. The vacuous, "keep dreaming the dream, babes" reality TV soundbites are funny the first few times they are repeated to show them in their full, trite witlessness. However, these same catchphrases are used whenever a camera is turned onto any one of the Chart Throb culprits/victims, which is to say almost constantly. The satire becomes as overused as the subject matter.
In spite of this book's flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ben Elton's observations of human nature at its most vulnerable, venal, exploitative, ambitious, desperate and vengeful are never so good as when they're in print and it's this hallmark that gives Chart Throb its strength. I kept my eye out for Mr. Elton's other trademark - the (often multiple) twist at the end of the tale. However, even forwarned, I wouldn't have seen the book's conclusion coming in a month of Sundays. Although in my defence, it was a little far-fetched.
So, buy the book? Go on, you might as well. At the time of writing, my local newsagents is running a two-for-one on paperback bestsellers, so I got this for a relative bargain. I'd say I'd got more than my money's worth.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A huge fan of Ben Elton's writings (Dead Famous, Popcorn and First Casualty in particular), I had rather looked forward to reading this, especially as it returns to the world of reality TV so brilliantly exposed in Dead Famous.
Unfortunately, this just doesn't quite pack the punch that I was expecting. That's not to say it's a bad read, in places it manages to scale the heights, it's just not that consistent and has a few low points. By another authors standards this would be acceptable, but judged against the incredibly high standards of Ben's other books it doesn't compare well.
There are two main problems: Firstly, the nature of the target being shot down. X-Factor and its imitators might seem like and easy target, but in fact they are so ridiculous in real life that it is hard to satirise them. Ben does his best, but this is a task just beyond even his great skill. Secondly, the characterisations. In real life Cowell and his cronies are almost caricatures, to try and satirise them Ben has had to create a series of characters that take their characteristics and makes them even more ridiculous. This is a serious problem, part of the beauty of Ben's other works is that he creates characters that are believable, and you can relate to. Here the characters are totally unbelievable, and you thus stop believing in the world he has created.
There are high points, the book provides a valuable insight to how reality shows work and are created. The general plot and expose of the cynical machinations are interesting and well put together. The language and structure are up to Ben's usual high standards, which lifts the whole thing.
All in all a good try, and perfectly readable, but not Ben's best. For a better attempt at reality TV read Dead Famous.
Unfortunately, this just doesn't quite pack the punch that I was expecting. That's not to say it's a bad read, in places it manages to scale the heights, it's just not that consistent and has a few low points. By another authors standards this would be acceptable, but judged against the incredibly high standards of Ben's other books it doesn't compare well.
There are two main problems: Firstly, the nature of the target being shot down. X-Factor and its imitators might seem like and easy target, but in fact they are so ridiculous in real life that it is hard to satirise them. Ben does his best, but this is a task just beyond even his great skill. Secondly, the characterisations. In real life Cowell and his cronies are almost caricatures, to try and satirise them Ben has had to create a series of characters that take their characteristics and makes them even more ridiculous. This is a serious problem, part of the beauty of Ben's other works is that he creates characters that are believable, and you can relate to. Here the characters are totally unbelievable, and you thus stop believing in the world he has created.
There are high points, the book provides a valuable insight to how reality shows work and are created. The general plot and expose of the cynical machinations are interesting and well put together. The language and structure are up to Ben's usual high standards, which lifts the whole thing.
All in all a good try, and perfectly readable, but not Ben's best. For a better attempt at reality TV read Dead Famous.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
If this book was on a talent show it would be rejected before the tv...
First of all I have to say I am a big fan of Ben Elton and his writing; from the Young Ones through to modern day.
However this book is just absolutely awful. Read more
However this book is just absolutely awful. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Liddles
Insightful must-read for lovers and haters of TV talent shows
Chart throb details the goings on in a TV singing contest that borrowed ideas from its predecessors like X Factor, Opportunity Knocks and Pop Idol, and beat them all at their own... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Spiralthreads
chart throb - read within a week
Well Guys -
Most of the reviews say it all but not quite!
If this is your 1st Ben Elton, Or like me you have not had time to read for ages, this is ideal. Read more
Most of the reviews say it all but not quite!
If this is your 1st Ben Elton, Or like me you have not had time to read for ages, this is ideal. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. J. Calvert
scathing attack on xfactor...
if you are in a similar position to me - in that you can't stand the worlds fixation on reality tv then you will really like this book. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Gcrikey
Not his best work
I love Ben's writing and have bought a heap of his books - but this is not one of his best so, if you've never read him before, move on along and start somewhere else. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Galning
Over-length and over-played
It pains me to pan this book. Ben Elton worked on some of Britain's greatest comedy shows (Blackadder, The Young Ones, Spitting Image and The Thin Blue Line), and wrote some of my... Read more
Published 14 months ago by StormSworder
good but not his best
a send up of simon cowell AKA Calvin Simms and his lackeys.a deeply cynical and possibly true look at Talent shows and how they are manipulated, the nice girl and love interest is... Read more
Published 17 months ago by H. O. Flynn
opening your eyes
This book really opene3d up my eyes to what actually goes on in programmes like the x factor.I probably already knew some of it but this book confirmed this and more. Read more
Published 18 months ago by justkt
Ben Elton
I bought it as a gift so I am not in a position to comment.
Published 19 months ago by Peter T. Hill
Interesting but felt let down by the ending
Havent read any other work by Mr Elton and tried this one while on holiday. a great skit of the x factor in all its "glory"
can only repeat what others have said here. Read more
can only repeat what others have said here. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. D. R. Holding
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