Remember the “The X-Factor” TV show? It didn’t last long, which is ironic because it was based on discovering talent that has what everyone wants, the X-Factor. In Fox’s defense, producers probably landed some who had it but were overshadowed by too many who didn’t.
Whether becoming a RockTernative mega jock, athlete, musician, actor, influencer or star of any type, having the X-Factor is not a prerequisite. In fact, X-holders aren’t always the most talented in the room. They surely have talent, but they also excel by being different. Regularly talented humans can also end up with bling by working hard.
But walking around with the special X doesn’t hurt.
There isn’t a blood test that can determine if you have it. Those infected usually don’t know. Identifying Xers is also subjective, but talent coaches and scouts become pros at finding the haves and have-nots. But when it comes to truly discovering someone who can rise above the masses with an X power, most know it when they see it.
Those possessed aren’t guaranteed a trip to easy street. Bad choices and laziness are their kryptonite. True Xers usually succeed in the most competitive fields, yet some are perfectly content in everyday situations.
There’s a barista at my regular Starbucks who should be named Xena. It’s not her looks or voice; she’s not chatty, doesn’t hand out free mochas. I don’t know her name or what talents or goals she may have, but she stands out above the others slinging nine-dollar coffee.
At radio, some “local talents” have it. There are a few in my building who could get “X” tattooed on their arms. On a national level, Howard Stern is an easy mark, but he’s not called “The King of All Media” because he was one of the first to do shocking things on the radio.
Many have had firsts or done shocking things. Howard’s charisma, brain and presence are unique to him. And they add up to being the factor that helped land him where he is today. A non-X jock doing what Howard did would have been fired by 10 am. The audience would have bailed. Stern’s audience kept growing.
There’s also a difference between being brilliant or talented and having the factor. While there’s no shortage of brilliantly talented RockTernative artists, but not everyone can be Bowie. There’s an intangible difference that can only be described as having it.
Charlamagne Tha God lives on X-Street. He’s talented and smart, but so are hundreds of others in radio and media. Charlamagne is an Xer because he can make any topic seem interesting just by being him. He has it.
Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are brilliant. Their brains go to 11, and the world is better because of them. But they don’t have the X-Factor. Steve Jobs, on the other hand, could be named xOS.
Oprah? Absolutely.
Forget politics, but Clinton and Obama? Yep and yep.
There are too many to list, but Xers are everywhere.
- Your kid’s soccer league probably has an X coach; your kid and other parents see it
- I follow some newbie Xers on social; their stories are still being written
- Over in Sports media, many like Stephen A., Bill Simmons and Dave Portnoy have it
- Dave Chapelle, Bill Burr, Nikki Glaser and Sara Silverman – all very different comedians – even when a joke falls flat, they still have it
You can’t buy it
It’s not a trophy you practice for and hope to win
It may not last inside someone forever
But when you find it, you’ll know it
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Keith Cunningham is a Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media, and the Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over 10 years. He’s been voted one of America’s Top 5 Program Directors in two formats by Barrett Media and one of America’s Best PDs by Radio Ink. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first, and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners. A self-described audience data and research nerd and advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, Keith is a fantasy football champion and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him here at LinkedIn and X. For non-KLOS questions or comments, reach him at Keith90405@gmail.com.
