December 10, 2009 16:30

Simon Cowell: Rage Against The Machine Vs The X Factor campaign is 'stupid'

Mogul calls campaign 'cynical' and 'dismissive' of contestants

Photo Gallery: Rage Against The Machine
Photo: PA Photos

Simon Cowell has branded the Facebook campaign to get Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' to the Christmas Number One slot ahead of this year's winner of The X Factor "stupid" and "cynical".

Over 550,000 people have joined the Facebook group, which urges members to download 'Killing In The Name' on Sunday (December 13) to prevent the Christmas Number One being held by the show's winner for the fifth year in a row.

Watch the press conference here:

"If there's a campaign, and I think the campaign's aimed directly at me, it's stupid," he said in a press conference in London today (10), reports The Independent.

Cowell went on to suggest that the campaign was unfairly being detrimental to the contestants in the show rather than harming him. "Me having a Number One record at Christmas is not going to change my life particularly," he said. "It does however change these guys' lives and we put this opportunity there so that the winner of The X Factor gets the chance of having a big hit record.

"I think it's quite a cynical campaign geared at me which is actually going to spoil the party for these three [contestants]. I also think it's incredibly dismissive of the people who watch and enjoy the show… to treat our audiences as if they're stupid and I don't like that."

Jon Morter, who started the Facebook group with his wife Tracy, defended the campaign, telling NME.COM it was a "rallying cry" for people who didn't want to see the show dominate the charts again this Christmas.

Blog – what's the point in trying to get Rage to the Christmas number One slot?

…And another view – why the song SHOULD be Number One.