Popping culture: Gay geek tries harnessing the X Factor

Let me preface this by stating that I really don’t dig amateur singing competitions. All those Idol-esque shows are just primetime karaoke, and I’ve listened to enough bad and mediocre karaoke to last a lifetime. I can’t even stand “good” karaoke. But I do have a soft spot for The X-Factor. There is something delightfully kitschy in it all, no matter what country it is. I mean, it has everything from Filipino drag queens to marms flirting with Simon Cowell. Sure, it’s edited within an inch of its saccharine-laden life, but then again, what isn’t these days.

So with that caveat, let me introduce you to Curtis. Curtis is a bit socially awkward, a self-proclaimed “geek,” and ultimately charming. Christ, he made me enjoy listening to a cover version of Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman.”