The X Factor has truly become a Circus over the last few years, and the producers don't even try to hide it anymore. It's practically a version of Big Brother where (some) of the participants are (slightly) talented.

The show's clearly going down if they continue like this.
The only real thing about the show is the results of the public vote, and even that's heavily influenced by the scripting. Everything else from Auditions to Judges Houses to the Live Shows is clearly all decided upon by producers, and now Simon's gone none of the judges have any say in what happens.