(Photo by Nadja Amireh)
We here in America have seen Bar Refaeli on the pages of Sports Illustrated and in the tabloids with ex-boyfriend Leonardo DiCaprio. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, her fellow Israelis will get to see the supermodel on their TV screens hosting the Israeli version of “The X Factor.”
The panel of judges will consist of other homegrown talent, including rocker Rami Fortis, and pop stars Ivri Lider and Moshe Peretz. Balladeer Shiri Maimon is the likely candidate for the fourth slot. Refaeli, 27, will share the stage with the musicians but apparently not a salary figure. At 1 Million NIS ($270,000), she will be the highest-paid talent on the show.
The biggest star associated with the project, though, is definitely “The X Factor” creator Simon Cowell, whose ads promoting the show are already running on Israeli TV.
Reshet Broadcasting is launching “The X Factor” on the heels of its 2012 Israeli edition of the “The Voice,” which garnered high ratings. With Refaeli and Cowell attached to the brand, “The X Factor” has a good chance of living up to its predecessor. What remains to be seen, though, is if there’s enough musical talent in a country the size of New Jersey to support another major televised singing competition.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
