OK, a little perspective here shall we?
First off Reverendfunk, Simon Cowell is neither fat, or gay, so you need a few other epithets, which will have to be good to be something he hasn't heard before.
The whole point about the show is that people want to be 'stars'.
The judges relentlessly plug away series after series that you need talent, and indeed the 'X' factor to win, and then you are at the mercy of the fickle public, where talent and ability are no guarentee of a long-lasting career.
This is an 'audition' - in most auditions, peopole don't even get to walk into the room they are rejected instantly on appearence alone.
Yes it is tasteless TV, but there is a massive audience for it, and ITV make a huge amount of money from the revenue from advertsing, which is used to fund more worthy, but less viewer-enhanced programming.
If you don't like it, don;t watch it.
Simple, iisn't it?