"The X Factor": Britney Spears, Khloe Kardashian Odom face first live show

"The X Factor" co-hosts Khloe Kardashian Odom, left, and Mario Lopez. / Fox

"The X Factor" kicked off its first live show of the season on Wednesday night, debuting new co-hosts Khloe Kardashian Odom and Mario Lopez.

Britney Spears was coolly composed as the singing contest shifted from taped to live broadcasts. The same can't be said for Odom and her microphone.

Lopez, host of "Extra," performed like the pro he is. Odom came across like the novice she is, shouting her lines despite the mic clutched in her hand and making awkward small talk with contestants and judge/executive producer Simon Cowell.

When Lopez teased 13-year-old singer Diamond White about having a boyfriend, the girl replied, "No, we're friends. My mom would kill me."

"Don't let your mom kill you," exclaimed Odom, drawing a confused smile from White.

At another point, Odom sounded like an oddly flirtatious schoolgirl as she introduced Cowell as "Mr. Sexy."

In a conference call Tuesday, Cowell had discussed expectations for his co-host, a member of the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" clan, which also includes sisters Kim and Kourtney Kardashian. Odom's credits also include the reality show "Khloe and Lamar" with husband Lamar Odom, a Los Angeles Clippers player.

She wants to "prove a point," Cowell said, noting observers had questioned Odom's readiness to steer a live program.

He warned that she would need "nerves of steel" Wednesday because she had less rehearsal time than planned.

"I kind of like to see the unpredictable and I quite like seeing people under pressure and just how they deal with it," Cowell said. Odom and Lopez replaced first-season host Steve Jones, a U.K. TV personality.

Cowell also expressed reservations about how Spears would manage.

While lauding her as "very, very good judge" so far, he told the teleconference it was unclear "what she's going to be like on a live show" involving competition between judges over the contestants they are mentoring.

Spears proved up to the task -- she heaped praise on singers and remained calm when criticism was leveled at those she's guiding. When Cowell told one teenager that "we need to sort your vocals out," Spears shot back, "I disagree. I think you're a true star."

It was Cowell himself who committed the biggest flub of the night: He was bleeped for using what appeared to be British slang found questionable by Fox.

Of the 16 acts featured on the live "X Factor," four will be cut Thursday by Spears, Cowell, Antonio "L.A." Reid and Demi Lovato. Viewers will decide contestants' fates in following weeks.

Cowell took a moment at the start of Wednesday's show to express sympathy for Hurricane Sandy victims on the East Coast, saying, "our hearts are with you and we hope things get sorted out quickly."

An on-screen crawl invited viewers to donate to the American Red Cross.

[chefmckenzie]

ok look, the first mc for the first x was so boring and repeated himself over and over, now they pull in two, one the guy acts like a young school boy with a crush on any female , while listening to the contestants talk watch him he nodes like he is nooot really listening to them, he puts on a fake smile and his stupid comments are short and dont converge on the topic, just look at his fake smile as he talks to the judges, who the hell is picking these hosts or mc's, and khloe dosnt knowey anything, no history of mc work, she is boring, fake, says really stupid remarks, her facial exspressions are like a hound dog, put some long ears on her and send her to find a mocha drink at starbucks, but since she cant spell she would just get lost, why i say cant spell, well maybe trying to read the q cards would be helpful, wait are there q cards, ow my god, she is talking on her own, a first for the kardummyshians, look she looks boring, she is making the show boring, the interviews boring, she has no excitment, her voice is monotone and it hurts the ears and even her looks hurt the eyes, she is the worst yet they put her on, fools, ow yes britney is a clone of lopez, ow that sounded so good, your so good, i love ur voice you will go far, i really liked it, well it was ok but i did like ur voice and song choice, clone of lopez, she cant say negative or get down and dirty when it is needed, gosh when was her last song written and heard,

GET RIDE OF THE BORING AND SELF OBSORBED ME ME ME KARDUMMYSHIAN, AND TELL LOVER BOY ACT UR AGE OR GO, THEY ADDING TWO DID NOT HELP, BOTH OF THEM DONT KNOW HOW TO WORK OFF EACH OTHER, IVE SEEN TWO MCS DO GREAT WHY, THEY WORK OFF EACH OTHER, THESE TWO JUST WORK ALONE AND TRY TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE, IT IS NOT WORKING, COME ON, GET THEM OFF, OR GET THE ONE THAT CANT PUT TWO WORDS TOGEATHER AND MAKE SENSE, OW COULD THAT BE ME ME ME K. KARDUMMYSHIAN, PLEASE OW PLEASE SAY NO TO DRUGSS OR WORSE SAY NOOOO TO ME ME ME.

[JonaDenz]

It was a surprisingly disappointing show tonight (11/1). I sometimes wonder if the judges hear what we viewers do when they heap praise on those who sing off-key. My family was fairly shocked at the amateurish hosting too. Khloe Kardashian needs major tutoring, and Britney would do well to add to her vocabulary. Uggggh! Tonight's X-Factor felt like a small-town carnival side-show.

[sunbeamcandy]

I thought the whole episode was pretty awkward, to be honest. It seemed like a lot of things weren't going according to plan, but I'm sure that was just part of the adventure of live TV. On top of that, the performances in general were nothing to get excited about. I'm invested for as long as Jennel is on the show, but I can't make any promises after that. It should be interesting to see who the judges pick tonight. I won't get to watch the show live because I have some plans with a couple of my DISH co-workers, but I've got my Hopper all set up to record it for me. I'm going to turn it on as soon as I get home.

[micmac666]

Well, somebody alert the media.