Watch: There's a petition to have this X-Factor judge removed because of this putdown

We've seen some putdowns and barbed responses in our time, but this seems vicious.

Natalia Kills, a singer and current judge on New Zealand's X-Factor, is facing a petition to have her removed from the reality TV show following this putdown of a contestant.

The judge repeatedly calls the contestant "artistically atrocious" and "disgusting" - which is a bit harsh.

Her husband, named Willy Moon (lol) and is the judge to her left, joined in and compared the contestant to Norman Bates.

Yikes.

The contestant, Joe Irvine, has since managed to make it into the next round of the contest, but the tirade by the couple has gone viral.

The station which broadcasts the show has been inundated with calls and complaints about the two judges.

Not only that, a petition has been started for the two judges to be removed and has already received 17,000 signatures as of writing.

Take a look and judge for yourself.