Tag: Simon Cowell

Howard Stern Will Judge America’s Got Talent! — HOORAY!

Howard Stern fans everywhere have something to celebrate today. We finally will see more of him — and this time he’ll be on mainstream television. NBC confirmed today that he’s officially signed on to judge America’s Got Talent, and they are even moving production to New York to accommodate him (everyone knows Stern hates to fly). Stern has famously complained for years that he wants to judge a talent show, calling the format “easy money,” and saying that he’d lecture the contestants on the ability to make money off their craft. In fact, he recently told Sharon Osbourne that last year’s America’s Got Talent winner was a mistake, as “no one needs a Frank Sinatra impersonator.” Since Stern and Simon Cowell (the show’s creator) are friends, it only makes sense that he’d be courted. I must admit I’m shocked he took the job. He doesn’t need the money, and at this stage in his career I figured he’d want less work — not more. But the man always surprises me.

Rachel Crow Collapses on X Factor — Children Should Not Compete!

Rachel Crow’s emotional breakdown on X Factor proves why children do not belong performing on television competition shows. She’s certainly a superb singer who far exceeded her fellow contestants. That being said, she is not emotionally equipped to handle a nationally televised rejection. She cried hysterically and fell to the floor while asking for her mother. Simon Cowell attempted a rescue, which I surmise entailed his verbal assurance that she will get a record deal despite losing the prize. But this show crossed a moral line, and I can only hope that Rachel’s painful reaction will serve to increase next year’s age limitation. I’ve posted the elimination video below, along with her incredible final performance where she sang for her life. And one more thing before I go — Nicole Scherzinger needs to be fired. Watch the video after the jump.
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Quote of the Day — ‘X Factor’s’ Stacy Francis

“I respect Nicole and I love her but I think that as a creative executive — Simon, that’s the lane that he’s in, you know?  So that’s when I think I crashed and burned — those last two weeks when I didn’t have his help.  And unfortunately, I wasn’t in his category.  So unfortunately, I had to bite the bullet.” ‘X Factor’s’ Stacy Francis on whether Nicole Scherzinger’s poor song-choices resulted in her elimination from the competition and whether she would have rather had Simon Cowell as her mentor.

Rachel Crow Sings ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ on ‘X Factor’ — Kills It

The chances of a Simon Cowell protege winning ‘X Factor’ just got a little bigger, with Rachel Crow’s incredible performance of the Etta James song, ‘I’d Rather Go Blind.’ I have to admit my shock, given that I completely dismissed Crow at the beginning of the competition. Cowell clearly edited her into a superstar. And as an aside — Nicole Scherzinger is extremely annoying.

X Factor Reveals Extended Promo — Simon Returns

A new promo for X Factor was just released — and the show looks good. Though Simon Cowell insists that the format is completely different than American Idol, the truth is that wherever Simon Cowell goes — ratings will follow — format or not. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that the real “X Factor” is Simon Cowell and not some random contestant that will win five million dollars in the end. That man sure is a genius, though. He’s going to pocket hundreds of millions as the creator of a show he ripped off from Simon Fuller.

Tabloid Gossip: Week-in-Review

  • Jennifer Lopez and Bradley Cooper might be dating. People
  • Does Joe Jonas want Taylor Swift back? Ear Sucker
  • Brandi Glanville and Gerard Butler might be dating.  Astrochicks 
  • George Clooney introduced Stacy Keibler to his parents. SheKnows
  • ‘Bachelor Pad’s’ Holly Durst and Blake Julian are engaged. ICYDK
  • Simon Cowell went on a date with Denise Richards. Us Weekly
  • Kate Hudson’s biological dad thinks she is a spoiled brat. MSNBC
  • Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are dating. iVillage

Simon Fuller Sues Fox & Fremantle over X-Factor — He’s Right!

Here’s the history of the Simon Cowell v. Simon Fuller feud in a nutshell. Simon Fuller created a show in the UK called ‘Pop Idol,’ which is where Simon Cowell got his television start. At the time, the Simons were good friends. Cowell then jumped ship by creating ‘X Factor,’ which was basically a rip-off of ‘Pop Idol.’ Since Cowell was deemed a “creator” of ‘X Factor’ (a credit he did not get on Pop Idol), he received a lot more money for the new show. Fuller sued Cowell, claiming that ‘X Factor’ was a rip off of Pop Idol (which it was). The parties settled, and the settlement included Fuller getting Executive Producer credit on ‘X Factor’ (and most likely a percentage of the back-end profit). So here’s where it gets sticky. Simon Cowell pulled the same move twice, by jumping ship on ‘American Idol’ in favor of ‘X Factor’ (note: the same rule applies — Cowell stands to receive much more money because he’s a creator of ‘X Factor’ and he is not a creator of American Idol). Fuller sued, saying that according to their original settlement, he should receive Executive Producer credit on the American version of ‘X Factor.’ Are you ready for Fox’s official response? They said, “His suit seeks payment and credit as an executive producer despite his neither having been approved by the required parties, nor hired, as such. We believe this lawsuit is without merit and we expect to prevail.” Nice try, guys. It’s completely irrelevant whether the “parties” approved him as an Executive Producer or whether he actually rendered any services on the new show. What matters is his settlement. He created a show, his friend ripped him off, and he’s entitled to some dough. That’s the long and short of it.

Haley Reinhart Butchers Alanis Morissette​’s ‘You Outta Know’

Before I launch into my tirade about Haley Reinhart’s abysmal performance of Alanis Morissette’s ‘You Outta Know,’ I’d like to profess that I blame this entirely on the judges, who picked the song. Haley has an extremely sweet persona, and she simply cannot pull-off the angry chick thing. I might be biased, though. I confess that I’ve personally sung this song in my car approximately 5,000 times, and I scream especially loud when I hear the lyric, “and every time I scratch my nails down someone else’s back I hope you feel it.” Perhaps Haley is a little too young to fully understand what it means to ask a man if he’s thinking of her when he “fu*ks” another chick. Give it a few years and a few terrible guys, and then ask her to perform the song. As for the horrific judges, as expected, they said nothing negative. How many days until Simon Cowell is on the air again? Watch below.
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Randy Jackson Calls ‘The Voice’ Gimmicky — Gives Very Funny Quote

I just came across this quote from Randy Jackson about ‘The Voice,’ and I have to share it. When asked what he thinks of the new singing show, Jackson called it “gimmicky.” Then he said (and here comes the good part), “Maybe Simon Cowell should have people opening doors. Like, ‘Knock, knock; Who’s singing? I can’t see you!'” Who knew Jackson was such a jokester! I also think the show is gimmicky, but I must admit it’s a guilty pleasure. Besides, I’d rather have a gimmicky show that’s entertaining than the reformed version of American Idol — which sucks.

Paula Abdul to Judge ‘The X Factor’ — Simon Cowell is a Genius!

Simon Cowell isn’t just a genius because he can spot talent in the industry, he’s a genius because he can spot talent for his own show too. When Paula Abdul left ‘American Idol,’ Simon Cowell mentally checked out of the show. He knew it was downhill from there, and he therefore gracefully finished out his contract before departing. He also knew that he was sitting on a gold mine. He knew that if he could trounce ‘Pop Idol’ in England with ‘The X Factor,’ he could do the same to ‘American Idol.’ He has a personal investment in killing those shows because he owns ‘The X Factor,’ which means the show’s success puts a lot more money in his pocket. When the stakes are that high, the man better be careful about who he chooses for the show. According to Deadline, he’s chosen Paula Abdul. It’s not official in the press yet because, even though Abdul’s deal is “closed,” she has yet to sign on the dotted line. At this stage in the contract negotiation, it’s fair to say we’ll be seeing her on the show. Despite the media criticism about Paula Abdul, she was an essential component of ‘American Idol’s’ success, and she had great chemistry with Simon Cowell. I therefore give him major props for the choice.

UPDATE: IT’S OFFICIAL!