Walter Payton
When Simon Cowell insists that a good reality show judge shouldn’t be “gratuitously rude,” audiences might laugh at the irony. But while the brutally honest “American Idol” judge has been nicknamed “Mr. Nasty,” he’s irritated with TV personalities who are harsh just for entertainment value.
“You see people play a certain role, which becomes quite tiresome,” Cowell said on a conference call with reporters last week.
As countless reality competitions search for “Idol’s” winning formula, Cowell copies keep sprouting up to fill what the man himself calls the “mean judge” position. This year is Cowell’s last on “Idol” before he focuses on his next TV project, a U.S. version of “The X Factor,” and speculation already is mounting about his replacement.
According to Cowell, who’s a successful Sony music executive apart from his reality TV career, the next judge “has to have a lot of experience in the music business, whether it’s a manager, artist or an A&R (artists and repertoire) executive.”
“It’s like if you judge the Olympics,” Cowell explained. “If you’re going to give a score, you genuinely need to know what you’re talking about. “And he’s got to be good-looking,” he added.
Despite rumors of a feud, Cowell had only good things to say about new “Idol” judge Ellen DeGeneres.
“She loves music, and she actually is very responsible for people she has performing on her own show—I know that for a fact because I’ve dealt with her on my record label.”
Cowell also said he misses Paula Abdul, whose kindness to contestants balanced out Cowell’s unsparing criticism.
“Paula’s my friend, amazingly, even though we used to argue a lot,” he said. “... She made me laugh. It’s like not having your friend on the show anymore.”
Even with so much attention on “Idol’s” judging panel—not the contestants—Cowell says this season is shaping up to be a good one.
“I would say there’s definitely a better chance of a girl winning the show this year,” he said. “I’d love to find a Taylor Swift, somebody who’s relevant instead of just a contest-winner.”
Although he’s often teased by “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest about his healthy ego, Cowell brushes off the idea that he’s irreplaceable.
“It’s very flattering, and I really do appreciate it, but the show goes on,” he said. “I want to go out on a high. It’s my last season, I want it to be successful, and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.”
