Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English reality television judge, entrepreneur, philanthropist, film, record, and television producer. He is most recognized as a judge on the British TV talent competition series Pop Idol, The X Factor, and Britain's Got Talent, and the American TV talent competition shows American Idol, The X Factor, and America's Got Talent. Cowell owns the television production and music publishing house Syco...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionEntrepreneur
Date of Birth7 October 1959
CityLondon, England
It's everything I love about reality shows, which is the good, the weird and the completely and utterly disillusioned.
I was 12 years old when I first realized that food could be hot. That's why I turned out the way I am.
It is a personal thrill for me to play a role in giving the best young singers in America a shot at realizing their dreams. I'm also happy to be working with my good friend Simon Fuller for the foreseeable future and I look forward to continuing to be a part of the Fox network and the phenomenal success that is American Idol .
The biggest shock when I lost it all was the realization that so much of my life had been out of my control. When I started to make the money back, I vowed that it would never happen again. I bought things only when I could afford them. There was no big mortgage, no cars on hire purchase. I remember buying a TR6 sports car for £6,000, and funnily enough it gave me more pleasure than the Porsche ever had.
If I had to say who is the number-one most powerful figure is in reality TV, it's very easy. It is the general public. They're the only people who have power now.
They all hate each other deep down, but they're not gonna say it on camera. Ask Kelly how many congratulation e-mails she got from the other contestants. Probably zero. But that's the music business. In a positive way, I like that. I like the fact that people enter the show because they might win.
Personally, I hope to find the next Siegfried and Roy.
Everything's open this year, isn't it? There are four, five, six people who could win.
The Super Bowl's a good analogy. You've got to make people look forward to it once a year.
Ryan, with respect, I do this for a living. I don't play at it like you.
Complete and utter mess. It was 'We Will Rock You, Gently'.
Creed would not be caught dead on this show. You've got to start showing, at this point, another side. You can't keep doing this week after week after week.
We don't want to spread any rumors here.
To me, it was absolutely crystal clear at this stage last year that Carrie Underwood would win the competition. So it all felt a bit obvious. Whereas this year, I could argue the case for seven or eight of the contestants. I genuinely don't know who's gonna win. I've got a feeling who are gonna make the finals. But once you're in the finals, I think you're gonna have the most open competition you've ever seen, which for us and the viewers at home, that's a good thing.