Hot Trailer: ‘Don Jon’ 
Billy Crystal-Starring Comedy From Matt Nix & Larry … 
UPDATE: Toronto Lands World Premiere Of Godfrey … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Dancing With The Stars’ … 
CBS Reups Tony Awards Through 2018 
HBO, FX Lead Critics’ Choice TV Awards — But … 
Hammond On Cannes: A New Day Comes To The Fest As HBO and … 
Cannes: Lionsgate Acquires U.S. On Guillaume Canet’s … 
Cannes: Radius-TWC Buys Keanu Reeves’ Helming Debut … 
Cannes: Fleming Reflects And Finds Talented Trio A Breath … 
Hot Trailer: ‘Man Of Steel’ 
Former Digital Domain CEO & Auditors Sued For Fraud By … 
Fox Acquires ‘Narc’; Zac Efron Attached To Play … 
ABC’s ‘Nashville’ Undergoes Production … 
CBS Wins Season & Ties Sweep In Demo; ABC Tops Adults … 
Mike Lobell Adds Cast To ‘Eisner,’ Plots … 
Sony Shares Rise On Report That It Will Consider … 
Alki David Agrees To End Name Games With Aereo And Barry … 
Next-Gen Xbox One Unveiled With Content Including … 
UPDATE: Apple CEO Challenged For Moving “Crown … 
ESPN Layoffs Could Reach 400 As Part Of Latest Disney Cuts 
The always suave Simon Cowell made a rare misstep during a conference call today about his new Fox reality series The X Factor. When he was asked what he thought about new American Idol judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, he professed that he hadn’t seen a full episode of Idol yet this season, just a three-minute recap last week. He did make a quick recovery. “From what I’ve seen and from what I’ve heard, it all seems to be going well, I always thought that would be the case,” he said. “What I was more concerned about was the ratings falling off a cliff, meaning that that the whole genre is now over. But people are still excited about these shows, whether Dancing With the Stars, which has gotten better over the years, or America’s Got Talent.” He ultimately returned to the original question about Tyler and JLo, saying “I think they’ve done a good job.”
There was a lot of talk about who will join Cowell on the judging panel of The X Factor this fall. “We haven’t made up our minds up yet”, Cowell said, adding that he expects to make the announcement in 3-4 weeks. He didn’t comment on the persistent rumor that the pretty 27-year-old British singer Cheryl Cole, a judge on the U.K. version of The X Factor, will also be on the Fox show, but said that he is looking for judges whom “the American audience will find interesting, who know what they are talking about … and it also helps that they’re cute.”
Cowell also deflected a question about Paula Abdul’s chances to be an X Factor judge. “I’m a massive fan of Paula, we were friends on the show for 80% of the time and we’ve been in regular contact after that,” was all he said.
Cowell was asked about the controversial decision to set the lower age limit for X Factor at 12 years. (There is no upper age limit on the show.)
“Five-six years ago I wouldn’t have done it,” Cowell said.”But times have changed. Over the last 12 months, I have seen what kids of that age can do to withstand the pressure. It makes the competition more exciting, with a 12-year-old who could be competing against a 45-year-old.” As for older contestants, “(Britain’s Got Talent star) Susan Boyle taught me a huge lesson that I have to be more open-minded,” he said.
Cowell said he created X Factor because “I got bored of just judging. I wanted to make a show where I, with my fellow judges, could help people on a daily basis, that’s what I do at a record company. And it’s an interesting thing to be judged as a competitor.”
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
Loading ...
X Factor will be a smash hit with US audiences.
Why is that a rare misstep, Nellie? And ‘always suave’? Surely you jest. That said, I think X Factor will be a huge hit. Cheryl will be enormous in the US, and deserves to be. She is a gem.
This is going to blow Idol off the tele.
Cowell HAS to see that adding Cheryl Cole is the right thing to do. There’s so much buzz on “will she or won’t she” when it comes to naming potential judges and yet there’s much less, if anything, being asked about Danni Minogue and/or Louis Walsh. Cowell can see the buzz Cheryl will bring.
Paula is a great addition too given she really knows how to stage a show. She’d really take to the mentor role and people LOVE she and Simon together…however…that dreadful CBS show may have been a bad move and will leave her locked out being considered.
3-4 weeks is too long to wait but since that’s around the time they’ll be really gearing up to prep for auditions I guess they’ll want to make sure the word is out so the singers will start lining up.
12 years old as the younger, NO UPPER AGE LIMIT simply means this show is going to be insanely huge! Ratings records will be set for Fox.
Are you high? no one in America knows (or cares) about Cheryl Cole, the talentless footballer’s wife that the UK is fascinated with. She is nothing but a Victoria Beckham copy cat, and like V in the Spice Girls, she to is “the one who can’t sing but looks good” in Girls Aloud.
In the states she is nothing and Fox are right in having concerns about her being part of the judges panel – in the UK where gossip is everything she can get by on her looks. In the states, one episode into the show and her pathetic “I had thouroughllllyyy enjjjjoiied it” with that thick geordie accent will scare everyone watching and no one stateside will understand, people will see right through her – on the Uk X Factor while Simon was the cocky, Louie the nutty uncle and Dannii the professional judge, Cole was “simon’s mistress/Arm candy”.
Fox – stay away from the Cole Wreck. Bring in great judges with american likebility like Nicole Sherzinger (who I like) or Katy Perry (who I can’t stand)- they both replaced Cole on the UK X Factor and did a better job.
Aren’t you bitter? You seem to know an awful lot about this person that you can’t stant.
She’s nothing like Victoria Beckham. Incase it’s escaped your notice, the public still dislike Victoria Beckham whereas they love Cheryl. Just because you don’t doesn’t mean your view is representative.
The US public don’t know her but that’s the whole point. They’ll know the other three judges so then they throw in a bit of a wildcard with a judge that people will need to get to know.
Katy Perry did not replace Cheryl at any stage. She was a guest judge with Cheryl for one audition. And she loves Cheryl. Nicole is also not popular in the States. Her solo career there has bombed. Better to have someone unknown than someone they do know but don’t care about.
She may not be Mariah Carey but her singing is perfectly acceptable. She’s a performance artist and is a better singer than similar people in her category such as Britney or Kylie.
Wow….you had me on nearly everything except you really over stepped the mark in your last sentence.
Cheryl Cole a better singer than Britney and Kylie? You may as well have thrown Madonna in also – not that she is any great virtuoso – and while you’re at it (as you are being rather ridiculous) why not Leona Lewis!
We are talking of a bunch of girls who have probably, singularly or combined, out sold Elvis and The Beatles. Cheryl Cole, eye candy, just sings along to the music – yes, and like Victoria Beckham before her. Have you heard of digital voice enhancement?
Well America wont even know what Cheryl is saying. How can anyone outside the UK understand her when she speaks? Her Geordie accent is STRONG.
Anyone who thinks Cheryl Cole would be a suitable judge and *mentor* on a show that is about singing needs to see her actually attempting to sing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5F2YfjhhFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHTGGlxYTao
She has as much energy as a wet lettuce and never says anything insightful or useful to any of the UK X Factor contestants. Not only that, she has a criminal conviction for assaulting a black toilet attendant: http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/151293-cheryl-cole-assault-was-self-defence/
The idea that she should have a say on some contestant’s fledgling career or that young, talented performers should stop and listen to what she has to say is frankly ridiculous.
Cowell underplayed the success of AI’s new judges. Fact is no one thought it would work without him but in many ways it’s better. Who knew? X has got it’s work cut out for it.
You know, I know it’s a long shot and I know she’s KraZy town… I haven’t been paying any attention to the ratings on her CBS show at all – sensing the writing on the wall after watching the first 2 minutes of it – but – Paula Abdul could work. At the very least, sign her for a year to launch the thing. A stunt? Sure. But I bet even more eyeballs would tune in just to see the pair again.
Even though I live in NYC, I’ve watched X Factor UK since the second season and love that show. I think it is much better than American Idol and can’t wait for it to debut here in the States.
There are TONS of Americans who also watch XF in the UK each season and we all know who Cheryl Cole is. We think she’s great and would really like to see her on the U.S. version of the show. Contrary to what some have posted here, we have NO problem whatsoever understanding her. In fact, I love her accent. It’s very cute.
I’m always surprised at how class concious the Brits are and how much some of them hate anyone, particularly someone from the projects (council estates) getting ahead. It just seems to burn them up so bad. Jealousy. Terrible thing.
Nobody cares about that supposed conviction. Everyone’s read about it, ad nauseum, even though it was a minor incident all the way back in 2003, because it’s the only tool the haters seem to have, so they keep bringing it up. The supposedly injured bathroom attendant cried all the way to the bank on that one. Yet, she was the one who started it and almost broke Cheryl’s finger in the process. Sorry. We’re just not falling for that crap anymore. Save it for someone who cares.
CHERYL FOR XF U.S.!!!!!!!! GO CHERYL!!!!!
Come on! Everyone here in the U.S. will LOVE Cheryl Cole!!! This past season of UK’s The X-Factor was my first and I fell for her lovely accent instantly. She’s so cute! PLUS… Cheryl has major buzz and more and more people are getting to know who she is thanks to many mentions and complements from the likes of Rihanna, will.i.am, Justin Bieber, Perez Hilton, etc. Those are some of the leading voices in today’s music scene, so if they are all hyping up Cheryl to their fan bases, I don’t see how she would have a problem fitting in here in the states. Is she the most constructive judge on the panel? No, of course not. BUT… she’s a great mentor to the contestants and has had 2 of her contestants go on to win the X-Factor!
In conclusion… Cheryl Cole would make for an AMAZING judge on the U.S. edition of The X-Factor!
Cheryl Who?
Come on–Forget it. Love Simon, but a D lister who can’t sing without her autotune? X Factor needs judges that know what the U.S. Audiences want. God, next, someone is going to suggest the Hoff.
We have been watching X Factor since the first season and ADORE the show. It will be a monster hit here in America, particularly with Simon on the panel. Very interested to see who he will be bringing to the panel with him.
As I am from Britain, although I have lived in the U.S. the last several years, I can tell you that, despite the mean-spirited remarks one sees on these blogs, etc., Cheryl Cole is MASSIVELY popular in Britain and will be in the U.S. as well, given the chance. She just has that way about her. She is very nice, very sweet, very talented and extremely likeable. These few nasty bits who seem to spend their days traveling from blog to blog to spread their envy and hate are to be ignored. They are vastly in the minority.
As for American Idol, we have watched one or two episodes, but it doesn’t real hold ones interest, does it? All very lacklustre and the format is getting very tired. The new judges are doing their best, or at least what they’ve been told, to achieve that “kinder, gentler” pose, but it’s boring, isn’t it?
To Gina NYC – firstly Cheryl started the fight by stealing from the toilets and admitted her assault in Court. That is why she did 120 hours community and £500 fine. This is not a mistake, it is fact and Cheryl pleaded guilty. If you did that and tried to get a Green Card would America gice it to you? I don’t think so. So why Cheryl Cole? she has a sugar daddy called Simon Cowell who just happens to be in the music business. She’s like the busty secretary who the boss fancies and who gets the promotion. If Simon was not involved in her life she would be miss average like the rest of her non-existent Girl Group. Cheryl was given the best contestants to mentor as the likelhood of them winning coupled with her fans voting just because it is her, would almost certainly make her a winner and it worked. Last season she lost out because we know she is just a dressed up bimbo who looks pretty sitting next to Simon and continually flirting. Even Simon’s fiancee is not happy about their ‘rapport’ if that’s what you call it. She lip syncs and has a very average voice and certainly does warrant all the fuss everyone is making. Most people ask why are people mking a fuss? If she was a great artist fine but she is not. Looks don’t last forever, then what? Everyone who is negative about Cheryl is accused of being jealous or haters. I do not hate her but I do not think she is talented. I think Simon’s money and who he knows in the music business and his relentless pursuit in trying to make her ‘famous’ is ridiculous. It makes me ask, why is he trying so hard? It is American X Factor, why not put Americans on the panel? I like Nicole Scherzinger, she made Cheryl look boring when she returned to the show, Cheryl feels threatened by Nicole for that reason and that she can compete with her on a ‘beauty’ level too. Most of Britain is fed up with her now so you can have her. And none of this is to do with where she comes from as I would say the same if she were Royalty.
I find it annoying that the same 5 or 6 haters roam around the internet, searching and searching for anything about Cheryl Cole and posting nasty comments. If one didn’t know better, one would think there are more of them, but don’t be fooled. It’s the same half dozen lazy twits on the dole and nothing else to do, but go round putting the stick to people they’ve never even met. Truth is, Cheryl Cole is HUGE in Britain. Everyone LOVES her. She’s a massive star. She would do very well in America. Very sweet girl with the likeability thing going on plus very pretty in the bargain.
Ignore the sour grapes types, like this one. No one cares about that scuffle years gone now. The girl pleaded it out at the advice of her solicitors as she had bigger fish to fry than dragging it on with some whinger looking to take advantage and get a payday out of it. Tempests and teapots by me.