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The British press have their long knives out humiliating Fox’s Mike Darnell over the near-decision to replace their sweetheart Cheryl Cole as a judge on the U.S. version of The X Factor. Of course, it took Fox Broadcasting boss Peter Rice and Mike Darnell and the talent contest’s executive producer Simon Cowell to really screw up before it even goes on the air this fall. But don’t let facts get in the way of a good insult:
– Daily Mail: “Axed by fiendish Rumpelstiltskin: The 5ft 2in snakeskin boot-wearing TV boss who shattered Cheryl Cole’s U.S. dream.”
– The Guardian: “Mike Darnell, former child star, now the cowboy-hatted, ringletted munchkin in charge of Fox’s apocalypse-beckoning reality schedule.”
These are all descriptions I need to add to my repertoire. My just calling out someone as a ”putz” clearly doesn’t cut it anymore…
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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someone needs to put that alleged cowboy hat out of its misery.
None of the excuses given to justify why Cheryl Cole was axed is cutting in, they should just release an official statement but no, they’re going to use this to get more headlines here and across the pond. As Simon Cowell said once, bad publicity or good publicity, all is publicity, and that’s all he cares about.
I have no idea who this is. Child star ? In what ? But , looking at the picture alone , boy does he look like an ass
This is his alleged big claim to fame: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202719/
That, and his Producer IMDB entry states that because of his 5’2″ height, he played kids roles until he turned 20 (he just turned 49 a couple of weeks ago).
i’m fairly certain mike would describe himself as a fiendish munchkin. not quite sure where the insult is.
Yet another Simon Cowell stunt to get everyone talking or at least curious about who is Cheryl Cole. If you didn’t know now you do. Still a nobody who nis more interested in raising her profile in USA and the X Factor show does just that. Next announcement will be she has NOT been axed and never ever was. And Simon’s bank account has just grown yet agsin. Please note thast these games will be played throughout the whole of the X Factor sesries. Cheryl loves Steve or Nicole and Cheryl hate each other or Paula jealous of Cheryl. UK are bored of this, let’s see how long it takes the USA. You will definitely see Cheryl back on US X Factor.
I tend to agree with you on this, since I know the UK X-Factor runs on tabloid gossip/news. How gold was it when one of last year’s contestants had a grandma who turned out to be a prostitute???!!!!! I hope this is all just a stunt to increase Cheryl’s image in the U.S. …but you never know for sure.
Wow…he looks like Amanda Bynes and Carrot Top had a child….a child wearing a douchey hat.
Can they just make an official announcement about Cheryl already!!
There are many things you can say about Mike Darnell (who can forget such reality disasters as “Who Wants To Marry a Multi-Millionaire,” “Married By America” and “Mr. Personality”?). But the Cheryl Cole debacle is below Mr. Darnell’s paygrade.
Besides, I think he looks cool in the hat!
child star? what? to whom?..his parental unit? Mike is the cal worthington of reality tv. He’ll be 95 w/a cane,bent over pushing a ‘guess their age’tv project at a retirement home in studio city.
Is it, though? This woman got a contract north of $1M, and will collect what amounts to a humiliation fee. Who was it who hired and subsequently fired her so precipitously?
Mike had absolutely nothing to do with the decision to hire Cheryl.
Simon has been bending FOX over a barrel since day one…they have just done precisely what he wants.
I think that someone commented earlier that ‘fiendish munchkin’ is a name that Mike would wear with pride. He cannot wear with pride the title of ‘Simon Cowell’s whipping boy’…
Big trees will fall, if Fox’s $250m gamble on Simon doesn’t pay off.
Public opinion in the UK tabloids is irrelevant…
Nicole Sherzinger will be a disaster. She’s barely coherent when she speaks. She will get thrown under a bus as soon as anyone and that means ANYONE, becomes available.
Mike D is probably laughing at how much press he’s getting right now (especially since you’ve just highlighted him on Deadline). Way to fuel the circus. Can’t you give us any real news about X-Factor?
Do they really need to “officially announce” it though now? Nicole had a radio interview in which the DJ said that she was now a judge, Will I Am confirmed she’s doing ok after it, UK X Factor judge Louis Walsh said that he had spoken to Cheryl and she’s fine. Cheryl’s been sacked. Do they really need to confirm it? It’s not on tv yet, it just humiliates Cheryl that bit more and that FOX made a mistake trusting Simon’s judgement.
And the Daily Mail insults everyone that’s not male and has a perfect body. Cheryl got attacked a couple of weeks ago as her legs were too fat compared to Paula and Nicoles. Cheryls now been humiliated so they’ll attack anyone else. FOX, Simon. They loved Nicole 2 weeks ago, (young pretty, dating one of UK’s top sport stars). Now she’s taken away Cheryl’s chance at UK fame, she is the devil incarnate.
This guy is an idiot and amazing he still has a job with Fox, especially with all the drivel he has been putting on the airwaves the last few years time. Get rid of this bum already! X Factor is a sham of a program.
As a person of short stature, I resent the “munchkin” and “fiend” jokes. Since when is it ok to make fun of someone because they short? I am sick of people feeling they can make these types of remarks.
who can forget Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction
what does it mean “over the NEAR decision” does that mean that she has not been sacked?
I doubt he gives two flips what the UK press says about him. It is funny though his programming ideas are very much in line with English sensibilities.
F the British press Mike is a genius.
Darnell is a genious.Period! he saved Fox years ago with his creativity, and showbiz business savvy and knack for knowing what the world wants…off the cuff, creative, and edgy entertainment. So he dumped your little picnic basket from the show. So what. A brit babe is a brit babe. Why don’t your producers find her something in Britland? Whats that? So sorry can’t hear you. Can’t hear you govenor, the crickets are chirping too loud. Put your money where your dentist should be removing your foot from. Darnell has been in the business since he was a kid. Carried every show he was ever on and has talent. The cowboy hat is a Hollywood staple. Much like your bowlers over their in jolly ol’ England! If youwant totalk about short, why don’t get me started on the shortge of talent in Brittendom? Thank yo for sending us Piers Morgan, he is delightful! Smart Brit, got to hollywood and made it.Pip Pip cheerio, Darnell just made a killing on this free advertising, more pound sterling for him.