Simon Cowell is considered a titan among competition reality television judges. Perhaps most notably, he was known as a harsh critic on “American Idol.” Now, the current “America’s Got Talent” judge is opening up about his legacy from the show.
Cowell spoke to The New York Times on November 29 and discussed how he has some regrets about her performance on “American Idol.” According to him, “I wasn’t trying to be a [jerk on purpose.]
He continued, “All I wanted with these shows was to find successful artists to sign to the label. So when all these people were coming in, and they couldn’t sing, I would be like when I used to audition people, and someone would come in, and they can’t sing. We would say after 10 seconds, ‘You can’t sing.’ Not, ‘You’re going to be brilliant.'”
Simon Cowell Says He Changed While on ‘American Idol’
Cowell was a fixture on “American Idol” from its premiere in 2002 until 2010. The interviewer from the New York Times interview noted how the show’s cameras often “cut to people looking absolutely crushed” after his comments.
He shared, “That’s why I changed over time. I did realize I’ve probably gone too far. I didn’t particularly like audition days, because they’re long and boring. I would get fed up. And of course, out of a hundred nice comments, what are they going to use? They’re always going to use me in a bad mood. I got that. What can I say? I’m sorry.”
Cowell was asked what he was “sorry” about. He responded, “Well, just being a [jerk].” He continued reflecting, saying, “Yeah. That was then. I’m not proud of it, let’s put it that way. I never look at this stuff online, so when I hear about these clips, I’m like, Oh, God. But then again, the upside is that it made the shows really popular worldwide.”
He Has a New Netflix Show
Cowell remains fairly busy in the entertainment industry. Not only is he a judge on “America’s Got Talent,” but he has a new Netflix documentary series coming out. Titled “Simon Cowell: The Next Act,” the show will follow him as he attempts to put together another band. The show will include early stages, such as casting calls, leading up to the band’s debut.
“Simon Cowell: The Next Act” premieres on Netflix on December 10. It will include six episodes. According to Deadline, the streaming giant released a teaser for the show on November 24.
