The Idolosphere has been all kerfuffled today over an interview that Simon Cowell gave London paper The Daily Mirror in which he hinted that he would leave American Idol after his contract is up this year. A record label exec with three performance competition shows on his docket — two of them, London-based Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor, as a producer as well as a judge — Simon wondered out loud whether he "can keep this schedule up." Turns out those Idol audition shows where Simon had to leave early because he "had to catch a plane" weren’t a euphemism for "just sick of the bloody auditions" after all. "I am not sure we can sustain me doing three shows a year," he said. "They involve a lot of traveling." Then Simon dropped this bomb: "One may have to go. I don’t know which one. That is the problem, I like all of them. I can’t imagine not doing Britain’s Got Talent and I can’t imagine not doing X Factor. But I guess America is more likely to go because I have got one year under contract. Maybe that will be the end."
The most shocking thing? I’m not shocked at all. I can’t remember ever seeing Simon on Idol become as genuinely thrilled and just plain happy as he was during Susan Boyle’s recent — and now instant-classic — Britain’s Got Talent audition. That’s actually not entirely Simon’s fault. The Idol cameras never cut to the judges during the contestants’ live performances, leaving all four judges to natter on with themselves instead — to the contestants’ continued vexation. But that’s also part of the problem: Standing-Os for Adam Lambert aside, Simon seems disengaged from the Idol circus more than ever this season. It could be because his early favorite Lil Rounds has consistently disappointed in such a spectacularly boring way. It could be because new judge Kara DioGuardi is sucking up valuable screen time while never once saying "I agree with my dawg Simon" or pretending to be a coloring book. (Sorry, colouring book.) Or it could just be that after eight years of wading through an Olympic-sized cesspool of third-rate miasma to find a Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood (or, horrors, Taylor Hicks) on the other side, Simon is just kinda over it.
Sure, the Grey T-shirted One’s approval still carries more weight than Paula, Kara, and Randy’s words combined (faint praise, alas), but tell me, P-Dubs, would you really miss the guy if he was gone? Could the show survive without him? Or, if Bob Barker can leave The Price Is Right, will American Idol be just fine without Simon Cowell?
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Well, it’d be interesting to see what this show would be without Simon. But I’m not sure if it could survive without the nasty judge.
I recommend me to take his place. I am honest, and have no agenda.
No don’t go…Make Paula go, that makes much more sense. If Simon goes the show goes, you don’t people tune in to watch the singers do you? It’s Simon by a mile.
IT WILL TANK W/O SIMON!!
Even though Simon is blunt he usually is right on target. He could just say things a little more politely but….. I think his bluntness is a big part of the show. I don’t know AI could survive without him or Seacrest
Yipee, I hate Simon. he is just mean to contestants.
American Idol doesn’t need him.
Idol can survive on its own even without him.
The show is nothing without Simon, but this show has run its course I think.
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i dont think the show will survive without him. his opinion is what every singer waits for.
Before Simon leaves, please be kind enough to tell Ryan to go first ’cause he’s annoying & audience don’t tune in just to see him.
You just realized just now. It’s time to leave. Thank You.
The show wouldn’t survive without Simon. It sounds like he is starting his negotiations early. It would help him more if her pretended to be interested in the singers this year.
I can see why Simon would want to quit. He is always right, but then, he has to stand up for an entertainer that is a porn freak, who is no A.I. If I had to put up with the BS I woud leave too.
Smells like contract negotiation time to me. Idol would sink like a rock without Simon.
American Idol without Simon? A lot of viewer will be lost, including myself. Simon makes it work, he tells it like it is.
Ryan Seacrest is fantastic. How can anybody not like his sense of humor? Ryan is to be admired it’s hard to understand why someone would not like him.
I don’t know if I was going to watch after this season anyway. After Adam Lambert, what’s left?
You know, I’m kind of over it, too. Even so, I agree with–rda–negotiations are starting early for Simon. But, like Simon, the thrill is gone for me. Is it this season’s contestants, or am just tired of it?
I think it would be said to see Simon go, but if he had too I think David Foster or Clive Davis would be great for filling his spot, although I doubt they would ever do it
Haven’t watched AI since season 1 and pieces of other seasons. It is touching, it’s boring and when people who can’t sing are constantly voted to keep on the show, it loses credibility. It’s time to leave.
YES!!! Let him Simon jump ship and in doing so the show will end.
Idol’s so done let it die already.
Doesn’t he do this routine every time his contract is nearly up? It’s just a step in his contract negotiation dance.
Is it really all or nothing? Perhaps they could negotiate a contract where Simon could be present for Hollywood week and from the Top 5 on. He would still be there for the most important parts.
Idol needs to go. Maybe it can withstand a tenth season AT MOST (just to round things out). But each season it’s less and less about discovering undiscovered talent and more about finding “characters” to make the show interesting. The auditions aren’t even that funny anymore. And the pretend bickering between Ryan and Simon is really atrocious and offensive. I’m sick of Ryan Seacrest, too. I’d rather he leave than Simon. Without Cowell’s input, the show is just a meaningless cornucopia of dawgs, artistrys and made-it-your-owns. Idol needs to be less about finding the next cash cow and more about finding the next Paul Potts or Susan Boyle because at the end of the day, we all just want to listen to some great singers, not a bunch of over-hyped, over-inflated, nobodies like Lil Rounds who may look better than Susan Boyle but certainly sings nowhere near as well as she does. And on the radio, it’s about hearing a beautiful voice not seeing a pretty face.
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If Simon leaves, America will take that as a sign that the show is played out, and will stop watching. Mark my words.
“No Roger, No Re-Run,no Rent”
No Simon, No Show”
The show is already 505 on the way of jumping the shark with desperate pimping, KAra Diguardi, and Freak Show Contestants (Scott, Nick Mitchell, Tatiana) that losing it’s Star Simon Cowell would just destroy it. Whatever he asks for they have to pay him. Simon could own Fox at this point. Back up the Brinks truck he is going to get one hell of a pay increase. It would be like Cheers without Ted Danson, Dallas without Larry Hagman or The X- Files without Fox Mulder. A sinking ship.
I believe that Simon Cowell just doesn’t want to continue doing American Idol after the 9th season. He doesn’t sound like he’s into it as with the first 4 to 5 seasons. And they spend more time focusing on Kara Dioguardi than Simon. Kara wants to sound like Simon so bad with the snarkiness that it’s scary! Simon does sound disengaged and disconnected from the other judges. And I think that handling 3 different talent shows is becoming a bit too much for him. Britain’s Got Talent and X-Factor as well as American Idol–doesn’t this guy get any rest? If he does leave, I respect his decision because he has been an important part of Idol’s success. He tells it like it is–he doesn’t play around with his critiques. He’s looking for the best talent and he expects it the first time. But the 9 percent viewership drop and audience erosion to the other TV network competition is showing and Idol is just not as exciting as it once was. The most recent winners lack the pizazz of Kelly and Carrie.
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I agree, No Simon, No Show. The judges this year seem completely disengaged and honestly, I am not into this season at all. I think the David Cook season was the peak. On the contrary, I live in France and the French “Idol” (la Nouvelle Star) is just starting to get good (the 4 judges give really good feedback and the production doesn’t reveal everything, so there are lots of surprises). And then Britain’s Got Talent is starting to get good as well. Why? Because there are surprises and again, no one is getting pimped by the production (or the judges).
Earlier rumors said that Paula will be leaving as well, and now Simon, i dont think the show will be able to hold up with two of its judges gone in the same season. Especially Simon, who is quite a key element of AI’s popularity. I’m sure he’ll be around for the next season at least.