Is Simon Cowell Too Mean?

Is Simon Cowell TOO mean?

Given the level of nastiness on American Idol, Star asked resident grump Simon Cowell if the show should be renamed Angry Idol. True to form, Cowell, 46, responded: "That's a good expression. We'll call it Angry Idol this year. And I don't mind the contestants being argumentative. I quite like it. I encourage it!" Cowell's success is built on a highly telegenic personality, plus a bluntness that has attracted and appalled millions of viewers and seen him nicknamed 'Mr. Nasty' by the press.

SIMON IN FINE FORM
Any thoughts that Cowell — and Idol, by extension — might be kinder and gentler this season have been quickly dispelled, as Simon has already fired off these beauties to contestants:
"You're more Jerry Springer than American Idol."
"You just murdered one of the most beautiful songs of all time!"
"You have one of the worst voices I've ever heard. It's almost nonhuman!"
"My advice would be if you want to pursue a career in the music business, don't."
"Did you really believe you could become the American Idol? Well, then, you're deaf."

Even last season's winner, Carrie Underwood, says of Simon: "It was hard because, I knew at some point the horribly negative comments were coming." But when is mean too mean? "Simon could be direct without being so nasty, but it would probably lead to lower ratings," says etiquette expert Peter Post. But New York Post TV critic and columnist Linda Stasi disagrees: "Simon's not mean enough! It's what makes the show so much fun, or else it would be a big snore-bore. He's doing what the losers' parents should have done long ago — he's telling them the truth." And comedian Jimmy Carr, host of Comedy Central's Distraction, adds: "He's a one-man Gong Show. In fact, on the next season, I'd like to see him armed!"

With that being said, is there a point when the line is crossed? Simon boasts his opinions about other celebrites: "I find the whole Beyonce thing really mystifying," Cowell says in Esquire magazine. "She's not sexy, she hasn't got a great body and she's not a great singer." But Cowell defends a more maligned figure: Ashlee Simpson, who caught plenty of flak after being caught lip-synching on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" last year.

"Why should you have to do something substandard just for the sake of being real? If it sounds better with the vocal you recorded, why shouldn't people listen to that? There's almost a witch-hunt mentality about people miming."

Although Simon is infamous for dishing out the put downs, other celebrities are angry with him. FRANZ FERDINAND frontman ALEX KAPRANOS has blasted AMERICAN IDOL judge SIMON COWELL for filling the music industry with crap manufactured pop stars.
The TAKE ME OUT star is furious that Cowell encourages bland, over-managed acts with his TV talent shows American Idol and THE X FACTOR, while talented musicians are given little encouragement.
Even American Idol host Ryan Seacrest told CNN's Larry King on Tuesday night that Simon Cowell is 'arrogant' and 'pompous.'

In response to King's question as to whether Cowell is 'pompous and egotistical off the air,' Seacrest responded:

'Is he pompous? I think it's a mild term to use. Yes. He's arrogant, he's pompous, he believes that everything he says is right. He drives you crazy.'

Seacrest attributed some of Cowell's attitude to the success of the show having gone to his head:

'He's a major part of the show. He was a big part of it before it came over to the United States of America. I think that's the problem with our relationship with Simon, is that he's extremely aware of how important he is to the success of the program.'"

Do you NEED more American Idol? Check out these posts:

American Inventor, Simon's New Show:
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What You Don't Know About ACE:

http://bloggerparty.com/what_you_may_not_know_about_american_idols_ace_young

A.I. Season 5 CONSPIRACY:
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For "EVERYTHIGN A.I" Check Out Sirlinksalot:
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