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Simon Cowell Calls Off His Engagement

Allie Merriam — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:19:51 PST

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Simon Cowell Works Out Shirtless on a Yacht in St. Barts

Lauren Turner — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:47:28 PST

Shirtless Simon Cowell showed off his tan and his muscles on the deck of a yacht near St. Barts yesterday. Simon's been vacationing in the Caribbean since the holidays, though his stay has extended longer than some of the island's other recent celebrity visitors. Rachel Zoe and her family returned to LA after their getaway last week, while Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough have also wrapped up their beach time. Simon will soon follow suit and get back to work on Britain's Got Talent following the end of a successful season on the American version of X Factor.

Shirtless Simon Cowell Is the Latest to Join the St. Barts Scene

Katie Henry — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:19:38 PST

Simon Cowell put his six-pack on display yesterday while hanging out on a yacht, The Slipstream, docked off the coast of St. Barts. Celebs love the Caribbean island at this time of year, with Rachel Zoe, Ryan Seacrest, and Marc Jacobs spending their Winter holiday on its white sandy beaches. Simon's enjoying a short break from work after wrapping up the first season of his American X Factor. The music mogul has a few more weeks of downtime left on his schedule before returning to the UK to resume filming Britain's Got Talent.

Shirtless Simon Cowell Kicks Off Christmas Jet Skiing in Barbados

Molly Goodson — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:41:07 PST

Simon Cowell let his open life jacket fly free during a day of jet skiing in Barbados on Saturday. The X Factor mastermind and judge is known to spend his holidays relaxing in the world's most luxurious spots, and this time is no exception. Last Christmas Simon was shirtless in St. Barts and his tan will once again be perfect to kick off a new year. Simon's X Factor crowned its first stateside winner last week, and while the show will be coming back for a second season, there may be some shifts coming up. Host Steve Jones is rumored to not be returning, and apparently Nicole Scherzinger may also be leaving X Factor. Simon is here to stay, however, and for now he has some downtime after crowning 19-year-old Melanie Avaro victorious.

The X Factor Premieres Tonight - Hear Simon Talk About Finding Better Singers Than Other Shows

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:03:04 PDT

Simon Cowell returns to the judging table for the big premiere of The X Factor tonight, and he stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live last night to talk about the series. Cowell explained how the show managed to find plenty of talented singers, and he even got in a couple of barbs at the overly kind judging on American Idol. Watch now and don't forget to set your DVRs to see Simon and Paul back together on The X Factor!

Simon Debuts X Factor With Paula and Jokes the Show's About "Giving Older Women a Second Chance"

Katie Henry — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:43:24 PDT

Simon Cowell arrived in style for last night's screening of his new TV show, The X Factor, stepping out of his custom-built black Rolls-Royce to greet screaming fans at LA's ArcLight theater. He was the last judge to arrive on the red carpet and promptly received a kiss from his good friend Paula Abdul. X Factor reunites former American Idol judges Simon and Paula and introduces new faces L.A. Reid and Nicole Scherzinger and super-hot host Steve Jones, who's well known in the UK as a presenter. We were on hand for last night's exclusive screening of the first two episodes, which begin Sept. 21, and were happy to see Paula and Simon's infamous chemistry back in full force. L.A. adds his producing and songwriting expertise to the judging panel, while Nicole has a fresh point of view due to her years of touring the globe as a solo artist and with The Pussycat Dolls. Following the screening, the judges answered questions from fans, and according to Simon, he's finally "met his match" in fellow judge L.A. Here's more:

Simon on comparing the US to UK audiences: "They [the US] have an amazing musical knowledge . . . they were very tough on us at times when we didn't love somebody. I thought there were moments when we were going to get mauled when the audience disagreed with us. The American audience is tougher than the UK audience."
Steve on hanging backstage with contestants: "[One contestant] said I wear too much makeup and I'm nothing but a stretched Ryan Seacrest. And I was like, [sarcasm] 'Well, best of luck with your audition.'"
Paula on changing the lives of contestants: "It's an overwhelming feeling, it's a blessing to see and to feel what other people feel when they're getting that moment. It's awe inspiring. Don't take it for granted."
On major arguments over contestants:
Simon: "I'm going to let you in on a little secret: when certain girls came to audition, if they were too attractive they were known as DOA, in other words dead on arrival, and from that, Nicole was christened Sylvester, from Sylvester the Cat, and Paula became Tom, from Tom and Jerry. So we had to fight, me and L.A., to keep the attractive girls in the competition because Sylvester and Tom didn't want them in the competition and that's where, true story, most of the arguments came from. L.A., will you back me up on that?"
L.A.: "True story."
Simon on what the "X Factor" is: "When someone is brilliant it's a no-brainer. Where it got tricky, as I said before, when other factors came into play, and that's where you needed myself and L.A. Reid to be fair and balanced. I got things back on track, but that's pretty much the only time we argued."
Simon on expanding the age range of contestants: "[Joking with Paula] This show is all about giving older women a second chance."

Simon Cowell Talks His "Demented" Relationship With Paula Abdul and Why The X Factor Is a Game Changer

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:32:09 PDT

It feels like we've been waiting forever for The X Factor to come to America, but now we're just weeks away from the Sept. 21 premiere. A panel of the show's producers, host, and judges (including Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul) took the stage at the TCA to discuss what's in store for their new singing competition. Simon Cowell was tied up in St. Tropez, but that didn't stop him from answering questions and squabbling with Paula via satellite.

The judges were steadfast in their belief that The X Factor really will be a different show than American Idol. Besides having a younger age minimum (12 years old) and a very heavy mentoring program, the biggest change in my opinion is how much higher the stakes are. The winner will not only get a recording contract but will also walk away with a cool $5 million in cash. To boot, Fox announced today that the winner will also star in his/her own Pepsi commercial to air during the Super Bowl. Not too shabby.
As always, Cowell exuded confidence about the show's ability to perform. He said, "This looks like nothing else you've ever seen before," and when asked about ratings, he said, "You don't enter something for the silver medal" and added "We're going to throw everything at this to try to make it the best show on TV."
Cowell called the show "a game changer" and said they're looking for a new audience than the other singing competitions out there, like Idol and The Voice. He also added that they're hoping to introduce us to a completely new kind of contestant, thanks to different rules. "You've got to accept the fact that there will be competitive shows, and it just means you have to make the show better."
When asked if Cheryl Cole's exit from the show had anything to do with Abdul, Cowell quipped, "If it was a question of not getting along with Paula, then I wouldn't be on the show." He went on to talk about how much he loves having Scherzinger as a judge, calling her "a revelation."

To see what Paula had to say about her reunion with Simon, just

Simon Cowell Goes Shirtless and Sports Pink Swim Trunks in St. Tropez

Lindsay Miller — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:14:00 PDT

Simon Cowell hung out on a yacht in St. Tropez yesterday in a pair of pale pink swim trunks. The former American Idol judge frequently vacations in the French Riviera, and is enjoying some rare time off as he gears up for the stateside launch of The X Factor this Fall. The reality competition debuts in the USA in September, and Simon will reunite with Paula Abdul on the series. A promo for The X-Factor was released in mid-July, in which Simon pokes some fun at AI and puts up with a big kiss from Paula. L.A. Reid and Nicole Scherzinger will round out the judging panel, and Simon's European getaway is likely close to its end, as the foursome are all expected in Beverly Hills on Friday for a TCA presentation on their new venture.

Video: Simon Cowell Pokes Fun at Idol and Kisses Paula Abdul in First X-Factor Promo

PopSugar — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:10:00 PDT

The first promo for the stateside version of The X Factor features Simon Cowell mimicking his American Idol past and kissing costar Paula Abdul. Check it all out in today's PopSugar Rush!

Video: Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul Reunite For X Factor With a Kiss on the Lips!

PopSugar — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:51:32 PDT

It was a happy reunion for Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, as they kicked off auditions for The X Factor in LA over the weekend - with a kiss on the lips! It wasn't the first time these two have shown affection for each other; just take a peek at some of their past PDA moments.