Simon Cowell looks ahead to Season 8

As the drumbeat toward Season 8 continues (27 days to go), the world’s peek inside the season-to-be continued this morning as hizzonner Judge Simon Cowell addressed the media in a national conference call.  In topics including the format changes, the fourth judge and his own plans for the future, Cowell expressed a typically candid sense of uncertainty about how the changes would work out but cautious optimism that the season was shaping up well.

Asked about the addition of Kara DioGuardi as a fourth judge to the lineup, Cowell said, “I have no idea whether this is going to work or not, because I haven’t seen the shows back yet.  The thing I do support is at least trying new things. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

On the wild-card round being added this season: “I think it’s a good idea.  I wasn’t crazy about the process we went through the last couple years where we were given a group of contestants that you were bored with by show 5.”  He expressed confidence that judicial intervention would help insure some more interesting personalities stuck around to keep things lively.

On whether the guys are stronger this year than the girls: “My memory of that overall is the guys overall, maybe five or six of them were stronger.  But I’ve said this in the past and I’ve been wrong.”

On the overall crop: “My feeling having done the Hollywood round is that we’ve got an
interesting bunch.  Last year it became the battle of the blonds and you couldn’t tell one
from the other.  This year they stand out and are different and they are standing up for
themselves a bit more.  I’m actually optimistic.”

On rumors that the Emmys are adding a category for best reality judge: “It’s a good thing
providing I win and it’s a bad thing if I lose…But I wouldn’t hold my breath on winning.”

On the new judge herself: "She’s got experience, she’s written hit songs, she’s got an
opinion which is very very important and she talks a lot…She knows what the end product is.

"She’s not snobby about this kind of music which some people can be.”

On diversity in the contestant field: “Trying to be as broad and open minded as possible so
that we don’t end up with 12 people from the 'Stepford Wives.'  I think personality is as
important as talent. What you hope you end up with is somebody like Fantasia who is not only
a great singer but is an incredible person who has a great vibe.”

Inevitably, on Paula Goodspeed's apparent suicide: “We’re talking about a tragedy here so I really
don’t like talking about this person as a stalker.  My regret in all of this is we didn’t
know how troubled this person is but we really didn’t know…The process is its open
auditions, we don’t research people…I assume that everyone who audtions knows what it’s like
to audition, i.e., if you’re not very good you’re going to get criticized.”  He continued,
saying that often before the taping of the auditions, the judges will go out and remind
people that they may get criticized and if they can’t handle that they should leave. 

On the producers and their involvement in the tragedy: “These guys have the upmost integrity
as human beings.  We're taking them at their word that they didn’t know she was as troubled
as she was.  I spoke to them after the incident they were absolutely horrified.  These
aren’t bad guys, these are the people who decided to do 'Idol Gives Back' and raised $125
million for charity."

On the two female judges ganging up on him: “What guy would like that? One is difficult. Two
is unbearable.”

On the decision not to do "Idol Gives Back" this year: “From my perspective, the reason we
haven’t done this is this, with what’s happening in the world I don’t think it feels right
to tell people who are having trouble with mortgage that they need to be giving money…
We will be doing this again it just didn’t feel appropriate this year.”

On whether the tragedy will lead to him restraining his barbs in the auditions:  “I’ve
thought long and hard about it and I think the answer to the question is I think we will
continue the way we’ve always done.  In the main I think we try to do it with humor
I’ve always thought that it was important to show people at home that when bad singers come
in and they’re not very good then its time to give up that kind of dream and get a normal
job…When something like this happens it does make you take a step back but you assume that
everyone who auditions for 'American Idol' kind of knows the score. That if you’re not very
good you’re going to get criticism.”

On singers with previous recording experience: “I don’t think there are as many as last
year…Really I prefer if they are kind of new people and haven’t had that kind of experience.
It doesn’t seem quite fair. Having said that the Irish girl in particular was a great
singer.”

On whether Britney Spears should come to the Idoldome: “I would love to have her mentor the
contestants or to perform. She would be very very welcome.”

On his own "Idol" journey: “When I first did 'American Idol' the one thing I made sure I had was
a return ticket because I genuinely thought we’d be off the air in 3 or 4 weeks but it
worked out a lot better.  They’ve been smart that they haven’t been greedy about it and they
haven’t put it on twice a year because it would kill the process. It’s been the best 8 years
of my life. Absolutely fantastic.”

On whether he will re-up when his contract ends after next season: “I’ll make the decision
next year with what I do as an onscreen judge. I’ve got two other shows and it is a big
schedule now and it’s hard.”

--Richard Rushfield

Photo: Fox