American Idol's Cowell has advice for U.S. pols

Beneath the blizzard of political punditry during this primary season, one voice, perhaps the voice most qualified to speak about what the American public wants in its candidates, has been buried and gone unheard.

In an obscure interview (not available online) with Patrick J.D. Kennedy of Frank, the journal of the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Ark., Simon Cowell took time out from the weighty business of selecting America's next singing superstar to opine on the relatively obscure fluff of electoral politics.  His advice: Be more like him, unleash whatever gush or venom comes into your head, and the voters will flock to your door.

After qualifying that with "I would never go into politics," Judge #3 says:

"What I've learned from being on 'Idol' is that most people, whether in Great Britain or America, do not think in a politically correct way -- thank God. I just talk in a normal language so that people at home understand what I'm saying, which is important in politics as well."

Other highlights from the interview:

"My advice for anyone in politics is tell the truth and don't set yourself up to be a perfect human being. We all have our faults and our weaknesses, but it's amazing how quickly an audience will accept if you're honest. They will accept your faults as well.  Sometimes, when I listen to politicians speak, I think, 'Why don't you talk to me like a human being, because then I'll understand you.'

"I think political correctness is right now becoming an epidemic, and it's a problem. There are increasingly more rules coming into society, and if you create one rule, then you have to create another. The average person doesn't understand that, because it's basically saying you must behave in a particular way, which is wrong."

This complete Cowell blog item is available on The Times' Show Tracker blog here.

Comments

[Kristi]

Thanks for this advice Simon...you are absolutely correct and I'm sure the reason for your success. Speaking the truth is why I admire and will vote for Republican Presidential Candidate Ron Paul 2008.

[Tannim]

He may be blunt and have a tin ear at times, but Simon Says the truth here.

How about he produce "American President"? Use the Idol format for potential candidates, narrow it down using political debates, talking points, presentation skills, marketing, campaign productions, etc, and the people vote off one candiate a week. Judges could be one Democrat, one Republican, one Libertarian, one Green, and one independent. Oh yeah, make it independent of political parties for the candidates to get rid of that label and make it based on merits of ideas, not party labels as well.

Seems to me that would make better TV than these debates and pathetically biased and inaccurate election coverage we see from the Old Media now!

[Chris in Silicon Valley]

'Why don't you talk to me like a human being, because then I'll understand you?'
Dr. Ron Paul does this. He is a rare thing. That is why he has so many die-hard supporters.