|
21
January 2007
Simon
Cowell Defends Idol Mean
Streak
American
Idol judges and
producers have hit back
at criticism that the
new series of the talent
show is too mean.
More
than 37 million people
tuned in to see the
sixth series start - a
record for the show. But
some critics have said
it is more cruel than
ever.
Judge
Simon
Cowell
told one hopeful he
looked like "one of
those creatures that
live in the jungle with
those massive eyes. Bush
babies?"
Simon
Cowell told reporters:
"If you don't want to
hear that, don't show
up."
Simon
Cowell is known for his
blunt put-downs on
American Idol, America's
Got Talent and the UK's
X Factor. He said the
"bush baby" comment was
an "off-the-cuff
remark".
"If
he's offended, then I
apologise," he said. "I
might never call anyone
a bush baby
again."
Executive
Producer Ken Warwick
said viewers liked to
see the worst singers.
"It's more the bad
singers that will bring
in the ratings," he
said.
And
Peter Liguori,
entertainment president
of TV network Fox, said:
"Let's face it, the show
has been on the air six
years, the judges have
been critical for six
years."
Simon
Cowell also called one
tall contestant a
"giraffe" and asked an
overweight singer if he
"borrowed Randy's
pants", referring to
fellow judge Randy
Jackson.
"It
just seems like they're
being a lot meaner,"
said another
unsuccessful contestant
Jessica Rhode, who fell
to her knees and wept
before the
judges.
The
new series has also come
in for criticism from
talk show host Rosie
O'Donnell, who said the
judges should not "make
fun of someone's
physical appearance and
then when they leave the
room laugh
hysterically".
Entertainment
Weekly critic Michael
Slezak wrote: "The
American Idol auditions
in Seattle sometimes
crossed the line into
outright
cruelty."
And
the San Francisco
Chronicle's David
Wiegand said: "The
judges are either
seriously off their
game, or have just
gotten tired of
themselves." Much of the
show was "uncomfortably
sad", he
wrote.
Return
To News
Index
|
