Richard Rushfield wrote an article in The Daily Beast today about why Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol after the current season. Speculation existed that Simon was merely leaving to helm his own show (an American version of Britain's X Factor), but Richard suggests that there was also bad blood on the Idol set. The article sugges that Simon Cowell was upset that Idol producer Simon Fuller was raking in the dough, whereas Simon Cowell was seen as merely on-air talent and wasn't getting a behind-the-scenes take (Cowell makes an estimated $50 million a year from the show, so it's safe to say Fuller must be making a ton more). Simon started to assert himself more by creating shows like American Inventor and America's Got Talent, eventually clashing more and more with the producers of Idol. Now Simon is poised to leave Idol and make a larger fortune if he can get X Factor off the ground and running, especially with Paula Abdul. If X Factor has Paula and Simon, while Idol has Kara and Randy, it's a safe bet that Idol's ratings would tank. So Simon Cowell has been plotting the end of Idol all this time? Who knew we were working on the same side as him? The article is a good read, so check it out.
Now that Paula Abdul is off of Idol, she's letting the fur fly by ragging on her ex-roommate Kara DioGuardi. Paula discovered Kara (thanks a lot...) and let Kara live with her. But she wasn't happy when she found out that Kara walks to the fridge and eats all of the food in her sleep. Paula had some funny things to say:
"I'd wake up in the morning and I thought ‘did my dog do this?’ There was food on the ground. ‘What the heck?’ I thought. But she would have no recollection that she did it."
And it seemed this was quite a topic of conversation among their friendship circle.
"The proof is in the pudding, one of her best friends said ‘oh you think you had it bad? She ate mine and my husband’s first anniversary wedding cake... in her sleep.’ So I didn’t feel so bad," Abdul continued.
How shocking. Kara has always been doing annoying things. If anyone has video of Kara sleep-eating, we'll pay for it.
The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Simon Cowell's negotiations over American Idol are heavily based on bringing his other hit show, X Factor, from England to America as well. Simon stands to make $50 million a year on Idol and an additional $50 million for X Factor if all goes well for him. The best nuggest of gossip from the article though is that Paula Abdul is rumored to possibly be one of the judges for the US version of X Factor if it does make its way here. Now that might make us tune in. Idol dropped the ball when it dropped Paula, so bringing her back as a judge on a new show is wise indeed. Or was it all a big publicity stunt to have Paula quit after she inked a deal to judge X Factor? Knowing Fremantle, probably the latter.
Paula imitated Ellen DeGeners on VH1 Divas last night, and here's the clip. Thankfully, Paula seems like the good old Paula we all know and love (assisted by the aid of an unknown substance). We miss her already!
In a move to save face, poor Paula Abdul tweets that she is happy that Ellen DeGeneres is the new Idol judge that is replacing her:
I think Ellen will b a gr8 judge on Idol. She is wildly funny, talented and I wish her the best of luck!
We know Paula must be pissed off, but don't worry. A few more pills and she'll be airing her real feelings soon. Miss ya, Paula!
Ellen DeGeneres just twittered that she is the new 4th judge on American Idol, Paula Abdul's permanent replacement. NO! While we like Ellen, she's no Paula. We want a drunken mess who judges songs before they happen. We want a belligerent pill popper who falls out of her seat crying when the resident boy toy is kicked off the show. We want someone who lets people draw mustaches on her face in crayon. Ellen is none of this. You hear that, DeGeneres? Even though you haven't done anything to upset us yet, you better watch out since you're replacing our beloved Pauler. This is just a travesty. A travesty. Here is the closest thing we could find to a picture of Ellen looking drunk. It's not even close. Boo.
American Idol confirmed it. Dammit.
So what do you think? Is Idol toast now that Simon's leaving? Leave a comment.