“I would’ve liked to have kept [Paula]. She was very gracious, and I said that to her. She understands it’s business; it’s never personal.”

Cowell also comments on Scherzinger when adding:

“I don’t think she’s mad. I think she’s disappointed.”

Simon admits that his expectations for the show led to the firings:

“It’s only because I opened my big mouth and said we were going to get 20 million [viewers],” Cowell says. “If I hadn’t said that, everybody would be saying the show was a huge success.”

In the meantime Simon Cowell calls rumors of a Beyoncé judging slot “complete nonsense” which means she likely won’t be on the show earning $100 million per season as recently rumored

As for his choices, Simon says Madonna would be great to get but “expensive” while he thinks Katy Perry would be “fun and feisty.”

Cowell also says that Mariah Carey would be great to have on the show but he fears that just giving birth to not one but two kids would make the commitment needed for the show hard on Mariah.

Who would you like to see replace Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger on X Factor?

Simon Cowell Wanted Paula Abdul To Remain On X Factor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Simon Cowell, the zillionaire producer of American Idol and the X Factor has supposedly gone all in in his quest for the empire he dreams of.  He is reported to have offered Beyonce $500 million dollars ot join the X-factor as a judge.

While the number may seem to be a bit on the ridiculous side, MediaTakeout the originators of the rumor said they have sources well placed in Simon Cowell’s posse who said the producer is adamant he wants to breath some life into the show.

As soon as it was reported that Paula Abdul has been fired from the show by Fox the web lit up with rumors that her replacement would be either  Beyonce, Mariah Carey or Perez Hilton.

It is a little odd that Cowell would want to recruit Beyonce who is already a semi private person and has just entered into motherhood.  Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z just had a daughter named Blue Ivy.

Simon Cowell is under a lot of preassure to turn X-factor into the smash hit he promised.  American Idol was America’s number one TV show and the Cowell decide3d to leave the show, bring Abdul with him and basically bet that everything would be ok in the end.  I am sure those people at Fox who believed in him are a little upset at this point.

Do you think that Beyonce would make a good celebrity judge for the X-factor, or that she is worth $500 million dollars for the job?

[Rumor] Beyonce Offered $500 Million Dollars To Join X-Factor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Simon Cowell is cleaning house on X-Factor. It was reported earlier today that Nicole Scherzinger had been fired from the talent show and now it has been confirmed that Paula Abdul will also be leaving the show.

Speculation about Abdul’s departure started this morning when it was announced that Scherzinger and host Steve Jones had been fired. Cowell had promised 20 million viewers for “The X Factor” but the show only managed to bring in an average of 12 million viewers per show, well behind its competitor “American Idol.” Cowell is reportedly looking for bigger names to fill the vacant judges chairs.

Abdul released a statement saying:

“Yes, it’s true; I won’t be returning to ‘The X Factor’ next season. I’ve learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations… Simon and I, along with Fox and Fremantle, have been communicating about this for a while now, and I have absolute understanding of the situation.”

At the moment, Cowell and L.A. Reid are the only two people returning to “The X Factor” next season.

Abdul continued:

“Simon is, and will remain a dear friend of mine and I’ve treasured my experience working this past season with my extended family at FOX and Fremantle. I want nothing more than for ‘The X Factor’ to exceed ALL of their wildest dreams. This truly has been a blessing and I am most grateful.”

Do you think Cowell is making the right move by getting rid of the majority of people working on “The X Factor?”

Paula Abdul Leaving ‘The X Factor’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

“I won’t be hosting next season’s X Factor which is a shame. But I can’t complain as I’ve had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show.”

Simon Cowell failed to hit his viewing target of 20 million for the show, and X Factor fell well behind American Idol which got 26 million viewers. Instead, X Factor pulled in an average of 12 million viewers a show. In talking to The Daily Mirror last week, Simon Cowell talked about Steve Jones, saying:

“He got a lot of stick. I don’t think he did a bad job but, like America’s Got Talent, there is a Brit limit on the show.”

According to a source on E!, it was Scherzinger’s decision not to return:

“She wants to focus on her music career. She’s spoken to Simon [Cowell] and he’s given her his blessing. X Factor took a lot more of her time than she ever expected. She didn’t have any time really to work on her music. She was doing X Factor six days a week.”

Nicole Scherzinger has yet to respond.

Source: Sky News

Nicole Scherzinger Axed From X Factor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Melanie Amaro, who just won the $5 million prize on the X Factor is starting to plan her debut album. Amaro recently signed with Epic Records and she is hoping to work with Mariah Carey and Ne-Yo on her new album.

Amaro told Digital Spy:

“”There’s lots of people I want to work with. There so many different artists I think have so much talent that I think would really complement me and my voice. I really, really want to do a song with Mariah, like, oh my God, she is like my idol. I also want to work with Ne-Yo, cause I hear he’s a great song writer.”

Amaro, just 19, beat out over fellow finalists Josh Krajcik and Chris Rene to win X Factor’s $5 million prize. Here’s the video of her award winning performance.

Amaro will record her new album alongside X Factor judge LA Reid, who is the CEO and Chairman of Epic Records. Reid said:

“I joined The X Factor to be able to discover undeniable talent such as Melanie. I am pleased that she is now signed to Epic Records because I believe we have only scratched the surface on uncovering her talent and her inevitable journey to super-stardom.”

Simon Cowell, who served as Amaro’s mentor, will continue to be involved with her music career.

Are you a fan of Melanie Amaro? Are you excited for a Mariah Carey – Melanie Amaro duet?

Melanie Amaro Plans Debut Album, Hopes For Duet With Mariah Carey is a post from: The Inquisitr

The first ever X Factor winner (in the U.S, anyway) is teenager Melanie Amaro.

The 19-year-old, who Simon Cowell predicted would win, was crowned the show’s first champion in Thursday’s finale, and has landed a $5 million recording contract for her troubles. The young diva with the giant voice beat out bluesy rocker Josh Krajcik. Chris Rene came in third.

The show’s finale was spread over two nights. Wednesday saw the three finalists team up with a famous artist each – Amaro performed with R. Kelly, Josh Krajcik got Alanis Morissette, and Rene drew the short straw and got Avril Lavigne. In the same evening, the contestants sung two songs solo – Amaro’s winning renditions were R. Kelly’s I Believe I Can Fly and Beyoncé’s Listen.

Thursday night was – uuugh – Christmas songs. Amaro was probably the best of the three, cooing and warbling her way through All I Want for Christmas Is You.

Some pointless celebrities showed up as well, including Justin Bieber (who sung The Christmas Song with Stevie Wonder and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town with contestant and Bieber fan Drew), Leona Lewis (one of the few British X Factor winners to actually become a success), 50 Cent and Astro, and Pitbull & Ne-Yo with Marcus Canty.

We also saw all 12 contestants singing Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory, before most of them go back to tending bars/waiting tables.

Will Amaro be a success then? Speaking from a British perspective, it’s not always a certainty with The X Factor. While Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke have seen big sales, it’s probably best not to mention the name ‘Steve Brookstein’ to Simon Cowell. Brookstein was the 2004 winner of the UK show, and was last seen performing at a pub in Cornwall where people paid $4 to hear him sing. And that’s not to mention Joe McElderry, the 2009 winner who was dropped from Cowell’s Syco record label earlier this year.

Did you vote in this year’s final? And do you think Amora’s victory will her see become a future star?

And The X Factor Winner is … is a post from: The Inquisitr

Will Melanie Amaro win X Factor? There are only three contestants left and judge Simon Cowell has made his pick. Amaro is going to win X Factor.

Simon said that after Amaro’s final song last night he was sure that she was going to win. Simon said:

“I was nervous until that very last song by Melanie. If that doesn’t win the competition, I might as well give up… You know, my gut, my heart tells me that Melanie should win after tonight.”

Cowell does admit, however, that Josh Krajcik and Chris Rene also put in great performances. Simon said:

“I would have said Josh but then Chris Rene’s second performance, you could feel in the room that people liked him. I know Josh has got a lot of support.”

Here’s a video of Josh Krajcik singing Alanis Morissette.

Here’s Chris Rene singing with Avril Lavigne.

And finally, here’s Melanie Amaro with R. Kelly.

Who do you think will win X Factor tonight? The winner of tonight’s episode will take home the $5 million prize. Will it be Melanie Amaro, Chris Rene, or Josh Krajcik?

Will Melanie Amaro Be The X Factor Winner? Simon Cowell Thinks So [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rachel Crow was sent home last night after a dramatic episode of “The X Factor.” Crow, who found herself in the bottom two, could have been saved by Nicole Scherzinger, but Nicole voted to put the vote into a deadlock and let America decide.

America voted. Marcus Canty won. And the thirteen-year-old Rachel Crow broke down on stage.

Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell both voted to send Marcus Canty home, and Scherzinger could have made the decision final if she had agreed. But Scherzinger voted against Crow even though she was shocked to see the young singer in the bottom two. Scherzinger said:

“I can’t make this decision. Please, I can’t make this decision, because I’ve been up there and I know how it feels and I love and adore both of you. I have to go with a deadlock, please.”

Here’s the video of Rachel Crow’s elimination.

Even though Crow was devastated on stage, the young girl said that she wasn’t upset with Scherzinger’s decision. Crow told E!:

“I feel really bad. Nicole was so sad. I saw her in her room and she was still crying. I hugged her and it was okay. She’s fine. She’s amazing. It was not her fault.”

Despiter her elimination, Simon Cowell had some encouraging words for the young singer. Cowell said:

“I want to say that I want to thank everyone who voted for this young girl. I believe that she went out on the highest she could have gone out on and like I said, from the very first time I met you, we’re going to be hearing a lot more about Rachel Crow. I’ll give you my word on that.”

Last week, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger received death threats after they voted off Drew Ryniewicz from the X Factor. Cowell asked viewers to try to keep their emotions in check, or as Cowell put it, “get a life.”

What do you think of Rachel Crow’s elimination from “The X Factor?” Did you vote for her?

Rachel Crow Breaks Down on Stage After ‘X Factor’ Elimination [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger voted X-Factor contestant Drew Ryniewicz they probably assumed that “the show would go on” as the saying goes but instead they were met with death threats. Now the former X-Factor contestant has taken to the public pulpit to personally support Paula and Nicole.

As I previously reported Paula and Nicole received X-Factor motivated death threats on Twitter and Facebook after voting off the 14-year-old contestant, among the worst threats was the following tweet:

“F**K you paula you dumb c**t you voted off the most talented person on your f**king show. i hope you die you DUMB B***H.”

Now Drew is speaking out, telling fans who have made the threat:

“That’s not what I represent and that’s not what I want my fans to represent.”

Drew adds:

“No one deserves death threats.”

Perhaps “Bieber Fever” is becoming contagious for fans of other stars now, after all a death threat over a reality TV based talent show is extreme and quite honestly extremely pathetic on the part of the attackers.

Are you surprised by the rabid nature of several Drew Ryniewicz fans?

Former X-Factor Contestant Drew Ryniewicz Asks Fans To Stop Death Threats is a post from: The Inquisitr

X-Factor judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger have begun to receive death threats after they voted off Drew Ryniewicz during this weeks airing of the popular Fox TV music talent show.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that Paula and Nicole both received the cold shoulder from Simon Cowell after the show, they then began receiving disturbing messages on Facebook and Twitter which included:

– “F**K you paula you dumb c**t you voted off the most talented person on your f**king show. i hope you die you DUMB B***H.”

– “I hope you die, you selfish———-”

– “@NicoleScherzy @paulaabdul go die”

According to show officials both Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger were extremely surprised to see such an outpouring of hate over their decision to cut Ryniewicz.

Are you surprised by the length some fans will go to when supporting a new rising artist that hasn’t really produced anything of their own worth listening to at this point?

X-Factor’s Female Judges Receive Death Threats is a post from: The Inquisitr

X Factor contestant Stacy Francis says her music is “very honest” but apparently that’s where the honesty ends. During the singers show audition she claimed to be an unemployed single mom of two who has struggled for the past 12 years when in actuality she has found quite a bit of success over that time period.

On her now deleted website StacyFrancis.com the singer listed several high-profile gigs including a role on the Oprah Winfrey produced TV movie Girlfriends along with Broadway plays Street Corner Symphony and Footloose. 

According to the deleted website:

“Other noted performances include singing background vocals for Madonna and having the privilege of performing in concert beside Prince - he featured her with his band,” read the site. “An ardent desire to perform in musical theater lead to a starring role opposite the legendary recording artist, Chaka Kahn in the West End production of ‘Mama I want to Sing” in London.’ “

It has also been revealed that Francis has performed in Tokyo and starred in Born to Sing at Madison Square Garden beside gospel stars CeCe Winan and Shirley Caesar.

Following news of her deception she tweeted:

“If I am such a huge star. I have a question for all of my NEW FANS!?? DID YOU KNOW MY NAME B4 The Xfactor?? No u didn’t Simon discovered me.”

What Stacy doesn’t explain is why her website was suddenly deleted after it was discovered.

Do you think the way Francis portrayed herself as an unemployed mom during her X Factor audition was untruthful and does her past work not necessarily mean anything in terms of competing on X-Factor?

‘X Factor’ Contestant Stacy Francis Lied About Her Past is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apparently American Idol fans didn’t really care that their favorite show featured Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, they were tuning in to watch the shows format and emerging singers, something they didn’t do for the premiere week of Cowell’s new singing competition show X-Factor.

According to TV ratings company Nielsen the US debut of the show took in just 12.4 viewers far less than the 26.1 million viewers who tuned in to catch the season 10 premiere of American Idol.

In fact the show couldn’t even win the night with three shows ahead in the ratings; Modern Family (14.3 Million), Criminal Minds (14.1 million) and CSI (12.6 million).

Apparent the top prize of $5 million and the promise of Cowell and Adbul clashes simply weren’t enough for Idol fans to make the jump over to the new show.

Do you think X-Factor will pick up more fans based off the talent they demonstrated during the first week or is the show a big misstep for Simon Cowell who is reportedly making hundreds of millions from the series?

X-Factor Ratings Can’t Topple Cowell’s American Idol Days [Neilsen Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the clip, “internet blogger” Geo Godley seemed like your standard comic-relief contestant. Somewhat older, scads creepier and obviously less performance-focused than your average TV talent show contender, Godley showed up in a bizarre velvety silver leisure suit to perform a song he’d written.

But not long into the performance- as the words “stud” came up- Godley dropped his pants, much to the disgust of the crowd and judges. Paula Abdul in particular was very affected by the crass performance, although notably, the reaction could very well have been staged. While crowd shots as well as the judge reactions seem to indicate Godley entirely flashed the crowd- or even more plainly, that he is waving his dangle at them- what the giant “X” over the area does not reveal is that the contestant is actually wearing a thong.

As harried parents whisk kids out of the auditorium and Abdul gags, Godley isn’t made to stop- which should be a clue right there that the scene was a bit overwrought. Abdul then flees the judges’ table, and later commented:

“Something wasn’t right. It was like, ‘This isn’t a real, serious contender.’ Then, when he started stripping, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ It immediately turned into being very shocking and disgusting. I felt bad. There were parents in the audience with their kids and seeing them leave the arena was very frustrating.”

Abdul also sniffed:

“It was completely inappropriate, and as you can see, a little bit delusional of him to say ‘I have another song’. The fact that he thought that it would be OK to do that is just rather disgusting.”

Full clip below- did Paula Abdul overreact, based on the fact it wasn’t nudity?

Paula Abdul Storms off X-Factor Set After Contestant Drops Pants is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are you ready to ditch American Idol for something new? Simon Cowell is banking on that fact with his new series The X Factor which once again places singing contestants up against one another.

Unlike American Idol the show is open to singers and bands and it appears that all auditions are handled right on the big stage in front of sold-out crowds, quite the nerve racking experience and something America’s Got Talent contestants are familiar with.

Funny fact about the show, while American Idol judges are always seen with “Coke” cups for their refreshments, Simon and his team for X Factor are now sipping out of Pepsi cups, which Paula Abdul probably has filled with something more “potent.”

The X Factor also has no age limit like Idol and the top prize is the highest in TV history at $5 million.

The show debuts on Fox on September 21, in the meantime here’s the eight-minute preview:

Fox TV bought the rights to the show for $60 million and early reports say the deal could net Simon Cowell upwards of $500 million on the backend, which explains why he turned down a reported $30+ million per season to stay with American Idol.

Are you ready to tune into another Simon Cowell helmed project?

X-Factor Debuts Exclusive 8-Minute Preview [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

An 86-year-old X-Factor contestant is suing show creator Simon Cowell because the former American Idol judge made him sing when it was hot outside.

According to the lawsuit, Cowell subjected the senior citizen to a “punishing physical ordeal” that made it impossible for the elder singer to compete at his best possible level on the show.

The lawsuit was filed by Hyman Marks, his 78-year-old wife Helen and their son Stephen, 54 and named The X Factor and FOX Broadcasting in the lawsuit.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla, residents say they were forced to film promotion scenes in 96-degree temperatures in Miami during the month of June, scenes that left them to perform “below their best on stage.”

The lawsuit says:

“Forcing an 86-year-old man with a bad knee and a 78-year-old woman who walks even slower, and a 54-year-old man with very bad asthma to do all this was unfair and discriminatory, since none of the other contestants had to go through this.”

When asked for the ages of his wife and son on stage Hyman was so exhausted claims the lawsuit that he couldn’t remember their names.

The pair had performed in front of judges on April 7, earning them the chance to perform in front of the judging panel which includes Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid and Nicole Scherzinger, creator of the popular Pussycat Dolls.

The Marks’ have requested $3 million in damages and the chance to audition once again for the show.

I for one would like to know how the 86-year-old singer expected to perform under the blaring hot lights of stages around the world had he won the competition, I’ve scene young singers finish a gallon of water on stage during 2-hour performances.

Mark my words, this lawsuit is going nowhere but away.

Simon Cowell Sued By 86-Year-Old X-Factor Contestant is a post from: The Inquisitr

Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul are reuniting, this time as judges on Cowell’s The X Factor which will debut later in the year.

Abdul has long been a favorite to join Cowell on the new shows judging panel, however sources close to negotiations say she waited until the eve of the show’s first taping to complete contract talks.

At this time reps for Paula are not commenting and FOX, the network behind the show, have refused to comment on Abdul’s return to their network as a judge.

When questioned about her relationship with CBS and any ties that could have been holding up talks at FOX a CBS rep speaking on the condition of anonymity announced on Saturday that she was not tied to the network in any way.

Abdul will begin work immediately, showing up for Sunday’s taping in Los Angeles when judges will begin to weed out competitors for the show which will feature a $5 million prize and a recording contract, the largest single prize in game show history.

Judges already announced for the show include producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid and British pop superstar Cheryl Cole.

Co-Hosting the show will be British TV personality Steve Jones and Pussy Cat Dolls frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger.

Contests 12-years-old and up are allowed to audition and the show will feature both solo artists and groups.

Paula Abdul Joins Simon Cowell On ‘X-Factor’ Judging Panel is a post from: The Inquisitr

Simon Cowell on Monday announced that the very pregnant Mariah Carey would be appearing in some type of role on The X Factor when it debuts on Fox in September.

While speaking with 92.9ZZU in Spokane, Washington he said:

“I think Mariah will have a role on the TV live shows,” while adding, “I met her recently and she was on great form. And her idea was to be the judge of the judges, which only Mariah could come up with. She’ll be involved in some form. I literally adore her. I love her to bits.”

The announcement comes only a short period of time after Cowell announced that Mariah turned down a judging position on the show:

“I can tell you officially that Mariah will not be on the panel, mainly because I think she’s still gonna be pregnant at the time we start filming and she’s gonna need some time off. She couldn’t start working straight away, and they’re long days, but we’re hopeful there will be a role for her – and I’m not sure what yet – on the live shows.”

What type of role would you like to see Mariah take on The X-Factor.

With $5 million and a recording contract up for stakes, one thing is for certain, the contestants will want whoever sides with their voices.

Mariah Carey Will Have “Some Type of Role” On X-Factor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Appearing this morning on KIIS-FM’s On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Rihanna revealed that she would have loved to be on the show but her schedule is just too crazy at the moment.

Rihanna told Seacrest:

“I just heard about it actually, but, yes, it’s something that I would have loved to do, actually. But our schedule doesn’t allow,” adding, “We’re gonna be on tour for the rest of the year and it’s a demanding schedule to be on that show. You have to kind of be around for a long time, months at a time, which is impossible for me… I’ll be on tour for the rest of the year.”

The show, which offers singers and bands the ability to compete against eachother for a $5 million prize is sure to be a hit with Simon Cowell at the helm alongside Def Jam boss Antonio “LA” Reid and still yet to be announced judges.

When the show premieres in September the recording contract with it’s $5 million top prize will be the biggest grand prize in TV history.

Rihanna Turned Down ‘X-Factor’ Judging Spot is a post from: The Inquisitr

This year music history was written. The last four years the winner of Simon Cowell’s X-Factor has been the prestigious number one christmas single. But this year a christmas miracle happened. Rage Against The Machine beat X-Factor winner 18 year-old Joe McElderry by 50,000 downloads.

This is the first time a song that is only available online has become the number one christmas single. When “Killing in the Name” was first released back in the 90′s it topped at number 25. Jon and Tracy Morter started the Facebook group and with that a charity collection benefitting homeless organization SHELTER.

The charity has collected $125,000 so far. “Rage” will also give away the surplus from the singles sale. “Rage” has also promised to perform a free concert in the UK in 2010.

“Rage” guitarist Tom Morrello hit it spot on with this comment:”it had tapped into the silent majority of the people in the UK who are tired of being spoon-fed one schmaltzy ballad after another”.

Joe McElderry had the following comments: “It’s been exciting to be part of a much-hyped battle and they definitely deserve congratulations. This time last year I never thought for one minute that I’d win The X Factor, never mind about having a debut single out, so I’m just delighted to be in the charts. It’s been such an incredible couple of months and I got the best Christmas gift I could ever have asked for in winning The X Factor.”

The entire “campaign/movement” is designed to last only one week, there is still plenty of time for McElderry’s pop to take the number one spot saving him the indignity of being the first X-Factor single not to hit number one.

Personally I think this is a fine example of what Jeff Howe calls “Power of the Crowd”, but it probably demands a cause that is bigger than cheap gasoline and global warming (!?)

Source: BBC

Rage Against The Machine is #1 Christmas Hit in the UK is a post from: The Inquisitr

Amy Winehouse, the trainwreck that nobody can look away from has been interviewed over the intercom, in 6 minutes of cringe worthy entertainment, disguised as journalism.

The Youtube video helpfully has a translation, if you like, don’t understand what Amy is on about.

Quick round up:  she repeatedly says she isn’t drunk, blames Simon Cowell for everything that’s wrong with the world (she might have a point) and offers to bet $100k on the result of the next X Factor vote.  She also proceeds to give what I am sure in her head, sounded like an insightful political commentary on why the alright singers get voted off X factor.

It is also clear that she still loves her husband, talking about his embarrassing taste in music.  When the interviewer asks her if she is getting divorced, she says maybe they should run away together. With the paparazzi flashes going off in the background, you can’t help but feel sorry for her.

object width=”425″ height=”344″>

Amy Winehouse Interviewed by Intercom is a post from: The Inquisitr