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As part of the reality show X Factor, select contestants are distributed amongst the judges and sent to a variety of locations around the world to train in the judges’ house portion of the competition, where Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh will mentor them until the live performances. It has been revealed that Dannii’s crew will be in Melbourne, Australia so she can care for her new baby and work. Louis, along with guest Sharon Osbourne, will be hosting in Ireland. Simon will be in Spain. And Cheryl is in LA so she can work on her album while performing coaching duty. Everyone is spread out!

Piers Morgan is not shy about revealing his small-screen ambitions.

“I want to do a talk show in America,” the former editor of the Daily Mirror declared.

The 45-year-old is rumoured to be in the running to replace talk show veteran Larry King when the 76-year-old retries later this year.

“Whoever fills Larry King’s suspenders is going to have to be doing a pretty good job,” he said.

The America’s Got Talent judge went on to reveal his dream guest.

“I’d love to do Simon Cowell,” Morgan told E Online.

“We had round one in Britain and I nearly took him down, made him cry.”

Source: Splash News

American Idol judge Simon Cowell has reached into his own pocket to help a 12-year-old girl fighting a rare form of cancer get to Disney World.

The X Factor star recently met Megan Kershaw, who has had three-quarters of her liver removed and endured 18 months of chemotherapy.

Cowell heard that she had created a ‘wish board’ that included meeting him and Girls Aloud, and a dream trip to Disney World in Florida.

“This is wonderful. Megan is really excited, she can’t wait, she is counting down the days. It’s lovely to see,” her mother Deborah said.

“People have been so generous raising money and now Simon Cowell has been so generous too,” she told the Mirror.

“I think he was touched by her story and Megan’s determination to beat cancer. It will be really emotional for me to see her finally getting to Disney World after all we have been through,” she explained.

“Megan is a very brave girl. I’m glad I could help,” Cowell said.

Source: Splash News

There are rumored to be some big shake ups on American Idol next season now that Nigel Lythgoe is in talks to return as executive producer. Some people are saying that he wants to completely take apart the judges’ panel and start from scratch. However, he can’t do that due to the contracts of Randy Jackson and Ellen DeGeneres. That does leave Kara DioGuardi free for the booting. Nigel allegedly wants to take over Simon Cowell’s spot as the judge and if they can’t find a fourth judge that he deems appropriate, sources are saying that the panel will go back to having three judges. It looks like he isn’t messing around. Would you be sad to see Kara leave?

American Idol judge Simon Cowell has banned his make-up artist fiancée from powdering his nose on the show, according to reports.

Cowell, 50, is reportedly engaged to celebrity make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy, 36, who has done his make-up for the past eight years on the US talent show.

But Cowell, who is currently filming the X Factor in the UK, has reportedly hired another make-up artist, Julia Carter, for the show.

However, that didn’t stop Hussainy from stepping in recently to touch up his make-up during a break in filming in London.

An onlooker told UK newspaper, the Sunday Mirror: “Simon looked like a little boy being fussed over by his mum and his aunty. He’d already had his make-up retouched, but Mezhgan seemed to feel she knew her man’s face better and took it upon herself to give Simon a bit of attention.”

Since then, however, Hussainy has been spotted sitting in the audience and leaving his make-up to other people.

The source added: “She didn’t approach the judges’ tables once. She stayed in her seat until Simon collected her during a break in filming.”

Source: Splash News

Simon Cowell and Ricky Minor weren’t the only American Idol regulars that said goodbye to the show last week. Dorian Holley, the Vocal Coach and Associate Musical Director, also said goodbye to the show and, just like band leader Ricky, is also heading for The Tonight Show. Dorian was also the Vocal Director for Michael Jackson and was a key part in the London tour that never happened. Dorian will become the lead singer in The Tonight Show band. So if you’re looking for a job behind the scenes in Hollywood, there are a lot of openings on American Idol.

Literally, yes, but only for a day… and with good reason too. It seems that Simon Cowell recently hosted a charity day for a children’s hospital at his home. There the former American Idol judge dressed as a clown with the full equipment: red nose, make-up… the works. And with only this Simon Cowell managed to raise one million dollars for the hospital in question… that’s not too bad for one day’s work. Maybe he can do the same on his American version of The X factor just to spice up the ratings a bit… not that he has too many competitors for the audience.

Yet another one of those delightful surprises that the 18% less people who watched the very last episode of this year’s American Idol season had the privilege of witnessing. Paula Abdul came back… and she came especially so she could say goodbye to Simon Cowell. This was the long-awaited, heart-felt speech she gave: “American Idol’s not going to be the same without you, but, as only I can tell you, it will go on.” So few words for such a monumental appearance… and yes, the show is going to carry on. Probably much like a man in the desert dying of thirst… slowly crawling to the ultimate doom. Simon Cowell was apparently moved by her presence there… or so he claimed. Those 18% probably didn’t believe so, that’s why they desired to watch something else.
I love Janet Jackson new haircut on American Idol

She has to make a living somehow, doesn’t she? After all, guest appearances can only go so far. Paula Abdul will be appearing as the lead judge in a new dancing reality TV show called “Got to Dance”. She is also the executive producer which means that Paula Abdul might just be starting an industry of her own. Still, there remain some unresolved matters with regards to her participation on Simon Cowell’s American version of The X Factor since she seems to have quite a load of work on her hands now. Whatever will poor Simon Cowell do about this?

Glee star Jane Lynch showed her softer side posing with two pooches.

The 49-year-old actress beamed with joy as she teamed up with her furry friends for a new PETA campaign.

“Having dogs and cats who I love so thoroughly has made me a better partner, has made me a better friend,” she said.

“And the love is so unconditional from the animals … you start to transfer that to human beings. I’ve just become a much better person because of my love for animals.”

Lynch, who is known for playing opinionated Cheerios coach Sue Sylvester on Glee, is the face of a new PETA campaign encouraging pet owners to spay or neuter their dogs and cats.

The actress joins a string a celebrities, including Simon Cowell, Mickey Rourke and Patricia Arquette, who want to curb the animal overpopulation crisis.

“The good folks at PETA asked me to say a few words about the importance of good posture and personal hygiene, but I don’t want to talk about that,” Lynch says in her public service announcement.

“I want to talk about the 4 million dogs and cats who are euthanised every year because there aren’t enough homes for all of them.”

She then explains that the best way to solve the animal overpopulation problem is to get people to “fix” their cats and dogs.

Source: Splash News

American Idol judge Simon Cowell is reportedly planning to hold his wedding on Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

Cowell, 50, is engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy, 36, and there were recent reports that he is planning a wedding at four different venues.

However, he said to UK’s Reveal magazine: “There was a story that the wedding was going to be at four venues. That was a crazy story. It’s not true.

“Nothing is concrete and I’m not making any announcement yet. I’ve been too busy with the TV shows. Everything is fine, though, and will be sorted soon.”

Sources say to the magazine that Cowell’s people are looking at private islands for the nuptials, and the favourite is currently Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.

Source: Splash News

Simon Cowell is playing hard ball with Dannii Minogue over The X-Factor.

The pregnant talent show judge and sister of Kylie jetted out of the UK to Australia to fulfil her rival judging commitment on Australia’s Got Talent. Cowell, who has expressed his own uncertainty about her future on The X-Factor, laid some terms out to her, according to the Sun newspaper.

Cowell is demanding to be assured Minogue is in good health, able to give the show her full attention and to fulfill her mentor duties to the show’s often fretful contestants.

A source close to Minogue, whose due date is mid-year, said: “Simon is genuinely concerned about whether Dannii will be able to cope with the show. It’s hard enough for someone who doesn’t have young kids.

“As well as the actual show, there is the mentoring and all the backbiting and bitchiness that goes with that. It’s not easy keeping sane when you’re surrounded by youngsters desperate for fame who are relying on you to tell them what to do.”

Minogue, 38, and her Australia-based British boyfriend, Kris Smith, have vowed to have their first child in Australia and raise it there. Minogue, according to the Sun report, wants to return to the X-Factor in the UK – after early rounds that she will miss by giving birth in Australia.

Source: Splash News

Simon Cowell is reportedly adamant on landing Cheryl Cole as a judge on the US version of X Factor and is offering the British pop singer a $2.2 million deal to make sure she’s his first priority. A source said “Getting the right combination for the panel is imperative and Cheryl ticks all the boxes. She is sassy, sexy, confident and knows her stuff musically. Her profile may not be large Stateside yet, but Simon thinks that will work to his advantage as there’s an element of mystery about Cheryl which is lacking from so many US stars. The money on offer is huge, but he knows it has to be a lot to persuade her to uproot, albeit temporarily.”

Last November, it was reported that Sting had lashed out at Simon Cowell and his shows American Idol and X Factor, calling them televised karaoke and preposterous. The famed judge and music mogul must have let those comments sit for a while because he just bit back at the singer. Simon said “First of all, anybody who at the age of 60 calls himself Sting is an idiot. I find those kind of people… who come from quite humble beginnings and they’re (now) living in these stately homes, professing to know everything about everything in the world, and what the contestants may or may not feel… They can say that because they’ve got everything they want in their lives, but what they’re really saying is anybody else who needs a shot shouldn’t be allowed to do it.” I’m on Team Simon on this one. If the shows are just what Sting calls they are, we wouldn’t have the likes of Carrie Underwood and Leona Lewis around.

Simon Cowell might be the star of the hottest musical entertainment vehicle,The American Idol and The X-Factor, but he can’t operate the hottest musical accessory on the planet.

Cowell in his tell-all to Piers Morgan admitted he is flustered by the i-Pod. He suggested the i-Pod was too much of an isolating tool – and that there was no shortage of i-Pods crossing his path.

He said: “I keep getting given them and I don’t know how to use them. I can’t bear somebody who sits with an iPod on and you can kind of half hear it. That’s boring. I like to listen to music in a more social type of thing. I’m not somebody who would put a record on on my own and get into the lyrics. I’m an old soul so I like anything from Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, kind of classic R’n'B, or I love the whole big band era.”

Source: Splash News

The American Idol contestant seems to have stumbled and fallen… and from the looks of things, broken some limbs and ribs in the process as well. Haeley Vaughn’s song choice for last night was Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb”… which doesn’t do her well at all. Randy Jackson’s opinion is pretty clear: “It didn’t work for me, man. …It was so pitchy and so just not right for you. You had no connection to the song, at all.” Simon Cowell doesn’t want Randy to get ahead of him with the blunt comments so he just lets it out: “It was a complete and utter mess.” It looks like Haeley Vaugh will be on the first plane back home… unless the public really wants to piss a certain judge off and they will disregard his blunt opinion.

The American Idol contestant who finished on sixth place in the shows fourth season recently put his opinion about its future to words. This is what Constantine Maroulis said about the future of American Idol, especially considering Simon Cowell won’t be around after the current season: “It’s unfortunate. He’s a mogul and going to go on to greater and greater things … but the show is really going to miss him. I hope they just end it after this year.” Spoken like a true disciple… or a mindless servant-drone, whichever view Constantine Maroulis embraces. It probably won’t be long until he expresses his support of Simon Cowell’s upcoming American version of The X Factor.

Ellen DeGeneres has been shunted to the end of the American Idol panel.

The 52-year-old talk show host was given a seat at the far left of the judges’ desk for the first episode of the Idol live shows.

Previously, during the pre-recorded auditions, she was at the centre of the panel, next to music mogul Simon Cowell.

DeGeneres seemed to take the change in good spirits and joked that it was due to a falling out with Cowell.

She said: “The problem is, Simon wants me. He’s got like a thing for me. I get it Simon, I get it. But it’s not going to happen. His hands are like wandering hands.”

On the more unpleasant side of things, it looks like Alex Lambert isn’t doing very good to the reputation his name might have brought on. His song choice was James Morrison’s “What a wonderful world” but he didn’t hit the song very well it seems. Even though Kara DioGuardi and even Ellen DeGeneres seems to think otherwise, Simon Cowell steps in and pretty much ruins it for Alex Lambert: “I don’t know who was happier for that to end — you or me. That was the most uncomfortable performance of the night.” Unfortunately Alex Lambert is probably going to be the first of the guys to leave the contest. Miracles probably won’t happen now… oh well, better luck next time!

As American Idol takes off to the first live start of this season we are presented with the top 12 boys and top 12 girls who will be competing for the title. Among the fellows some seem to stand out for particular reasons. For instance, a lad named Alex Lambert has come all the way from Texas to be the next sensation. This is why Alex Lambert says he thinks he should be the next idol: “Because people are going to like my style of music and my words.” Well, they’re most likely going to dig his name, but other than that, he really seems to have come to the wrong place. But who knows, maybe Simon Cowell will take a shine to the resonance of his name too.