Much has been written during the last few weeks concerning the many unkind remarks Simon Cowell made about several aspiring singers during the audition process for the fifth season of American Idol — especially his cracks about people who might be described as “large.” Most of Cowell‘s critical commentary was heard after the hopefuls left the stage, because this season, unlike seasons past, the cameras kept rolling after each performance, capturing the off-the-cuff exchanges between judges Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.
Asked if he ever regrets any of his mean remarks, Cowell tells MediaVillage, “Yeah. Ninety-nine percent of them.”
Certainly, Cowell earlier this season came off nastier than usual. This was especially true when he said after the audition of 29-year-old Mandisa Hundley of Antioch, Tennessee, now a semifinalist, “Do we have a bigger stage this year?” (On a later show, Mandisa calmly confronted Cowell. “You hurt me and I cried,” she said. “But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you.” A floored Cowell replied, “Mandisa, I am humbled.” The two then embraced.)
Of course, Cowell‘s regret may have something to do with being made to look so unapologetically rude because of that extra footage. “I think the decision we made to leave the cameras rolling made [the show] feel a little bit more documentaryish rather than what you’ve seen on previous years,” Cowell explains. That has been good for the ratings, he says, but not necessarily for his image. Watching his bad behavior, Cowell notes, “was sort of like watching myself when I was five at school. You know when you’d say something in front of the teacher and get into trouble afterwards for being lippy? It was that sort of emotion. It’s not clever, not funny. ‘Stop showing off, Simon!’ You can’t have it both ways, I guess.”
As for his remark about Mandisa, he says it is probably his biggest regret. “Let’s put it this way,” he offers. “If I was editing the show it wouldn’t have ended up in the edit.”
The Mandisa experience, he continued, “was slightly awkward. I’m not defending myself, but I [liken it to] when you’re sitting down for dinner with five friends and one person goes off to the coat room and you all dive in as to what that person’s wearing. Just imagine that was filmed and you’re watching it back! That’s what watching it was like. [It’s] so embarrassing, because at the time you’re not thinking they’re going to put it in the edit. But Mandisa handled it very well. She brought it out in the open. We cleared the air.”
Asked if he was surprised that Mandisa called him out on it, Cowell laughs. “Not in the slightest! I took one look at her face and I thought, ‘It’s my turn. Here we go. I’ll take it on the chin, Mandisa.'”
Perhaps Cowell‘s increasingly withering wit is a self-defense mechanism against the rigors of the audition process, which he says is “like going to the dentist to have three teeth out and they announce it’s going to take eleven hours and there’s no anesthetic. That is a day on the road auditioning. It is a horrible experience.” Cowell notes that a typical audition day lasts ten or eleven hours. “It’s fun to watch back but doing it is mind-numbingly boring,” he declares.
The auditions, Cowell says, bring out many young people who resemble or imitate past “Idol” standouts. This season was no different. “We got a lot of Carries [Underwood] and a lot of Bos [Bice] this year,” he recalls. “Too many Carries… and a lot of Clays [Aiken]. We get those every year.”
Two of the semifinalists in this year’s competition have had some experience in the world of professional music, prompting questions about the relative fairness of pitting people with experience against total newcomers on the show. Twenty-eight-year-old Jose “Sway” Penala of San Francisco was reportedly a member of the group 6th Day, which released an album in September 2005 (during the Idol audition period). Gray-haired 29-year-old Taylor Hicks of Birmingham, Alabama, has performed around the country and has released a CD titled Under the Radar.
“To be honest with you, I think the public will determine whether [Penala and Hicks] are at an advantage or a disadvantage,” Cowell says. “I don’t think at the end of the day it’s going to make too much difference. The public will vote for the person they like. I think this year more than any other year the likeability factor will play a hugely important role as to who wins the show because there are a lot of good singers in the group. It’s going to take more than just a good voice.
“We’d never heard of Taylor what’s-his-name before he entered the show,” Cowell continues. “[Season one winner] Kelly [Clarkson] was working with a record producer before she went on American Idol. [Season two’s runner up] Bo [Bice] was in a band. I don’t think it matters.”
For the record, Cowell says the rules for the show are as follows: “You can’t be in an existing management or recording agreement. And, I think, [if you have been] in the finals in previous years you can’t enter again. Those are the only rules.”
When asked if there were any competitors from previous seasons of the show other than the winners whom he thought would have careers by now, Cowell somewhat wistfully replies, “Only one. Tamyra Gray. To this day I regret she didn’t make the [season one] finals with Kelly. I think we would have had a really, really great ding-dong final with two fantastic vocalists. Unfortunately, personality won over talent that year and we had…”
Cowell pauses for emphasis.
“Justin Guarini.”
Where is Guarini today?
Cowell smiles. “Exactly!”
And speaking of former high profile Idol contestants who’ve gone missing, whatever happened to Mario Vazquez, the semifinalist during the fourth season of Idol who famously bolted from the show without explanation and later signed a deal with heavyweight record producer Clive Davis?
Cowell shrugs and smiles again. “It’s a mystery.”
Asked if he ever hears from previous Idol contestants or winners, Cowell‘s response is surprising. “No!” he laughs. “Never! They never want to talk to me again!”
At the time of this interview, Paula Abdul had just been seen on a prime time CBS special starring Dr. Phil McGraw in which she sometimes tearfully sought advice about dating and pursuing relationships from television’s leading dispenser of guidance in such matters.
Abdul “doesn’t need to go to Dr. Phil,” Cowell laughs. “I’ve offered her advice. I’ve said to her, ‘When you go on a date, don’t talk! Just don’t talk and everything will be fine.
“She doesn’t need Dr. Phil, she needs Dr. Simon,” he continues. “I’m free of charge!”
Asked if he has fixed Abdul up on any dates, Cowell quickly cries, “No! I haven’t set her up! Regardless of what you have heard it wasn’t me!”
Inside ‘American Idol’ with Simon Cowell: Part 1
