Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell has been paired as the bad cop in several good cop-bad cop hosting arrangements, alongside the likes of Paula Abdul and Sharon Osborne. His crew-cut, handsome looks and charming manner veil an acerbic wit that pulls no punches. Simon Cowell’s forthright criticism of contestants whom he feels have no place competing in a show with the high musical standards he expects American Idol and X Factor hopefuls to meet has earned him a nasty reputation in some circles.

Born in 1959, Simon Cowell maintains his rugged good lucks through a vegetarian diet and—if medieval medial science were to hold true today—frequently venting his spleen. But it’s more than simple put-downs that have made Simon Cowell a person to watch in the entertainment world. Cowell has a flair for hitting the nail on the head and telling it like it is. His style may horrify the bleeding hearts on either side of him at the judging table—and has certainly disgusted a segment of the audience—but the other side of the coin is that his brutally honest appraisals often ring true.

Simon Cowell’s rare praise becomes all the more valuable as a result of the deluge of abuse that surrounds it, and a contestant who receives a compliment from Cowell can rest assured that they must have done something right. His quick wit has won him appearances on the shows of comedy greats Howard Stern and Conan O’Brien—and allowed him to laugh all the way to the bank.

By dint of hard work and a capacity for clear-headed evaluation of an artist’s talent, Simon Cowell moved his way up from a mailroom assistant to an A and R executive. His success flagged over the years before eventually finding fame and fortune with a hit concept—amateur, televised singing contests as a means of locating new talent. With the promise of a recording contract, distribution and exposure, people with promising (and not so promising) vocal talents and acts flock to do the impossible—impress Simon Cowell.