Simon Cowell is reflecting candidly on his early years as a judge on American Idol. He acknowledged in a new interview that his sharp critiques often crossed the line. Speaking ahead of the release of his upcoming Netflix project, the producer admitted he was “a d***” at times during auditions.
Simon Cowell acknowledges he was a ‘d***’
Simon Cowell is looking back at the reputation that defined his early years on American Idol, admitting that his sharp tone often crossed a line. In a new interview with The New York Times, the TV personality said he now recognizes that some of his comments toward contestants were unnecessarily harsh. He said, “I wasn’t trying to be a d— on purpose.”
According to Cowell, he prioritized finding artists who could succeed in the industry. He said, “All I wanted with these shows was to find successful artists to sign to the label. So when all these people were coming in and they couldn’t sing, we would say after 10 seconds, ‘You can’t sing.’ Not, ‘You’re going to be brilliant.'”
The TV personality recalled long, exhausting audition days often left him impatient, adding that the moments in which he appeared most irritated were the ones most frequently highlighted on-air. He said, “They’re always going to use me in a bad mood. I got that. What can I say? I’m sorry.”
Cowell told the publication that he has since apologized for the severity of some of those exchanges, saying he is “not proud” of how he behaved at times. He stated, “When I hear about these clips, I’m like, ‘Oh, God.’ But then again, the upside is that it made the shows really popular worldwide.”
Cowell’s comments come as he promotes his upcoming Netflix project, Simon Cowell: The Next Act, debuting December 10.
