Cowell 掰掰? - 美國偶像

變成今天 CNN 的新聞：



Simon Cowell leaving 'American Idol'
January 11, 2010 6:12 p.m. EST



Longtime "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell said he'll be leaving the
popular Fox talent show at the end of the season, the network announced
Monday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena,
California.

Cowell's popular U.K. talent show, "The X Factor," will be coming to the
United States in the fall of 2011 with the acerbic critic in tow, according
to Fox.

"I want to leave 'Idol' this year bigger and better than it was in the past,"
Cowell said at the TCA tour Monday.

Cowell will be both executive producer and judge on "The X Factor."

"I'm thrilled that we have put a date on the launch of the U.S. version of
'The X Factor,' and delighted to be continuing to work with Fox," said Cowell
in a statement. "We have a fantastic relationship, a great team and are all
very excited about this." iReport: Will you watch "Idol" without Simon?

Speculation has raged for weeks as to Cowell's future. Though he's well paid
for his "Idol" work -- an estimated $36 million per season -- he has
expressed a desire to focus on "The X Factor."

Cowell said at the press session that it's taken some time to reach an
agreement for his new duties, hence the buzz. (Indeed, he signed the last
page of his "contract" on stage with Fox executives Peter Rice and Kevin
Reilly.)

"[I] didn't think it was right to do two shows in America at the same time,
so [I] decided to leave one and start another," he said.

He said he missed Paula Abdul, the former "Idol" judge who left the show in
August, but wouldn't confirm or deny whether she would appear on "X Factor"
in the U.S. Cowell and Abdul had a good-naturedly contentious relationship on
"Idol," with the tough-minded Brit often acting as bad cop to the "Forever
Your Girl" singer's good cop.

Since its premiere in 2002, "Idol" has been an entertainment phenomenon,
regularly ranking as TV's top show, creating several musical stars and
pulling in millions more viewers than its closest competition. Its new season
premieres Tuesday.

Cowell's presence has been credited as a major reason. The British music
executive was a judge on the British version of "Idol," "Pop Idol," and came
to the United States when Fox imported the show. Unlike judges on many
American talent shows, Cowell didn't sugar-coat his criticisms to
contestants.

With the show's growing popularity -- by its fourth season it was the top
show on television, a rank it has held ever since -- Cowell and fellow "Idol"
players Abdul, judge Randy Jackson and amiable host Ryan Seacrest became
stars in their own right.

Though the show continues to dominate American TV, ratings have started
sliding in "Idol's" past two seasons. But Cowell told the TCA audience he had
no doubt about the show's future.

It will "continue to be the No. 1 show" in the country, Cowell said. The show
has given him "the best days of my life."

Asked who should replace him, he jokingly suggested Seacrest, with whom
Cowell has also good-naturedly tangled. The Fox executives said they're not
going to rush to find Cowell's replacement.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/11/cowell.leaving.idol/index.html

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