Susan Boyle Is Not a Sideshow

If Simon Cowell has his way; he wants her as 'X Factor' judge

(NEWSER) - Who could possibly take the place of Paula Abdul on X Factor ? If Simon Cowell has his way, it will be Beyoncé—and he's offering her a cool $100 million per season (total contract: $500 million) to do it, according to Media Take Out . If she accepts the full-time judge job, she'll be the highest-paid person on TV, reports the New York Post , which notes that the idea isn't totally out-there: Beyoncé would reportedly prefer not to go on tour for the first few years of Blue Ivy's life, meaning this gig could ensure the world doesn't forget about her. More»

City denies permit to spin-off featuring Snooki, Jwoww

(NEWSER) - Those poor kids of the Jersey Shore: They've been hit with numerous lawsuits , slammed by scientists , dissed by a clothing chain and the governor of their state , and banned from partying on film in Florence . Now Hoboken, of all places, has publicized its disdain. A spin-off to the reality show featuring Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jennifer "JWoww" Farley was to be filmed in the city, but the mayor denied the necessary film permit, the Huffington Post reports. More»

Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger, Steve Jones all get the boot

(NEWSER) - It was a "bloodbath" at X Factor yesterday, Nikki Finke writes at Deadline , with host Steve Jones and judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul all getting the ax. Apparently Simon Cowell himself made the decision to clean house, according to the Hollywood Reporter . Cowell and LA Reid are the only two judges who will return for the second season of the reality competition, which has garnered not-great ratings. Insiders tell the Reporter Abdul was seen as "irrelevant to the mix," and add that Cowell wants bigger celebrities on the panel. More»

Woman claims drunk cast members knocked her down

(NEWSER) - This has got to be some sort of record: Jersey Shore and its cast members have now racked up 15 lawsuits in two years. The latest, courtesy of Courthouse News Service : A woman celebrating her niece's birthday at a bar in Seaside Heights, NJ, claims that drunk Jersey Shore cast members caused a brawl that eventually involved club security and show security. In the chaos, she was struck and hit her head, resulting in "severe and permanent injuries," according to her lawsuit. More»

Shockingly, no, whale sperm does not make the ocean salty

(NEWSER) - If you’re getting your science education from celebrities, you may have a problem—but even so, the Sense About Science charity wants to set some things straight. The group has released a list of celebrities doling out “bad science” this year, the Telegraph reports. It includes:

• Simon Cowell: The onetime American Idol judge said that taking vitamins C, B12, and magnesium intravenously makes him feel and look younger. A dietitian, however, says Cowell probably isn’t getting much benefit from the regimen, and that most people get all the vitamins they need from food—unless one has a specific vitamin deficiency.