Simon Cowell Rocks the Vote

The true reality show is at the judges' table, after all

(NEWSER) - Paula Abdul “walked away from a multimillion-dollar salary, a gig that brought her out of obscurity”—but it’s American Idol that will smart the most from her departure, writes Jeanne McManus for the Washington Post. “She generally contributed absolutely nothing to the verdict of the talent that stood before her,” but she will be missed at “that dysfunctional, squabbling dinner table known as the panel of judges.” More»

(NEWSER) - Susan Boyle, Britain’s Got Talent contestant and Internet sensation, has been the subject of one hot debate: Makeover or no makeover? The makeover process has already begun, Deadline reports—Boyle appeared recently in a trendy dress and leather jacket. “It wasn’t until I saw myself on TV that I realized how frumpy I was,” says Boyle, who also visited a hairdresser for advice. Elsewhere: More»

Cowell, Abdul in talks to team up on new show

(NEWSER) - Good news for anyone pining for the good ol' days of American Idol: Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell may be reuniting for Cowell’s X Factor. Sources tell TMZ the pair is discussing the possibility of Abdul coming on the US version of his UK hit as a judge. Cowell himself recently said he adores Paula, and “whatever happens, I will be working with her in some capacity, because I miss her,” the New York Daily News adds. More»

DeGeneres talks Cowell, Paula Abdul as American Idol returns

(NEWSER) - Ellen DeGeneres makes her debut as the newest American Idol judge on Tuesday, and she talks Simon Cowell (he’s “smart,” but “mean” and “insensitive”) and more with the Wall Street Journal :

• Paula Abdul: “I don't know if I'll be as nurturing as she is. I'll probably try to be somewhat encouraging. But I'll be honest. I don't think it helps anybody to be encouraged and not told the truth.”

(NEWSER) - Tight-lipped Simon Cowell doesn’t want to “get in the middle” of execs and departed American Idol judge Paula Abdul, he tells Extra, but he does say things are “different” without her. “I miss her, of course,” he says. Asked how the new lineup compares to the old, Cowell is characteristically blunt. “It's like comparing a carrot to a banana,” he says. “They are different.” More»