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'Idol' Contestants Aren't Just Puppets, Simon Cowell Says

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By WALT BELCHER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 10, 2008

During a telephone news conference this week, I began to feel a little of Simon Cowell's pain as he spoke about the torturous ordeal of the audition process for "American Idol."

It gets more difficult with each passing year, he noted. He and fellow judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson see thousands of wanna-bes, far more than are shown on television.

It's not the awful, tone-deaf, hopelessly star-struck people who make it a drag. Much of the audition process is tedious, boring and tiring, he said. And he has to put up with Paula's emotional highs and lows. That's why he comes off as mean and snippy at times.

"You don't know these people's back story when they come out and sing," he said.

He has regretted being nasty to someone who is a horrible singer but whose dog died that day and Simon didn't know it.

Asked if he could recall any particularly bad standouts from the most recent auditions, he drew a blank.

"It's all a blur now," he said. "But it will come back to me when I start looking at the tapes."

Showing the bad auditions provides the hook that draws in the audience, he said. Every season so far, the ratings have gone up for those opening episodes. The seventh season debuts Tuesday night on Fox.

Because of the writers strike, Fox is stretching "Idol" out through May with more of the worst from this year's tryouts in San Diego; Dallas; Omaha, Neb.; Atlanta; Charleston, S.C.; Miami; and Philadelphia.

Simon predicted that this season will be better than last season because the contestants are younger, more current, edgy and have more interesting personalities.

"Last year wasn't one of our better seasons," he said. "I was praying that this season wouldn't be just a bunch of singing school kids."

The contestants on the upcoming seventh edition of "Idol" are more quirky, he said.

"I think they have an individual style and are not just talented puppets."

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654 or wbelcher@tampatrib.com.

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