Simon Cowell

It has produced some great acts early on in it first season run - Josh Krajcik and Jazzlyn Little, for example - but The X Factor has NOT produced the kind of ratings Simon Cowell had initially hoped for.

At one point this summer, the former American Idol judge said he thought his new show could defeat his old and earn 20 million viewers per week. The actual results have been closer to 12 million.

Tora Woloshin X Factor Audition

I'm "humbled, but still competitive," Cowell told TV Line when asked about the performance of The X Factor so far. "We’re gonna get there in the end. I do believe that."

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Never one to mince words, Simon Cowell acknowledges Lady Gaga has great star power. Vocally, though, he says she's the most boring singer imaginable.

We're not exaggerating, that's his honest analysis. The X Factor judge recently slammed Lady Gaga, calling her “the most boring singer in the world.”

“If you only heard Lady Gaga, she’s the most boring singer in the world,” he told the UK's Mirror, adding “It's the same ame with Beyoncé. Or Katy Perry.”

Cowell said the pop star would have been booted in a heartbeat if she came across his panel. “She would have been thrown out within 10 seconds,” he said.

“Even if she had walked in with a lobster on her head, it would’ve been one of the kooky auditions.” However, he admits she's got that ... well, X Factor.

 “You have to be open-minded and embrace that level of expression,” said the 51-year-old Brit. “Really, you just hope to God you find someone like her.”

It's the truth. Fortunately - and we're confident 13 million-plus Little Monsters will agree with us on this - we can hear and watch this performer in action.

That said, check out our Lady Gaga videos and photos!

[Photos: WENN.com]

Call him mean. Call him nasty. Call him abrasive.

But Simon Cowell has a better word for himself: real.

"I used to wind Ryan [Seacrest] up about this when I'd get accused of being constantly negative," Cowell tells TV Guide Magazine. "I'd say, 'Remember all the people who cried in these auditions and you'd say, 'I'm going to miss you so much. I care so much about you.' Have you ever picked up the phone and said 'Are you OK?' The answer is never. It's all for TV. The difference with me is I have no qualms saying whether I like you or dislike you. I find it more unkind when you give someone false hope."

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Simon Cowell is as honest as they come. Recent case in point: the producer is a huge fan of Pippa Middleton!

He's also about to bring The X Factor from Great Britain to The United States. In the latest issue of GQ, Cowell talks about his excitement over this new show, and how it compares to his attitude over American Idol over the last few seasons.

"I was bored," Cowell tells the magazine of his final years on Idol. "But at the same time I had a deal with Fox, and you've got to do what you've been paid to do."

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Simon Cowell says he would sign Pippa Middleton "on the spot."

Sign her to what? Who the heck knows, but she's got the X-Factor!

"I haven't heard her sing, but if she walked in and said, 'I want to be a TV star,' I would sign her on the spot," Cowell said. "She just has the X factor."

Our sentiments exactly, Simon.

"To overshadow your sister when she's the one getting married? That was impressive," added Simon, though we don't know if the Duchess concurs.

It's true that by some measures, the 27-year-old Pippa Middleton has trumped her royal sibling Kate in terms of popularity and world intrigue.

Pippa has made such a splash, in fact, that the king of entertainment for the masses has taken notice and would love to harness her potential.

Would it be enough to translate to true stardom, though?

Would she spark such intrigue if her life was totally on display, rather than shrouded in mystery? Would people endlessly debate whether her famous derriere was padded during the Royal Wedding if she had an all-access reality show?

Who knows, but boy, she's a stunner!

It's Simon vs. Simon in a battle of music industry titans.

Simon Fuller, the creator of American Idol, has filed a legal complaint against Fox Broadcasting and FremantleMedia. At issue is former Idol host Simon Cowell's forthcoming U.S. version of the British hit, The X Factor.

Fuller says the companies failed to honor an agreement from a previous copyright lawsuit he filed against Cowell's rival reality show in the UK in 2005.

In that legal saga, Fuller claimed Cowell, with whom he has an uneasy relationship at best, stole his idea for the series.

Fuller's publicist said that he filed a legal complaint Fox and FremantleMedia's "refusal to honor a 2005 contract that granted Mr. Fuller an executive producer credit and fees on The X Factor television program in the U.S."

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Simon Cowell just wants to make your dream come true.

He wants to mold every contestant on The X Factor, give them a positive critique and build their confidence so they have a long, successful career. After all, as he says in the following extended promo for his new Fox series: "It's not about me anymore."

JUST KIDDING!

The X Factor Sneak Peek

Following a subdued intro, the preview that premiered during last night's Major League Baseball All-Star game features Simon at his snarkiest, Nicole Scherzinger at her leggiest and Paula Abdul at her... Paula Abdul-est. Get your first look at L.A. Reid and host Steve Jones above and decide: Can this compete with The Voice and American Idol?

Are you excited for The X-Factor?

Simon Cowell says Cheryl Cole is "one of [his] closest friends."

This may come as a surprise, considering the pop singer was just let go from her judging gig on The X-Factor, but Cowell says the move was made with Cole's well-being in mind.

“Not many people will believe that, but that’s the truth,” Cowell told The Associated Press today. “She was good on the American show, [but] I personally thought she was missing her family and friends. She just looked... not as happy as I’ve seen her on previous shows.”

Now, Cole is off both versions of the competition. Simon says the plan was to keep her on the British version, but then word of her American firing got out and "things went south... fast."

Has he spoken to her since the debacle? Yes, via text message.

“She told me she wasn’t happy but that she also accepted it was a business decision and she wished the show well. Typically, in Cheryl form, she was disappointed but charming at the same time.

With its full cast of judges and hosts assembled, The X-Factor has released its first, official, extended promo.

In the video below, Simon Cowell hypes the largest prize ever handed out for a reality show ($5 million!), while the names and images of the stars associated with the competition flash across the screen: Cheryl Cole! Nicole Scherzinger! Paula Abdul!

Will you be tuning in this fall? The X-Factor will air twice per week on Fox, American Idol-style, with a performance show and a results show. Check out the 90-second trailer now:

The X Factor Promo

Nicki Minaj is out. Might Nicole Scherzinger be in?

The hip hop star will not judge The X-Factor, but Simon Cowell himself sounds very close to naming the former Pussycat Doll as the second judge on his upcoming singing competition.

"I want her to do it, but we've got to get the deal done and find someone she has chemistry with," Cowell tells TV Guide. "I absolutely adore her. She was fantastic on the U.K. X Factor and I'm hopeful it will happen."

Cowell says Cheryl Cole is in the mix and also explains his connection to L.A. Reid, who has been confirmed for the panel.

"I met him approximately fifteen years ago when he'd launched Pink for the first time. He put on a show and got every single person in the room to believe this person was a star. The way he presented her with his passion drew me to him and was a big part of why I chose him to be on the show. A "yes" or "no" from L.A. Reid should really mean something to the contestants."