Michael Bublé gets a lot of shade from a lot of people. Maybe he deserves it, maybe not. I kind of like him, though, and I’ll admit to owning more than one Michael Bublé album, and I’ll admit to feeding my mother’s Bublé addiction (I just sent her his new chart-topping Christmas album, which is really awesome and I love his version of “Ave Maria”). My Bublé love isn’t full-blown, and I believe some of the stories I’ve heard of his douchey ways. Michael has a new interview with the UK’s Radio Times, and I’m struggling to like him here. He tells a story about performing in front of Simon Cowell in 2007, and I get what he’s trying to say, but Jeez, it was more than four years ago! Does he sound whiny?

Simon Cowell’s dismissive attitude almost landed him in hot water with one of the world’s most popular singers. Michael Bublé says he almost gave the X Factor mogul a piece of mind when he caught him rolling his eyes during a performance in 2007. Speaking to the Radio Times, Bublé revealed his anger at the response he got from Cowell during an appearance on American Idol.

He told the magazine: ‘I had to sing Call Me Irresponsible in front of 20million people. And the first thing I saw when I got on stage was Simon. I sang about four lines and he looked at me and did this [he rolls his eyes] and that was it, I was done. It killed me. My confidence dropped. Maybe Cheryl Cole gets a little quiet and more demure when she loses her confidence. But I become aloof. I get the attitude of, “Oh really? Well, f*** you. You don’t like me? Then go **** yourself. I’m just gonna do whatever.”‘

But his admission could cause tension when he appears on the X Factor next week, as the show is run by Cowell’s company Syco. Michael revealed that he confided in Dannii Minogue after the performance and she later confronted Cowell about his disrespectful response to Bublé’s performance. And they learned that he wasn’t even aware he had done it.

The 36-year-old singer said: ‘I told her the story. She goes and tells him, and comes back saying, “The man didn’t even know he did it”. He was just probably sitting on his fifth hour of the show going, “Kill me now… and I’ve got to go to the bathroom”. But I’m so sensitive I took it as a rejection. Anyway, every time I’ve ever talked to him since then he’s been incredibly nice.’

[From The Mail]

I can obsessively shame/angry-spiral like that for a day or two, but it feels like Michael is holding on to it a little, right? He’s not just telling a funny anecdote about the first he performed in front of Simon Cowell. Michael’s still pissed off about it.

Did you guys watch the NBC Christmas Special last night? I saw a few minutes of Michael’s performance, which was nice. Michael is the new King of Christmas – his holiday-themed album is topping the charts, and people are saying he’s going to dominate the charts throughout December. Now is exactly the time for Michael to realize that he’s a hugely popular singer and Simon Cowell is just a grumpy, Botoxed bastard and just move on.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Ugh, poor Cheryl Cole. It feels weird to feel such sympathy for a woman who by most accounts is just some talentless pop star and famewhore, but here I go again. Anyway, as you might remember, Cheryl was really trying to “happen” in America and Simon Cowell had given her a place at the judges’ table on the new American version of The X Factor. Cheryl has been a judge on the British version for a while, and that gig has made her very famous and very rich and beloved by many British girls (and boys). Then, a few weeks ago, Cheryl was dumped from the show. The reasons given were stuff like “her accent is too much for Americans” and “Paula Abdul hates her.” Cheryl flew back to England, rejected an offer to come back to The X Factor UK, and was said to be distraught and “in hiding.” Now, however, things seem to be looking up? She might be coming back to America:

Sources at “X Factor” tell TMZ … FOX and Fremantle (the producers of the show) are trying to get Cheryl Cole back on the program, a week after giving her her walking papers … but it’s more about the bottom line than about loving Cheryl.

Our sources say when producers told Cheryl she wasnt right for the U.S. version of “X Factor,” they tried to put her on the UK version of the show. Cheryl’s managers wanted £2.5 million and producers thought it was too much, so the deal went south.

We’re told Cheryl was due to get paid around $1.5 million for the U.S. show — about what Paula Abdul and LA Reid are making — but she has not decided whether to accept and come back. The whole situation becomes even messier when you take into account Nicole Scherzinger — who was originally hired as a host, but moved to being a judge when Cheryl was axed.

Our sources say Cheryl’s deal with the U.S version is “pay or play” — meaning she gets paid whether she does the show or not. We’re told execs at FOX — and especially at Fremantle — dont want to lose the money … so it’s better to have her on the show than not.

[From TMZ]

I still think that’s kind of insulting, right? It’s not like anyone but Simon Cowell really WANTS Cheryl back on the show, they just want her to come back because they don’t want to have to pay Nicole What sit a bigger paycheck at the last minute. The British tabloids have even more details about what’s gone down – The Sun reports that Cheryl is expected to join Cowell this Wednesday in New Jersey, for the NJ tryouts. Of course, The Sun also claims that there’s been “an outcry from fans of the Girls Alound singer”… in America? We still don’t know who she is! Anyway, it’s looking more and more like Simon Cowell is behind Cheryl’s triumphant return, which just shows that Simon actually does have SOME loyalty to his friends. A source tells The Sun, “This is the biggest surprise of the lot – Cheryl is back. Who could have possibly predicted this? It appeared that Simon had dumped Cheryl for good. But behind the scenes Simon has been wooing Cheryl. Key executives at Fox realized they had made a big mistake. They have been watching the tapes of her at the American auditions and realized she could be a huge star over there.”

Hm… it sounds like it’s mostly about money, actually. They’re probably already over-budget and Cheryl’s already been paid. Why not?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Here are some new photos of Simon Cowell and his cat-face. While Simon has not been a stranger to Botox in the past (he admitted to using it as early as 2008), it seems like Simon got a little “extra” just before filming the new season of Britain’s Got Talent. It was noticeable. I can see it in these photos taken from a distance, but apparently it was even more harsh at judges’ table:

He admits being vain, so perhaps Simon Cowell should avoid watching any repeats of Britain’s Got Talent. Millions of viewers were shocked by the music mogul’s drooping left eye during the live semi-finals of the ITV show on Monday night – thought to be caused by Botox treatment.

It was the first time Cowell, 51, had been seen on British TV since the X Factor final in December, and fans were quick to point out his wilting eye and a small bruise by his cheekbone.

A show source said: ‘Simon had overdone things a little with the Botox and it soon showed up on camera – especially as we film in high definition, which is particularly unforgiving. During the break between shows, the producers were quick to change the lighting over the judging panel. Simon was not happy.’

[From The Mail]

Is anyone else starting to wonder if Simon has lost his edge a little bit? It’s all related to leaving American Idol, trying to bring a successful version of The X Factor to America, and the Cheryl Cole debacle. Simon used to be above it all. He used to rub his furry moobs in our faces while sneering. Now he’s just trying too hard. Poor BotoxFace.

Here’s a screencap of what he looked like during Britain’s Got Talent. Rough. By the way, does anyone else think he might have gotten lip injections too?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

I’m not sure if people still care at this point, but I’m still following The Cheryl Cole Debacle. Last week, the news came out that Cheryl Cole had been abruptly fired from the American version of The X Factor. Various reasons were discussed: Cheryl’s thick accent, which might have been difficult for Americans to understand; Cheryl’s lack of chemistry with Paula Abdul, who is crazy; and perhaps even my theory, that Americans have enough people who are famous for no reason, and we don’t need the UK exporting their talent less faux-celebrities. No, that’s not fair to Cheryl. She’s HUGE in the UK. She’s a genuine celebrity, and lots of British people adore her. Anyway, as I mentioned last Thursday, after she was fired, Cheryl went back home to London and is said to be hiding out, not answering calls because she’s so humiliated. The British tabloids were all over it this weekend, and The Mail grabbed some of the greatest hits from various stories. Interestingly enough, there are lots and lots of quotes attributed to Cheryl from The News of the World. Remember the wire-tapping scandal with NOTW? Yeah. I feel like we’re reading transcripts from Cheryl’s phone conversations with friends.

Devastated Cheryl Cole is said to have refused ITV’s £2.5million offer to return to the UK X Factor, by not taking calls from show bosses before her deadline last night. And a friend of the singer revealed she said of Cowell: ‘I’ve been used. Why put me through it? It’s cruel’, after being axed from the US version. The 27-year-old is apparently distraught and still refusing to talk out other offers, while she has been holed up in a London flat with her mother Joan.

Cheryl’s deadline to decide whether to return to the UK X Factor was midnight last night, but as she apparently ignored Simon Cowell’s attempts to contact her, and has consequently blown her chance to return. Filming will now commence on Wednesday sans Cole, according to the News of the World.

A close associate of Cowell told the tabloid: ‘The brutal truth is that no one is bigger than the show – not Cheryl and not even Simon. We have a huge show and we need to get on the road on Wednesday and we needed to know if Cheryl was coming with us. We have bent over backwards for Cheryl and she hasn’t engaged with us. She is out. That’s showbusiness.’

Another source added that show bosses gave the Girls Aloud star a ‘ridiculous’ deadline to try and reply to, which made it almost impossible for her to accept. Cowell apparently gave her an ultimatum, telling her: ‘Do you want another job on more money? It’s a question: yes or no?’

But even if she had said yes, executives are said to be worried that her attitude might hinder the panel.

One told the Sunday Mirror: ‘It’s an entertainment show and the judges have to be cheerful and positive. We are not sure she is in the right place to take it on.’

The British panel will now consist of Louis Walsh, 58, Take That singer Gary Barlow, 40, N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos, 22, and former Destiney’s Child star Kelly Rowland, 30.

Cheryl was dumped from the US X Factor last Tuesday and replaced by Nicole Scherzinger after having already started filming auditions.

A source close to the singer said: Cheryl is deeply humiliated and she wants Simon to make it clear that she wasn’t sacked, but was needed back in Britain.’

But Cheryl apparently told a friend after being axed from the US version: ‘It’s unfair. They did tests beforehand with focus groups and everything was fine. I was flirting with the guys who auditioned and I had good banter with the panel. I don’t know what more I could have done. I know this was Simon’s decision and that’s why it’s so hurtful. I don’t know why nobody told me I hadn’t been performing well,’ the News of the World reported.

Yesterday ITV bosses apparently pulled out all the stops to woo her back to the UK show, with a massive offer of £2.5 million to return. But after being humiliated last week, it seems the star has decided to not return despite the huge offer.

Cheryl is said to still be furious with Cowell and likened the humiliation to that of her divorce from philandering ex-husband Ashley Cole. She apparently told a friend: ‘After what happened in my marriage I made it quite clear I found it impossible to trust another man. But I did trust Simon, I let myself believe he had my best interests at heart. Now he’s done this to me.’

She went on to vent that she apparently never wanted to do the American show but Cowell had pushed her into it, promising he’d make her a star Stateside. The fragile singer is also thought to have said she was not in the right frame of mind to return to the British show after being axed from the US.

‘I can’t hide my feelings. This is all so raw for me right now. My life has been turned upside down – they have treated me really badly’, she told a friend according to the News of the World.

Since arriving back in London, Cheryl is said to have been hiding away in a flat with her mother, not wanting to see or talk to anyone. She is said to now be contemplating her future, as she had previously planned this year around touring with X Factor. But other offers are claimed to be pouring in for the pop star, including an apparent deal with the BBC. The tabloid claimed that BBC bosses are keen to sign her for their new singing show The Voice. She is also said to have had an offer from Jay-Z’s Roc Nation record label, according to the Daily Star Sunday.

A source said: ‘Literally every TV network is after her now. But she’s not ready to speak to anyone yet.’

Although Simon and Cheryl are not talking at the moment, Cowell is said to be angered over the way things turned out and had a massive row with executives at Fox.

A source old the Star: ‘He is absolutely seething right now, and despite also being a producer on the show, he feels as if his opinions mean absolutely nothing. The whole show is in crisis.’

Mail Online contacted a spokesperson for Simon Cowell and ITV but they refused to comment on the reports.

[From The Mail]

As I’ve said, I do feel for Cheryl. Just a few months ago, she was on top of the world with soaring popularity in the UK, about to make her big, splashy debut in America. Now she’s not only been publicly humiliated by getting fired from the American version, but now she’s lost her job with the British version. I hope she saved her money!

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Okay, as the day goes on, we’re getting more information about The Firing of Cheryl Cole. Even though I tend to think the girl is useless in general, I feel so bad for her. This isn’t like a bad breakup, like a dude you love dumping you and going off with someone younger. In that situation, you still have your career, you can still “fall back” on other things, and you can move on. When you’re as big of a celebrity as Cheryl is (in England), being fired from your big American debut before you even got the chance to prove yourself means that your career takes a massive hit. It’s embarrassing on every level. It’s so awful that it’s going to affect Cheryl’s career in England. Us Weekly has a report on what really went down on The X Factor set, and they’re making it seem like the real problem was that Simon began doubting his loyalty to Cheryl and began thinking that Nicole WhatsIt would be better overall:

Apparently Cheryl Cole just doesn’t have the ‘X’ factor. Thought the panel of judges and cohosts for Fox’s X Factor was set once Paula Abdul joined the fray? Think again! In a shocking 11th hour decision that came down Monday, X Factor execs pulled Brit singer Cheryl Cole from the panel and replaced her with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. Problem is, Scherzinger was already tapped to cohost with Steve Jones.

“Everyone is freaking out and it’s all a bit of a mess,” a source close to Girls Aloud singer Cole, 27, told Us Weekly Wednesday after news of the switch surfaced.

Though Internet reports claim Cole’s thick British accent was a possible reason for the switch, a source tells Us show creator Cowell was more concerned with his panel’s chemistry.

“Throughout the whole decision making process, Simon was really torn between Cheryl and Nicole. He absolutely loved Nicole, really felt like she was the right one, but also knew his chemistry with Cheryl had been great before in the U.K. He finally decided on the more comfortable option and chose Cheryl,” a source close to Scherzinger tells Us of Cowell and Cole, who cojudged The X Factor’s U.K. installment.

Later, says the Scherzinger source, the mogul felt Cole’s appointment was “a mistake.”

“With the pressure building for this show to be a success, Cheryl was a much bigger risk and instinctively, as time went on, Nicole felt more and more like the right choice,” adds the insider. “Nicole was so disappointed before when she wasn’t picked, but now, thankfully, she is in the role she was always meant for. And Simon knows that.”

Indeed, a production insider tells Us Cowell is feeling the heat — and rightfully so. “It’s his name on the line all the way through this — it literally can’t fail,” says the set source.

“The chemistry has to be right; it’s the vital element that holds this whole thing together. The judges’ connection with the audience could make or break the entire project.”

Auditions for the American version of The X Factor began in L.A. March 27 and continue Thursday in Dallas; the show will begin airing in September.

[From Us Weekly]

Earlier today, a source close Cheryl told Us Weekly that “Everyone is gobsmacked. This came out of nowhere. She had already been tested countless times. Simon had nothing to do with it. This is the network’s doing.” Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter is still saying the whole thing is about her accent, so I don’t really know what the deal is. Oh, The Guardian has provided us with a handy Cheryl-to-American guide too, so this accent excuse isn’t going to die down any time soon.

The Mail says that Cheryl is “in hiding” she’s so embarrassed. They say Cheryl was told on Tuesday, and she immediately flew back to England and is holed up somewhere. As for the issue of whether Cheryl will continue to appear on The X Factor UK, the Mail’s sources say she’s “planning to severe all ties” with the show and that she’s “royally pissed off. It hasn’t worked out. She’s homesick and wants to return to the UK. She’s had enough. Whether she ends up back on UK X Factor is open to speculation.” Poor Cheryl.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Poor Cheryl Cole. She’s never going to “happen” in America. All of that boob-flashing and hair-teasing and D-list boyfriend-dumping for naught! According to TMZ, Cheryl Cole was dumped (“fired”) from the American version of The X Factor this week. Sources claim that Cheryl is being replaced with… Nicole Scherzinger, that chick from The Pussycat Dolls who looks like a budget Kim Kardashian (to me). Nicole was supposed to be the co-host of the show, but now she’s moved to the judges’ table and she’ll be “mentoring” the contestants too. After TMZ’s initial report of Cheryl’s firing, they had this story about the reasons behind the replacement:

Cheryl Cole was dropped from the judging panel on “X-Factor” largely because producers were concerned her English accent would be too difficult for an American audience to understand … sources close to the production tell TMZ. .

There were other issues too — we’re told Cheryl and fellow judge Paula Abdul had a “lack of chemistry” … and Cheryl was more expendable.

Producers now want Cheryl to return to the UK version of the show — but according to sources, Cheryl’s royally pissed over how this situation was handled … and may sever ties with “X-Factor” entirely.

With Cheryl out, Steve Jones will be the only host on the show — which debuts in September — while Nicole Scherzinger fills the open seat on the judging panel.

Calls to Simon Cowell still haven’t been returned.

[From TMZ]

Why am I laughing? Oh, God. How much does it suck to be told that you’re more expendable than Paula Abdul?!? That’s the lowest of the low blows. As far as Cheryl’s accent goes, I realized that I hadn’t really heard her speak that much, so I tried to find a decent interview where I could really hear the accent:

Aw, her accent isn’t that bad. I mean, it’s really thick and I have no idea if Americans in general would be able to understand her, but I watch a lot of British shows, so I can understand her. America: We only accept Hugh Grant’s posh accent.

Honestly, though, my conspiracy hat is on. I doubt her accent is even one of the top five reasons she got pushed out.

Reason 1: America doesn’t know who Cheryl Cole is, and we don’t really care.
Reason 2: As a nation, we don’t like women who wear THAT much makeup.
Reason 3: Because she’s not as important as Paula Abdul. BURN!!
Reason 4: Because Cheryl is probably a violent racist.
Reason 5: This:

Reason 6: This:

Reason 7: Her accent.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Forbes just issued its annual “Celebrity 100″ list, which aims to rank actors, models, musicians, athletes, and the like through some enormously complicated algorithm (that we couldn’t possibly understand), which not only awards points for monetary earnings but also for tv/radio, media, web, and social rankings. Apparently, omnipresence is key, and who (for better or worse) is more present in this day and age than Lady Gaga? In fact, Gaga only earned $90 million compared to Oprah Winfrey’s $290 million, but Gaga’s influence has somehow overshadowed that of Oprah, which meant a displacement at the #1 position:

The men and women on our annual Celebrity 100 list–the most powerful people in the entertainment business this year–earned $4.5 billion over the last 12 months by starring in films, playing basketball, walking the catwalk and more. But they also rose to the top by garnering influence.

These days that means mastering social media. Lady Gaga topples Oprah Winfrey from her No.1 spot on our list, which she’s given up for only the third time in seven years. Gaga is there not just because of the $90 million she earned with a monster tour, but also because of her 32 million Facebook fans and 10 million Twitter followers–aka Little Monsters–who helped move 1 million digital downloads of her recent single “Born This Way” in only five days. They’re also happy to buy the MAC makeup, Monster headphones and Virgin Mobile phones she features in her videos.

Oprah doesn’t fall far though. The daytime talk maven, who earned $290 million last year, comes in second. Winfrey’s earnings sank $25 million partially due to a reduced payday at SiriusXM. She still earns big from her syndicated show and from the stars she’s spawned, including Dr. Phil (No. 18), Rachael Ray, and Dr. Oz. Winfrey’s earning power will take a bigger hit next year, when her syndicated show ends and she concentrates all her efforts on the struggling OWN network.

Maybe it would help if Oprah took a lesson from No. 3 Justin Bieber. The Biebs debuts on our list at the tender young age of 17, with $53 million earned over the last 12 months thanks to concerts, music sales and a 3-D documentary movie that grossed $100 million at the global box office. If this were 10 years ago Bieber would still be paying his dues in small clubs and schools, but thanks to the Internet, he’s a sensation. His first hit song, “Baby,” has been viewed 500 million times, a YouTube record.

Despite problems on and off the golf course, Tiger Woods still makes the top 10, ranking sixth with $75 million in annual earnings. Woods hasn’t won a tournament since the revelation of his marital infidelities in 2009, and he recently withdrew from The Players Championship. But he still commands $3 million a pop for overseas appearances, and collects money from his remaining sponsors, Nike and Electronic Arts.

[From Forbes]

In third place? The reprehensible Justin Bieber. Rounding out the top 10 are U2, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Simon Cowell, and Lebron James. (Basically, this is a list of people that we can’t stand, right?) Also scoring quite high (#15 with $77 million in earnings) are Leonardo DiCaprio (which will certainly make Blake Lively happy); the nauseating Bethenny Frankel (#42 with $55 million); and Will Smith (#65 with $36 million) because of the upcoming Men in Black III and also because he pimped out his kids (Jaden as the new Karate Kid an actor and Willow as YouTube phenom). Failing to rank at all this year were Britney Spears and Daniel Radcliffe. You can read the full list here.

Photos courtesy of Fame Pictures

After a lot of speculation, Paula Abdul has joined Simon Cowell’s X Factor as a fellow judge. Accompanying her on the panel will be Cowell, British singer Cheryl Cole and American music producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls and British TV presenter Steve Jones will co-host the show, which premieres in September and just started filming on Sunday, with Paula there.

The ‘X Factor’ judging panel is complete, with the final chair to be filled by Paula Abdul, who just closed the deal in last-minute negotiations, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Abdul will take her seat alongside Simon Cowell, reuniting the former ‘Idol’ stars once again. Cheryl Cole and Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid have already been named as the other ‘X Factor’ judges.

Meanwhile, Pussycat Doll and former ‘Dancing With the Stars’ champ Nicole Scherzinger has been hired to host the U.S. talent competition when it premieres on Fox in September.

But Scherzinger will have a co-host, according to EW.com: Steve Jones, British TV personality. Jones, 34, is a Welsh-born former model and a virtual unknown in the U.S. (Of course, Ryan Seacrest was largely unknown when he was tapped to emcee ‘American Idol,’ and the gig seems to have worked out for him!) Jones reportedly was down to the wire competing for the ‘X Factor’ job against ‘High School Musical’ star Corbin Bleu.

Scherzinger, 32, wowed producers when she was a guest judge on a recent episode of the ‘X Factor’ in the U.K., where she also released a hit single this year, ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath.’

Abdul, 48, reportedly hammered out her new contract just in the nick of time: The judging rounds of ‘X Factor’ begin taping in Los Angeles today. [Sunday]

[From Popeater]

Well Paula will certainly make things more interesting, if not harder to understand. Cowell needed a big name to join him on the panel and while Reid and Cole are both famous they don’t have Paula’s name recognition. I like her and find her very sweet, but she’s definitely loopy as hell. She’s a fun sidekick for Simon though and he’ll be recreating the most interesting judge dynamic from Idol by having her join him on X Factor. Idol producers really screwed up the panel by bringing in Kara DioGuardi in 2009 and kind of forcing Paula out. I kind of understand why they did it though. She can’t be easy to work with.

These photos are from outside the X Factor taping on 5/8/11. I find them kind of mesmerizing and I love Paula’s goofy purple dress and shoes. They’re perfect for her. Credit: WENN.com

These are photos of Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson in New York yesterday. Fame Pictures says they were headed into an “office building”. Which makes me think that Jessica is involving Eric in all of her business decisions. I don’t know if she actually is doing that, I just know that it’s what I fear for her. That Jessica is so loved-up that she thinks that there’s nothing wrong with putting her dude on her payroll and inviting him to speak (for her?) during her business meetings.

Speaking of Jessica and money, there have been rumors flying around heavily this week that Jessica is one of the leading contenders to be a judge on Simon Cowell’s new import/export, The X-Factor. The X-Factor is a HUGE show in England, and Cheryl Cole’s career exploded when she became a judge on the British version. Could Jessica be in for the same thing?

Well, the nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Entertainment Weekly and Reuters are saying that Jessica is a long-shot, and that Simon first choices are people like Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey, George Michael, and Nicole Scherzinger (The Pussycat Dolls). However, People Magazine’s sources say that Jess is a front-runner:

Although buzz about which celebrities could join Simon Cowell’s new show The X Factor is already going strong, a new name has been added to the mix. Jessica Simpson is a frontrunner to become one of the judges alongside Cowell, a show insider tells PEOPLE.

“There [are] loads of conversations happening at the moment,” says the source. “No one has been offered a judging role yet as new names keep coming forward who want the role, but there are some frontrunners and it’s fair to say Jessica is one of them. She’s very keen.”

Simpson, 30, has the skills needed for this particular format, which features a $5 million recording contract as the grand prize, says the insider. Still, there are a lot of factors that go in to making the final choice.

“She knows what she is talking about [and] is talented and likable,” the source says. “But Simon’s not in a rush to decide. The judges have to mentor on The X Factor – it’s more than just turning up for a few hours a week to appear on TV.”

The judges will have to “work with contestants on music, dancers, styling,” the source continues. “It’s a lot of work.”

The X Factor, which is already a hit in Cowell’s native U.K., will debut in the U.S. on FOX in the fall, so producers have time to make a careful choice.

“They have to get the decision right, which takes time,” the source says. “Those final decisions may not happen for a few weeks.”

[From People]

I honestly think it wouldn’t be a horrible decision to make Jessica a judge. She’s not the brightest bulb, nor the most hard-working, but she is likeable and sweet, and she’s immensely “watchable”. That being said, out of the list of people given, I’d say they would likely go with Nicole WhatsIt.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Simon’s ex Jackie St Claire is on the left

I know we don’t pay much attention to Simon Cowell, but this story is pretty interesting. Simon, 51, has been engaged to makeup artist Mezhgan Hussainy, 37, since this spring. Only it looks like they’re not moving forward with their wedding because Simon refuses to give up old habits, namely working 16 hour days and continuing to take his ex girlfriends out to dinner and on vacation with him. This new is in Hello!, which also has an interview this week with one of Simon’s privileged exes, Sinitta, who seems to be giving Hello! this information off the record. Last month we heard some questionable quotes from Simon in which he supposedly admitted that he’d slept with a jaw-dropping 2,000 women. I find that hard to believe when he’s recycling so many of them. Here’s part of Hello!’s report:

Friends of the couple have confirmed to Hello! that their romance has become increasingly shaky in recent months. “They never set a date but at one point they were planning a wedding,” a source tells us. “But it all started to coll when Mezhgan moved in…

“What people should realise about Simon is that he is married to his work and his career. For him, money, fame, success and power is [sic] everything.

“They are still together and he loves Mezghan and wants to make a relationship work. But will he ever marry her? I can’t see that happening. He is too much of a bachelor and too focused on the Simon Cowell empire.”

Celebrity make-up artist Mezhgan, 37, who was born in Afghanistan and raised in the US, has in turn told friends she is becoming increasingly concerned at the amount of time her fiance spends with two of his ex-flames – former glamour model Jackie St. Clair, 51, and one-time pop star Sinitta, 41, who is now Simon’s right-hand woman on The X Factor.

“It is a four-person relationship,” a friend of Mezghan tells Hello! “What woman is going to stand for that? Of course she is unhappy at having to share Simon with two other women but there seems to be no choice…

“They haven’t split up, but Mezghan says she never gets to spend any time with Simon on his own. He works 16-hour days and spends a lot of time with Mezghan – and other women, particularly Sinitta and Jackie.”

Simon’s friend says of the unconventional set-up: “To Sinitta and Jackie he’s like the golden goose. He takes them to the best restaurants and offers them both security. He also can take them on yachts that most women could only dream of.

“Simon does it because he likes his familiarity. He likes to hang out with people he knows. That is why he spends so much time with both Jackie and Sinitta. They know and understand him and do everything they can to keep him happy. Both of them love being around someone who is so successful.”

Despite the doubts of some friends that not all is well in Simon’s love life, however, his spokesman Max Clifford tells us: “Simon and Mezghan are as happy as they have ever been. She has gone back to LA to see her family and there is no problem in their relationship.”

[From Hello! Magazine, print edition, November 1, 2010]

It sounds like Simon has a kind of “mistress” arrangement with the other two women and expects his fiance to put up with it. At least he isn’t married yet, and I doubt he’ll ever be. Simon’s last girlfriend, Terri Seymour, ex Sinitta said that he was a “horrible cheat“ and that he was manipulative and “always disappearing.” He’s up to his old tricks and expects the women in his life to be on board. The ones who aren’t will probably get cut out.

Simon and Jackie October 2010:

Sinitta, Simon and Jackie St. Claire, January 2010

Simon and Sinitta, September 2009

Simon and Mezhgan, 9/18/10. (Barcroft/Fame Pictures)