“American Idol” offers Simon Cowell $144 million a year

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What is Simon Cowell worth? If I had to puzzle over this question for more than a minute, I’d probably decide that his worth is more about the amount I’m willing to pay him to shut the hell up than anything else. To me there’s nothing useful about the man. Yes he’s capable of being mean, why is that such a marketable skill? What he should be most famous for is rocking the world’s worst flat-top haircut for at least ten years. The guy’s so loudly critical of everyone else – why doesn’t anyone but me scream at him over his hair? It just looks like absolute trash.

Back on track…. Because I could talk smack about Simon’s freshly-mowed-suburban-lawn haircut all day…. if you’re wondering what anyone more valuable than myself thinks Cowell is worth, it’s well in the neighborhood of $144 million a year. You read that right. And that’s not the total of all his projects – that’s just to stay on “American Idol.”

EARLY salary figures from Simon Cowell’s “American Idol” contract negotiations are leaking out and they’re eye-popping. Cowell, who reportedly made $36 million last year for judging the hit competition show, has been offered three or four times that amount — between $100 million and $144 million per year — by co-producers Fox and 19 Entertainment to stick with “Idol” when his contract expires next May, according to The Guardian, a London newpaper [sic].

Fox declined yesterday to comment about the salary negotiations. While $36 million may seem like a lot of money for five months worth of snarky comments and eye-rolls, it’s only a fraction of the estimated $900 million that “Idol” rakes in a year. As the lynchpin of the show — without him there would be no one to hate and no dramatic tension with Paula Abdul — Cowell believes he’s due for a raise.

To get more of the pie, he’s been leaning on long-time friend and UK retail multibillionaire Sir Philip Green — who owns hot fashion franchise Top Shop — for help negotiating the terms of what would be a new “Idol” contract, reports say. Green is said to be lobbying hard for an increase in Cowell’s appearance fee on the show.

…”Idol” is only one of Cowell’s TV contracts which are on the verge of expiring. His three-year deal, which spawned hits “Britain’s Got Talent” and “The X-Factor,” with UK’s ITV, ends this year.

[From Page Six]

Cowell’s long-term plan is to create an “international TV production, talent management and merchandising company,” which he will helm, while Green takes care of the business’s finances. And apparently there’s no better way to start your company off right than with out of this world demands just for sitting in a chair.

I do understand what Simon brings to the show, I just don’t understand WHY he brings it. I would probably watch “American Idol” if it weren’t for him. But I don’t really need to spend an hour of my day watching one of the few successful grownup bullies act like a mean fifth grader with a microphone. I’d bet $20 if they were to keep the cameras rolling during commercial breaks, you’d find Simon in the bathroom doling out swirlies and pantsing people. Marketable skill indeed.

Here’s Simon and his flat top leaving his hotel in Birmingham yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.com. Header photo of Simon in Glasgow on June 8th used solely to illustrate previous hair-related diatribe. Image thanks to Fame Pictures .

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12 Responses to ““American Idol” offers Simon Cowell $144 million a year”

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  1. Wench. says:

    Recession? What recession?

  2. Jewels says:

    Is he single?

  3. Des says:

    I really disagree about him being a bully. Yes, he does have a rough tongue on him but he doesn’t punish people for talking back or ask that they cower in fear. He’s just devastatingly clear about whether or not he likes someone or their work (which is often not the same thing).

    You could make an argument for removing the judges panel entirely, but if you removed just Simon from the present group what would you have? Paula who loves everything, often for incomprehensible reasons. Randy who doesn’t want to make a call unless he’s forced to. And Kara who’s basically Paula without the pills.

    Now is Simon worth 144m? Considering the show is American Idol, I’m not shedding any tears for the poor li’l Fox.

  4. fizXgirl314 says:

    commmmeeee onnnnnn… this guy gets paid ridiculous amounts of money… for what?
    and he can’t even seem to manage a decent haircut. what DUMBASS gets a buzz cut, with frayed edges and combs it down the middle like alfafla from little rascals… WHAT A BUFFOON!

  5. Lem says:

    I’m dyslexic so I know I’m reading this wrong. there is something to be said about a bazillionaire in $10 t-shirts, I’m just not sure what

    Paula is gonna flip in 3…2…

  6. Julie says:

    I think it’s sick that these people make so much money and we have so many people in this world that can barely put food on the table for their families.

  7. Ursula says:

    I love him, love his quips, those who cannot take the heat should get out of the kitche. Now he needs to buy some good shirts. You know Simon, there are designer high waisted pants and plain over washed T- shirts.

  8. cheekemunkey says:

    I agree, Julie. Some things haven’t changed. The rich continue their cycle of greed.

  9. Sauronsarmy says:

    And the poor continue their cycle of whining.

    (I keed I keed)

  10. Ivan says:

    The more people talk about him the more advertisers are willing to pay him for a piggy back.Thats how he got where he is. Julie – by going on like you do your actually contributing towards it. Go figure. Its how the world turns. How do you know how much he may give for charity anyway? Whos to say? I couldnt judge it. And to be honest if I could do it I would. At least I’d know some of it would deffo go to charity! Would that make me a bad person? Only the Lord and my mother can say.

  11. I just made a business card of Simon Cowell and his Judgement Trousers

  12. @Des: well he might not be a bully but he is really mean I common he could criticize people in a much better way