Talent Recap

‘American Idol’ is Reportedly on The Hunt for New Simon Cowell

Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell on 'American Idol: The Farewell Season'Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

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American Idol is reportedly looking to change up the judging panel once again. The show’s producers are allegedly desperate to find the “next Simon Cowell’ for the show’s roster.


American Idol is Hunting for The “Next Simon Cowell”

On Thursday, May 8, The U.S. Sun revealed that American Idol is on the hunt for their next harsh judge. Apparently, A-listers are hesitant to sign on to American Idol for a very specific reason.

This news comes as American Idol‘s ratings plummeted by 700k viewers during Hawaii Week. Ahead of this, the show had their biggest launch in years, bringing in 5.93 million total viewers.

“The judges are struggling to find their next Simon. They know finding the perfect mixture of harsh critique and humorous entertainment, which Simon embodies,” a source told The U.S. Sun. “They think it would bring back the spark the show needs to boost ratings and get a fresh face lift.”


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In case you missed it, current judges of the series are Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. Ahead of this season, Katy Perry sat on the judging panel beside Richie and Bryan.

No A-List Stars Want to Accept American Idol Panel Spot

Apparently, producers of the show are having a hard time finding someone to fill these shoes. It seems as if the show’s nature changing has made a lasting impact on potential judges.

“The problem is, no big star in the current day would agree to it. No one wants to be the ‘bad guy,'” the source continued. “No one wants to get canceled or offend people.”


While continuing to discuss the reasoning, the source admitted that the show’s iconic formatting featuring an insulting judge may not be as widely accepted as it once was.

“A high-profile star isn’t going to sign up to be that person, they’re just not,” they added. “That’s why the show has pivoted to the nice, heartwarming, family-friendly route with emotional backstories.”

American Idol Fans Are Enjoying Sob Stories, Not For Long

Right now, it appears that American Idol fans are enjoying the storyline aspect of the show. At the moment, the show is focused on humanizing each contestant. Apparently this has “worked, somewhat, but can only work for so long.”

As of right now, fan feedback is pretty similar, all fans feel judges are “too soft” on contestants in the recent years. Some even think performances that would’ve been picked apart in earlier seasons are now getting praise.

What do you think about American Idol’s decision to find a “new Simon Cowell?” Would you tune in with a different judging panel? Let us know in the comments down below.

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