X Factor!
Rumors leak Simon Cowell gave Cheryl Cole the axe early?
[May 31]
Simon Cowell, American Idol winner of the meanest celebrity judge award, might be involved with the firing of Cheryl Cole from his new show X Factor — or not. Rumors are swirling thanks to a variety of conflicting entertainment journals reporting that Simon Cowell fancies himself a Donald Trump reality show type, just waiting for his moment in the spotlight to say, “You’re FIRED!” and others that say the outwardly cold-hearted but secretly warm and fuzzy teddy bear was taken by surprise when Cheryl Cole was told — not so politely – that as a new reality television show judge, America had already voted her off. The celebrity scandal now ensuing is a grand one, as everyone is planning to tune in to the X Factor now that American Idol 2011 has wrapped up. While celebrity teen Scotty McCreery is hot news in the celebrity gossip circles for winning American Idol and then Scotty kissing Lauren Alaina, nothing will keep his name in the press more than a fat and juicy celebrity scandal like a mystery about who fired a key star on a television show like X Factor.
The Hollywood Reporter shared:
There are many hands working on X Factor, which is a co-production of Cowell’s Syco Television, Fox and Fremantle North America. Yet Darnell has been cited in reports such as one over the weekend in the Daily Mail, which postulated that the longtime Fox executive is “the man behind Cheryl’s spectacular fall from grace and worldwide humiliation.”
Citing the more lurid shows offered during Darnell’s tenure at Fox — such as Who’s Your Daddy?— the article portrays Darnell as the person “behind booting her from the show.”
Some counterspin turned up in another British paper, News of the World, which portrayed Cole as “snubbing all Simon Cowell’s attempts to contact her.” In that account, Cole specifically blames Cowell — not Darnell — for her ouster after only four days.
So which rumor report is correct — if any of the rumors really are right? Did Simon Cowell really do the dastardly deed and axe Cheryl from her new dream job judging raw talent alongside his royal highness? Or was this other clown Darnell really at fault?
On gets the feeling that Simon Cowell is unlikely to be left out of the loop very often in the decision-making process and would not tolerate too many shenanigans on a project where his name is so publicly involved, but who knows. Simon could be losing his clutch on the reins of X Factor now that the power position he used to hold on American Idol has been given up to Steven Tyler — a man who whether they like it or not, America secretly loves to watch.
Simon Cowell’s reps have remained unavailable for comment on the issue, but are expected to talk soon enough.
Whether or not Simon Cowell will dish dirt personally before Cheryl Cole talks is uncertain — but we’ll be keeping watch.