TMZ caught up with The Voice producer, Mark Burnett who insists that Simon Cowell is reading things that aren’t there into NBC’s decision to run a third night of The Voice during premiere week against X Factor.
Mark Burnett — the mastermind behind “The Voice” — says Simon Cowell is delusional to think Mark is going head-to-head with the premiere of “X Factor” to steal Britney Spears‘ thunder.
Burnett tells TMZ … he didn’t even know NBC added “The Voice” to next Wednesday’s schedule until we called to tell him. Burnett said, “There was never ever a meeting or a discussion of what my show was up against. The fact is … it shows you where our minds are at and where others are because it literally never crossed my mind.”
Burnett — who also created “Survivor” — tells us, “This is someone trying to read into something that doesn’t exist.”
Simon claims the folks responsible for “The Voice” have heard how good Britney Spears and Demi Lovato are … so they’re trying to keep the audience away from “X Factor.”
And Burnett had this parting shot … “I’m just glad we’re on Simon’s mind.”
Of course Burnett will play dumb in order to make Simon appear irrational. But it’s a tricky question. In reality, the producer probably had NO say in the decision to run The Voice a third night. It was NBC’s call. And if anybody believes the network isn’t trying to eff with The X Factor. Well, there’s that bridge in Brooklyn etc, etc…
