Simon Cowell, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato and L.A Reid were beamed in via satellite feed from the X Factor boot camp in Miami for a panel at the FOX TCA in Los Angeles yesterday.
Much of the talk featured Simon and his co-judges engaging in silly banter. “Demi a brat,” snarked Simon in one quip, “but there’s something really likable about her as well.” We also learn that he and Britney share the same makeup person. And that it’s OK if the girls like American Idol. But only the seasons he was on. And don’t even mention The Voice!
But all kidding asside, before X Factor 2 premieres in September, Simon has to hire new hosts. He still would like to split the duties between a boy and a girl. “That’s the plan … to have a boy and a girl,” he said. “We’d ideally like someone who’s never been a host before.”
Someone who has no experience? While Steve Jones, an experience presenter, could barely keep the ship sailing, Simon is expecting a couple of newbies to manage it? Hm.
After firing Steve, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger at the end of a lackluster season 1, Simon said he is happy with the current lineup. “The package we have together makes it so much fun to do the show,” he said. “It’s made it a lot of fun for me.”
The host announcement should come by mid-August. And the other big piece of news yesterday? “I’m happy for her,” Simon said of the announcement that Mariah Carey has signed on to judge American Idol. “I like Mariah. I think she’s going to find it difficult to say no… She’s sweet.”
