Simon Cowell: some call him awful. Some call him great. others call him his show's only real star—whatever he is, he's helped make American Idol the talk of TV. Here, he takes the stand

Interview, April, 2003 by Sara Switzer

SARA SWITZER: You judge aspiring pop stars. often quite harshly, on American Idol. How did this job come about?

SIMON COWELL: I helped create the show with a friend of mine, Simon Fuller. I've run a record label [S Records] for about 10 years, and we could see our U.K. sales slipping away, so we created a show that would find us more artists. [Pop Idol debuted in the U.K. in 2000 and was launched in the U.S. as American Idol last fall.] All the winners sign to my record label.

SS: Why do you think the show is so popular?

SC: Because it's realistic. The other day I was having a conversation about why the second series of The Osbournes isn't so successful. The thing is, the first time, they're not aware of the cameras; but the second time, they turn into actors. The thing about American Idol is that you can't cheat it. And we haven't got a clue what's going to happen. It's a bit like the lions and the Christians, this show. Thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Look, people love to see people fall apart on TV.

SS: And that doesn't concern you at all?

SC: No. It's human nature. We all slow down when we see a car crash--everyone's got a part of their brain that enjoys misfortune.

SS: And you don't mind capitalizing on that?

SC: Well, it's not a question of capitalizing on it--I just admit that I find it amusing. We're criticized a lot, but the truth is--and I really mean this--some of our artists wouldn't have gotten record deals without the show. It's giving people a fantastic opportunity.

SS: Do you ever feel badly about treating people the way you do?

SC: Well, I don't, and I'll tell you why. Because 90 percent of the people who turn up for our auditions have a false impression of their abilities. Somebody at some point in their lives has to tell them the truth. I'm like the friendly executioner. I think what I do is kinder than patronizing somebody with false hope. Look, before we aired, it was very rare that anything music related on TV would become a watercooler moment, but that's what this show has done: It's made music the talk of the day.

SS: Aren't people actually talking about you, and who cried, rather than the music?

SC: Yeah, but that's the whole point. It tells me that most recording artists at the moment, with the exception of people like Eminem, are dull.

SS: But doesn't the show contribute to the dumbing down of America? I mean how will American Idol lead to better music just because you've rounded up some kids who want to be celebrities?

SC: All I can say is that the songs we choose to let the artists sing are not rap songs about shooting someone's bitch--to me, that is dumbing down. If kids watch our show, they are going to hear some of the best songs of all time. The dumbing down of America is not coming from the show--it's coming from other sources.

Sara Switzer is a frequent Interview contributor.