From 2002 to 2010 the British record executive Simon Cowell judged American Idol, at first beside Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. He told many singers they could not sing. He earned a reputation as TV’s “Mr. Nasty.” In 2002 he named the best part of being known as “Evil Simon”: “You don’t have to pretend to be nice to people.”
In an interview published by The New York Times on November 29, 2025, he said: “I did realize I’ve probably gone too far.” He added: “I’m not proud of it, let’s put it that way.” And: “What can I say? I’m sorry.”
He also said that the harshness “made the shows really popular worldwide.”