Paula Abdul exits 'X Factor'; third to leave show

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paula Abdul joined the exodus from Fox's disappointing "The X Factor," attributing her departure to business trumping all else.

Abdul said Tuesday she won't return to "dear friend" Simon Cowell's singing contest when it begins its second season later this year. Her announcement followed Monday's exits of fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones.

"I've learned through my longevity in this industry that business decisions often times override personal considerations," Abdul said in a measured statement. She and others involved with the show understand the situation, she said, adding, "Simon is, and will remain a dear friend of mine and I've treasured" working on "X Factor."

In a separate statement, Cowell didn't address the reason for the changes but thanked the exiting trio "for everything they did last year."

Cowell and Antonio "L.A." Reid remained on the judging panel. There was no immediate word from producers on who might fill the open seats.

Cowell returned Abdul's good wishes and said he expected he and his former "American Idol" teammate would work on another project in the near future.

Despite respectable ratings, "X Factor" has failed to achieve popularity similar to Fox's "American Idol," which Cowell left to import "X Factor" from the U.K. to the U.S. He had predicted his new show would be a blockbuster.

___

Online:

http://www.thexfactorusa.com

View the original article here at Yahoo News!

Cowell back on TV with `X Factor,' hopes of a hit (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Simon Cowell, a man who thinks big, is picturing his new singing contest "The X Factor" as America's No. 1 series.

The British music industry executive, TV star and producer wants to prove that the U.K. and international TV hit can play on what he considers the world's top stage, America.

For Fox, home of "The X Factor" and Cowell's former stomping ground "American Idol," his new show offers the chance to extend to the fall season the ratings domination reliably provided by veteran "American Idol" from January to May.

The test starts this week with the debut of "X Factor" at 8-10 p.m. EDT Wednesday and Thursday. Joining Cowell as judges are Antonio "L.A." Reid, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger. British TV personality Steve Jones is the host.

The goal is never "the silver medal. You want to be No. 1, and over the next few months we're going to throw everything at this to make this the best show on TV," Cowell says.

Like a movie producer with his eye on a box-office hit, Cowell has attempted to fashion the ideal cast — featuring himself, of course. Could he have a blockbuster in store? Roll credits for "The X Factor" and let the public vote.

• THE STAR: Cowell, a proven brand with "American Idol" and the role model for every other talent show's smart but rudely blunt British judge.

He's a gunslinger, ready to shoot down the off-key and the annoying, and make the world safe for his brand of hit pop music and performers, whether that's Leona Lewis or Susan Boyle. On screen, he can be charmingly sincere or a curmudgeonly wit and knows how to fill out a tight T-shirt.

Behind the scenes, he's master of his fate. Peter Rice, Fox network chairman, gave him final vote on "X Factor" decisions, Cowell says, with this ringing endorsement: "If we're going to trust you with this much money, we're going to trust you."

He's a man of the people, dismissing those who question the wisdom of giving a $5 million prize along with a record contract to a winner who is likely unused to such a windfall. "It's patronizing that middle class and wealthy people say that anyone who hasn't got money can't have it. I love the idea."

• THE BUDDY: Reid, the elegant, Grammy-winning producer and executive who has helped guide Usher, Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey, and is now dedicated to helping Cowell find voices that will dazzle and invigorate the music industry.

Reid is nobody's second fiddle but knows how to keep leading man Cowell in the spotlight. He knew the Brit was a "superstar" at their first encounter. They've bonded over business and breaking the rules by filling an office with cigar and cigarette smoke: "I loved everything about him," Reid says.

Cowell's response: "It's a mutual admiration society." Such heartfelt bromance can be winning.

Reid intends to use "X Factor" to find the kind of "great singers" he sees as absent from the music scene, citing Adele as an exception and a guiding light. "Shows like this are designed for talent like hers. ... Pure, pure singing. That's what's missing, and this opens the door for that."

• THE OLD FLAME: Abdul, the singer-dancer and former "American Idol" judge whose on- and off-screen adventures and off-kilter chemistry with Cowell make her a predictable component of the show's promised unpredictability.

"It's nice to be back in a demented relationship. It's like home," Abdul says fondly of reuniting with her old sparring partner and now boss. He's turned into a "pussy cat," she contends, but knows the kind of insights that will really score points.

"This is a real reality show, and you are going to get a real inside view without manipulation. ... You are going to see `what you see is what you get' and the good, the bad and the ugly, and I think it's a show that really gets behind the scenes as well," she says.

Music to Cowell's ears. But he was sold on Abdul, he says, when she showed up to discuss joining "X Factor" and was fit, healthy, informed and "didn't rely on the existing relationship."

• THE INGENUE: Scherzinger, a former member of the Pussycat Dolls who brings youth, J-Lo-style glamour and her own reality TV credentials to the table as a onetime contestant on "Pop Stars."

"I've been there. I can empathize with them," she says of the contestants. "I come from a different place of compassion and understanding."

She may cry, following the Abdul model. But even a softy such as Scherzinger knows the score. When she served as a judge on "X Factor" in the U.K., she was initially reluctant to say no to contestants, recalls Cowell. But she's wised up.

"I'm impressed by her professionalism and her ambition. She's a very, very ambitious girl and I like that in people," he says.

__ THE ROOKIE: Host Jones, a onetime model who segued to TV host on British programs including "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" and "Drop Zone," and is making his U.S. series debut.

The Welshman, who furthers the diversity of accents on U.S. TV, has yearned to make the leap to America, home of such Jones favorites as Stephen Colbert ("The funniest man on American TV") and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" ("It's so deliciously inappropriate").

Cowell courted him but Jones then had to endure "jumping through hoops," passing muster with Fox and the show's other producers. He let other offers slide while he waited for "X Factor, the one he wanted.

"I really rolled the dice," says Jones.

He won. Will "The Factor" and Fox?

___

Fox is a unit of News Corp.

___

http://www.fox.com

Yahoo! News

Simon Cowell predicts "X Factor" will thrash rivals (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Big, brash and confident as ever, Simon Cowell said on Friday that his upcoming "The X Factor" would thrash the competition on U.S. television and topple "American Idol" as the nation's most-watched show.

Cowell, both executive producer and acid-tongued judge on the U.S. version of "The X Factor" called the singing contest a "game changer" and said it was "completely different" in style and content from his old vehicle "American Idol".

Asked whether he thought "X Factor", with its unprecedented $5 million cash prize for the winner, would beat "Idol" in the TV ratings when it debuts on Fox in September, Cowell told television journalists.

"If I didn't think we could -- and its not just 'Idol', it's any show -- we don't enter something for the silver medal. You do it because you want to be number one, and for the next few months we are going to throw everything at this to try and make it the best show on TV," the British producer said.

"I wouldn't have made the show unless I thought it would be different...we see this as a game changer," he added.

Fox, which broadcasts both talent shows, said it believed "X Factor" would reverse the network's historically "patchy" ratings in the fall TV season.

"If 'X Factor' can do half of what we hope it will do in the fall, Fox is going to be really difficult for the other guys to reckon with," Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly said.

"X Factor" marks the return of the abrasive but popular Cowell to U.S. television after quitting "American Idol" in 2010 following 10 years in the judges' seat, and reunites him with his old "Idol" sparring partner Paula Abdul.

The new show debuts in a now-crowded market for TV talent contests that includes the surprise success of NBC newcomer "The Voice" earlier this year, and established favorites like "America's Got Talent" and a capella contest "The Sing-Off", as well as a revamped and resurgent "Idol" which airs from January-May.

"X Factor" welcomes contestants 13 years-old and up, as well as singing groups. It turns the judges into competing mentors and has contestants auditioning before vast stadium audiences.

"We will show the good bits, the bad bits, the ugly bits -- and there are a lot of ugly bits," Cowell said, saying there was room for more than two or three hit TV singing shows,

While the revamped "American Idol", with new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, increased audiences last season with a softer and kinder attitude toward its aspiring young stars, Cowell has clearly abandoned none of the sarcasm and biting wit that helped make him a star on U.S. TV.

Asked how it felt to be working again with Cowell, Abdul told reporters, "It's nice to be back in a demented relationship. It's like home."

"I think its more like 'The Exorcist 2'," retorted Cowell.

But he confessed that he had met his match in some of the younger contestants auditioning for a spot on the show.

"We have had to say to some of the 14-year-olds 'please be kind to me'...I was quite traumatized after some of the auditions." Cowell said that one young rapper had "absolutely chewed me apart. But I quite like that."

"The X Factor" arrives on Fox on September 21 with a two-hour premiere, and ends with a two-part finale on Dec 21 and 22, where a winner will be chosen by public vote and scoop up a $5 million cash prize, as well as a recording contract with Cowell's Sony Music-owned record label SyCo.

Yahoo! News

Cowell talks Cole's exit at 'X Factor' auditions (AP)

NEWARK, N.J. – At auditions filmed Thursday before a live audience for "The X Factor," Simon Cowell seemed to want people to move on from the shakeup on the show's judges panel replacing British pop singer Cheryl Cole with American counterpart Nicole Scherzinger.

"It wasn't really such a big deal as everybody thought. ... Truth is you've got to move on. It's about the contestants. They've got no interest in us bickering," Cowell said at the auditions in New Jersey.

Earlier in the week, Fox and producers announced Cole was out and Scherzinger, who originally was signed on to co-host the show, would slide over to the judges table alongside Cowell, Paula Abdul and LA Reid.

He said the show will not re-tape episodes already filmed that feature Cole.

"Show it. I mean it's reality TV. There's no point in lying about it," he said. "It is what it is."

Cowell said it was a no brainer to slide Scherzinger over to the judge's table when the position opened up.

"I've worked with Nicole before. I think she would have killed me if I had given the job to someone else. She's very good at this. You know, she knows what she's doing and so it was an easy transition."

Cowell left "American Idol" in May of 2010 after its ninth season. He said the absence from American TV has been good.

"I realized how much I missed working here in America. I really, really love making shows here," he said. But "the gap's been good for me because I appreciate it more now."

It seems as if distance has also been good for Cowell and Abdul's working relationship. Abdul sneaked up behind Cowell as he greeted fans at the Prudential Center and in turn he gave her a hug and a kiss.

"(The honeymoon period) is still going on which is really frightening," Abdul said. "It's kind of weird and awkward ... he's actually, kind of, shall I say nice?"

The U.S. version of "The X Factor" will premiere on Fox in September.

___

Online:

http://www.fox.com/thexfactor/

Yahoo! News

Cowell says he tried to keep Cole on 'X Factor' (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Simon Cowell said he made a good faith effort to keep Cheryl Cole on either the U.S. or the U.K. version of "The X Factor" and regrets losing her and, possibly, her friendship.

Dismissing reports that Cole was dropped from the U.S. show because of a lack of chemistry with fellow judge Paula Abdul, Cowell said he "genuinely" felt Cole would be happier back home in England and on the original "X Factor."

"I hate seeing her hurt. She's one of — I hope — she's one of my closest friends, and this was a decision we made which we thought would be beneficial to her, funny enough," Cowell said in an interview Monday from London.

"Not many people will believe that, but that's the truth," said Cowell, the former "American Idol" judge who created "The X Factor." After the U.K. deal stalled, an effort to retain Cole on the upcoming Fox TV show also failed, he said.

Earlier Monday, Fox and producers announced that Cole was to be replaced on the network's version of the singing contest by another British pop star, Nicole Scherzinger, who will shift from co-host to judge on the show debuting this fall.

Cole's representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

Scherzinger, last year's "Dancing With the Stars" champ, is a former member of pop's Pussycat Dolls and has appeared on the British "The X Factor," while Cole found fame with the group Girls Aloud.

Previously announced co-host Steve Jones, a popular British TV personality, will fly solo, Fox and "X Factor" producers FremantleMedia North America and Cowell's Syco Television said in a brief joint statement.

Cowell and Antonio "L.A." Reid join Scherzinger and Abdul as judges. Cole, who had already taped two audition shows, will be seen in some series footage, Cowell said.

Cowell called inaccurate the swirl of rumors about her, including the suggestion that she didn't mesh with the other U.S. judges or that her Newcastle, England, accent was difficult for American viewers to understand.

"She was good on the American show," Cowell said. "I personally thought she was missing her family and friends. She just looked a little bit, I wouldn't say uncomfortable, but just not as happy as I've seen her on previous shows."

Cole was offered a pay boost to leave the Fox's "X Factor" and return as a judge on the hit British show, Cowell said.

Cole's representatives quickly responded that she was interested and negotiations began, he said. She seemed excited, he said, adding, "It was even to the point she'd asked if she could have my dressing room" in London.

But talks were derailed when word leaked to the media and her side went silent, he said. With production nearing for the U.K. "X Factor" (its new season began last week), the panel had to be locked without Cole.

Cowell said he and the other producers of the Fox show determined it would be "fair" to offer Cole the chance to return. Despite reports, he said, she was could reject the offer without breaching her contract or losing any pay.

Cowell has been in touch with Cole, telling her in one text message that he takes "full responsibility" for what happened and doesn't lay blame on Fox or Fremantle. She's sent only one message back, he said.

"She told me she wasn't happy but that she also accepted it was a business decision and she wished the show well. Typically, in Cheryl form, she was disappointed but charming at the same time," said Cowell.

"I always, always would hold the door open to work with her again," he said.

However the "The X Factor" fares on Fox, it's already provided a bounty of gripping off-screen drama with Cole's exit and Abdul's announcement as judge last month following protracted will-she-or-won't-she speculation.

Is there a third act coming?

"I'm going to ax me," Cowell joked.

Fox is counting on the new series to extend to the fall the ratings domination provided by "American Idol," which airs from January to May. For Cowell, "The X Factor" is a chance to add to his U.S. portfolio that includes the summer series "America's Got Talent," airing on NBC and produced by Syco and FremantleMedia North America.

___

Fox is a unit of News Corp.

Yahoo! News

Fox: Cole out as `X Factor' judge, Scherzinger in (AP)

LOS ANGELES – In the U.S. television battle of the British pop stars, Cheryl Cole is out of Fox's "The X Factor" and Nicole Scherzinger will replace her as judge on the Fox singing contest.

After a swirl of rumors that Cole would be dropped, Fox and "X Factor" producers confirmed the switch Monday that moves Scherzinger from co-host to judge of the show created by Simon Cowell.

Previously announced co-host Steve Jones, a popular British TV personality, will be the sole host when the show debuts this fall, Fox and "X Factor" producers FremantleMedia North America and Syco Television said Monday.

Their brief joint statement offered no details. Reports had circulated that Cole lacked chemistry with the other panelists, including former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul, and appeared uncomfortable in the U.S. format that has been taping early episodes. Other judges include Cowell and Antonio "L.A." Reid.

Cole was a judge on the original British "X Factor" and Cowell reportedly had tried to keep her on the U.S. version. It's unknown if Cole, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, will remain with the top-rated U.K. show.

Scherzinger, last year's "Dancing With the Stars" champ, is a former member of the pop group Pussycat Dolls and has appeared on the British "The X Factor," while Cole found fame with the pop group Girls Aloud.

However the "The X Factor" fares on Fox, it's already provided a bounty of gripping off-screen drama with Cole's exit and Abdul's announcement as judge last month following protracted will-she-or-won't-she speculation.

Fox is counting on the new series to extend to the fall the ratings domination provided by "American Idol," which airs from January to May. For Cowell, "The X Factor" is a chance to add to his U.S. portfolio that includes the summer series "America's Got Talent," airing on NBC and produced by his Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America.

___

Fox is a unit of News Corp.

Yahoo! News

Fox confirms Cheryl Cole out of U.S. "X Factor" show (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – British singer Cheryl Cole has been dropped as a judge on the upcoming U.S. version of Simon Cowell's talent contest "The X Factor", broadcaster Fox and Cowell's production company said on Monday.

The official announcement ended almost two weeks of rumor and speculation about problems with the line-up of the much-anticipated TV show, due to debut in the fall of 2011.

Cole, who had been Cowell's personal choice for the panel, will be replaced by PussyCat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, who was previously announced as the co-host of the show.

Monday's brief statement by Fox and Syco, was the first official comment on reports that Cole had been replaced following the filming of two audition episodes of "The X Factor" last month.

The statement gave no reasons for the change and did not address how producers would handle the sessions already shot with Cole on the judge's panel.

Cole, a singer with the group Girls Aloud, is a household name in Britain but unknown in the United States. Media reports have said she was dropped because of fears that U.S. viewers would have difficulty understanding her strong Northern English accent.

Reports from Britain over the weekend had said that Cowell was fighting to keep Cole on the show.

"The X Factor" is the highlight of Fox television's upcoming fall television schedule.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, editing by Christine Kearney)

Yahoo! News

Cowell still in talks over U.S. "X Factor" judges (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) – British music and TV mogul Simon Cowell has been pushing for Cheryl Cole to be chosen as a judge on the upcoming U.S. launch of talent show "The X Factor," despite reports she had been ditched, his publicist said.

Cowell's spokesman Max Clifford told Sky News that talks were ongoing between Cowell, Fox television which will air the show and FremantleMedia, which is producing it along with Cowell's Syco Television.

"He wants her on the show, he put her forward," Clifford said on Sunday in televised remarks. He was not immediately available for further comment on Monday.

"Now people at Fox, people at Fremantle that are obviously a hugely important part of this triangle, are not so sure. So there's discussions going on, negotiations going on."

Last month it was widely reported that Cole, who rose to fame as a member of British girl band Girls Aloud, had been dropped as a judge on the new show just days after being hired.

The move was attributed by some news sites to Cole's northern English accent which producers feared U.S. audiences would struggle to understand, while others said she had failed to hit it off with fellow judge Paula Abdul.

Representatives for Cole, 27, and the show's producers have declined to comment on the reports despite persistent press speculation about what was happening behind the scenes.

"We have no comment to make about Cheryl Cole," her London representatives said on Monday.

Cole's own website was last updated on May 6 when it was announced that she would be joining the U.S. show, and on Monday she still appeared on Fox's website as one of the judges alongside Cowell, Abdul and Antonio "L.A." Reid.

The X Factor is a big title in Britain, where it commands large audiences and is a major earner for broadcaster ITV. Cole raised her profile by appearing on the television singing show, although she is not on the 2011 judging panel in Britain.

In the potentially much bigger U.S. market there is much at stake, particularly for Cowell who faces competition from similar formats like "The Sing-Off," "American Idol" and his own "America's Got Talent."

British media have branded the ongoing uncertainty over Cole's participation as "farcical."

Some said Cole was still undecided over whether she should join the U.S. version of The X Factor after the humiliation of reportedly being dropped. Time was running out, they added, with the next auditions due to begin in New Jersey on Wednesday.

Other commentators pondered whether the row was in fact an elaborate PR stunt to raise the profile of The X Factor and Cole, who is little known in the United States.

"The U.S. TV market is a lot bigger and more chaotic than in the UK," wrote Los Angeles Times television writer Scott Collins in a blog over the weekend.

"And there's a risk that Americans might be turned off by a show that looks like a big, over-orchestrated media con before it even premieres."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

Yahoo! News

Cheryl Cole not the only sour note for Cowell's "X Factor" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "American Idol" made Simon Cowell a household name in the United States, but the prickly British music Svengali is hitting some flat notes as he tries to launch his own TV singing competition.

Cowell, 51, has been working on a U.S. version of his hit UK talent show "The X Factor" for more than 18 months. But as the clock winds down to its much-hyped debut in the fall, he is facing some last-minute challenges.

His personal pick for the judging panel -- British singer Cheryl Cole -- was reportedly dumped from the lineup, possibly because of her thick accent. She was also dropped this week from the panel of the UK version of "The X Factor".

Perhaps more ominously yet another singing show, "The Voice," has become a surprise hit by borrowing some key "X Factor" components.

TV pundits also wonder whether viewers have the appetite for another months-long singing competition. "X Factor" will join a list that includes "The Sing-Off," "Platinum Hit," "The Glee Project", "American Idol", and Cowell's own "America's Got Talent."

Last month, Fox television touted Cowell and "The X Factor" as the highlight of its new fall schedule. Fox Networks Group chairman Peter Rice described Cowell as "the absolute star of the genre at the pinnacle of his game."

Two weeks later, something had clearly gone wrong after two rounds of auditions before Cowell, Cole and fellow judges Paula Abdul, record producer Antonio "L.A." Reid.

Cole was seen as an odd choice: A style icon and a household name at home but unknown in the United States.

Depending on whom you believe, Cole was apparently dropped because of concerns that her Northern English accent might prove tough for U.S. viewers, or because she lacked chemistry with "Idol" alumna Abdul, or because she was uncharacteristically nervous when "X Factor" shooting started.

"To get so far and discover it is not working -- that is a little bit of a shock," said Michael Slezak, senior editor with TVLine.com.

"But expectations are so high that if some key element isn't working, it doesn't shock me that they are not worried about personal feelings and are making whatever changes they feel necessary," Slezak said.

TOO MANY TV TALENT SHOWS?

Fox and Cowell's Syco production company have declined to confirm reports that ex-Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger -- initially hired as "X Factor" co-host -- will take over from Cole.

They also declined to comment on whether any re-shoots will be necessary, or how production has been affected.

"It could be a very big setback because the Fox marketing machine been pushing 'X Factor' since January," said Craig Tomashoff, a TV writer for Xfinity and TV Guide. "Cole was Simon's pet project and now she has gone. I am certain that's not how everyone at Fox envisioned it would work."

But Tomashoff said the bigger issue might be a surfeit of talent shows, "and in the fall there are also a lot of other new TV shows that people are beginning to check out."

While Cowell was working on "X Factor," rival network NBC jumped in with "The Voice." Making its debut in April, it boasts a stellar coach/mentor lineup of Christina Aguilera, country singer Blake Shelton, R&B star Cee Lo Green and Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine -- who also perform together on the show.

The audience for "The Voice" has grown, reaching a high of 14 million viewers on Tuesday. Perhaps more significantly, it adopts two of "X Factor"s distinguishing features -- celebrity coaches compete against each other to mentor contestants, and auditions are held in front of a live audience.

"The success of that show has got to make Fox and Simon a little bit nervous. You don't want someone getting into the market before you," said Slezak.

But he noted that the Cheryl Cole debacle has kept the show in the headlines. "How many shows premiering in the fall would kill to have people and the media talking about them every single day?", he said.

Indeed don't count out Cowell just yet, Tomashoff warned. "I don't think he takes losing very well. If anything, this will fire him up even more,"

Fox is a unit of News Corp; NBC is controlled by Comcast Corp; the UK version of "X Factor" is broadcast on ITV

(Editing by Dean Goodman)

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

The exit factor: Britain's sweetheart dumped in US (AP)

LONDON — In northeastern England they say she's a canny lass — and maybe that's the problem.

British sweetheart Cheryl Cole has reportedly been dumped from U.S. television, and tabloid media say she lost her big break in part over fears American audiences wouldn't understand her regional accent or the phrases unique to her corner of Britain.

Cole, whose rags-to-riches showbiz story has captivated her country, had been expected to appear as a judge on Simon Cowell's "The X Factor" due to premiere in the United States later this year. But on Friday Britain's tabloids announced the 27-year-old had been removed as a judge, and her official status with the program, which has already started shooting, remains unclear.

Ann-Marie Thomson, public relations chief for Cowell's entertainment company, declined comment when called by The Associated Press. But Sinitta Malone, a guest presenter on the British version of "X Factor," told ITV television that Cowell and Cole were in talks "trying to sort something out."

Whatever happens, Cole's absence would dent her dreams of graduating to American — and international — celebrity. It's an ambition that seemed widely shared by her fans, and indeed by Britain's tabloid media, which have treated her with unusual deference over the years.

Born Cheryl Tweedy, Cole has long been dubbed the nation's sweetheart, a description that owes much to her inspiring rise from a gritty public housing estate in the northeastern England city of Newcastle. Her parents, who never married, split up when she was 11. Her brother was addicted to sniffing glue. Cole herself was expelled from school twice before leaving at 16.

But she had good looks and a good voice. After auditioning for "X Factor"-forerunner "Popstars The Rivals," she was placed in pop group Girls Aloud, which went on to score a string of hits.

Her successful solo career, a marriage to soccer player Ashley Cole and a job judging contestants on the U.K. "X Factor" cemented her stardom.

"It's important that she came through a talent show," said Sanna Inthorn, a professor of media and politics at the University of East Anglia, in eastern England. "The people made her, they chose her, they championed her."

Questions about her accent have been around as long as the idea of moving Cole to the United States.

Cole speaks with what's known in the U.K. as a Geordie accent. Particular to Newcastle, many from the region use words such as "bairn" instead of "child," "hinny" instead of "woman," and "me" instead of "my." Intonation tends to rise at the end of sentences, while vowel sounds tend to shift in such as way that the word "brown" ends up sounding more like "brune."

Finally there's a liberal helping of words such as "pet," "lass" and "like" — many on display as a kindly Cole guided contestants through the British version of "The X Factor."

Inthorn said that Cole's way of speaking was critical to her image as a caring, compassionate working-class girl-made-good.

"Her regional accent is very important," Inthorn said. "'Geordie' — that is itself a kind of endearing term, (suggesting) a down-to-earth, real person who speaks from the heart."

Cole has kept the emphasis on her homey image in the United States, telling American journalists in Los Angeles that "I miss me friends, me family, me tea and me soaps." After reporters were left confused about what kind of soap she was talking about — she meant soap operas — she was asked whether she'd considered changing her accent to suit an American audience.

"I would never, ever change how I speak," she said.

Inthorn said she was confident Cole could recover from the rebuff. "She could come back here and resume her career — because she's been misunderstood by Americans. She's coming back to her true roots," she said.

___

Online:

Hear Geordie for yourself on the British Library's website: http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/case-studies/geordie/

____

Raphael G. Satter can be reached at: http://twitter.com/razhael

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Abdul, Cowell getting along on 'X Factor,' for now (AP)

SINGAPORE – Paula Abdul said Friday her reunion with Simon Cowell on his new talent show is going great, for now.

"We're still in the honeymoon phase, which will probably only last another minute," the 48-year-old Abdul told reporters in Singapore. "Simon and I ended up having a wonderful, exquisite, challenging and frightening relationship."

The two famously bickering former "American Idol" judges will be joining forces again to assess would-be singing stars on Fox's "The X Factor," which taped its first judging session earlier this month and will debut this fall in the U.S.

Abdul is looking to bounce back from "Live to Dance," a talent competition series she starred that premiered on CBS in January and was a ratings disappointment.

The tension and teasing between Cowell and Abdul helped make "Idol" one of the most popular television shows. She left the show in 2009 over a contract dispute after eight seasons.

"This little show is probably going to be ginormous if it's anything like what Simon is capable of doing," Abdul said.

The American pop singer and dancer is in Singapore to promote a Universal Studios theme park.

Abdul, who was the leader of the Los Angeles Lakers dance troupe in the 1980s, said watching the basketball team lose in the playoffs earlier this month "hurt like pouring Tabasco sauce in an open wound." But the L.A. native predicted a swift return to glory for the Lakers, who have won 10 championships since 1980.

"The Lakers organization is fantastic," she said. "I never give up on them, ever."

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Jon Stewart to rap with Bill O'Reilly on 'Factor' (AP)

NEW YORK – Bill O'Reilly wants to rap with Jon Stewart.

The host of Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" has invited the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" as a guest Monday. Fox News said Friday that O'Reilly and Stewart will debate the invitation for Grammy Award-winning rapper Common to perform at a White House poetry night this week.

O'Reilly has criticized Common's presence at Wednesday's event. He says some of Common's lyrics celebrate violence.

Common is known for socially and politically conscious rhymes. He was on his best behavior at the White House. He took the criticism in stride and tweeted, "Fox News doesn't like me." He added on Facebook, "Peace yall!"

Stewart let loose with an anti-Fox News Channel rap on his show.

The O'Reilly-Stewart faceoff airs Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Paula and Simon reunite on `The X Factor' (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul are back together again, hoping to recapture their TV chemistry for a new Fox talent show.

The network announced Sunday that the two former "American Idol" judges have reunited to assess would-be singing stars on Cowell's "The X Factor," debuting this fall.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that Abdul had signed to be part of the panel, which taped its first judging session Sunday. Fox and the show's producers sought maximum drama by keeping Abdul's status under wraps until she appeared for the taping.

Glammed up in a shoulder-baring purple dress and purple stilettos, Abdul greeted Cowell with a hug outside the University of Southern California auditorium where contestants were set to audition.

Besides the longtime TV sparring partners, the judges include British pop star Cheryl Cole and Grammy-winning producer Antonio "L.A." Reid.

"This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can't believe I am saying this: I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she's on the show," Cowell said in a written statement.

"I am excited beyond words to be a part of `The X Factor,'" Abdul added. "I'm also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again ... but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!"

The 48-year-old singer, dancer and choreographer reigned on "Idol" as the nice if sometimes dizzy-seeming judge who often clashed colorfully with Cowell in his role as resident bully. She left "Idol" in 2009, after eight seasons, in a contract dispute.

Abdul and Cowell, seated together at Sunday's taping as they typically were on "Idol," quickly slipped into their familiar, bickering ways. But Abdul also proved willing to stand up to Cowell, who's now her boss as well as fellow judge: He is an executive producer of the Fox version of the hit British show he created.

Announcement of Abdul's involvement in the new show was held up as negotiations continued until the eve of the first taping, according to a person familiar with the talks. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity Saturday because Fox and the show's producers had not authorized public comment.

One obstacle was removed by CBS, which featured Abdul on "Live to Dance" earlier this year. She was released earlier this week by the network from any further obligations, a person at CBS said Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the network hadn't authorized public comment on the matter.

"Live to Dance" was a talent competition series starring Abdul that premiered on CBS in January. It was a ratings flop.

Late Saturday, Fox confirmed that co-hosts of "The X Factor" will be Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger. Jones is a popular TV host in Britain. Scherzinger is a former member of the girl group the Pussycat Dolls who has appeared on the British version of "The X Factor."

The competition is open to solo singers and vocal groups age 12 and up. The winner will get a $5 million record contract.

___

AP Entertainment Writers Frazier Moore and Christy Lemire contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.fox.com/theXfactor

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Nicole Scherzinger to co-host "X Factor" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger will co-host the upcoming TV singing show "The X Factor", Fox television said on Saturday, but there was no official word on whether former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul had signed up as the final judge.

Scherzinger will host the contest along with British TV presenter Steve Jones, Fox said in a statement. But on the eve of the first scheduled auditions in front of judges on Sunday, the statement omitted any mention of Abdul.

Abdul, who quit "Idol" two years ago in a contract dispute, was reported earlier on Saturday to be in final talks to join her old "American Idol" sparring partner Simon Cowell, British singer Cheryl Cole and record producer Antonio "L.A." Reid on the "X Factor" judging panel.

"The X Factor", created by English music entrepreneur Cowell, is due to air on Fox in the fall of 2011, offering a $5 million prize and a recording contract for the winner.

The celebrity line-up gives "X Factor" a strong British flavor, and gambles on introducing new faces to prime time U.S. television.

Although the sarcastic Cowell became a household name in the United States in his 10 years on "American Idol", Cole -- a member of British pop band "Girls Out Loud" -- is virtually unknown in the United States despite being a big star at home, where she has been a judge on the U.K. version of "X Factor."

Jones, a former fashion model and now a British TV presenter, is also a newcomer for U.S. audiences.

Cowell has spent more than a year putting together the celebrity line-up for his "X Factor" venture, which he announced in January 2010. He has made no secret of his desire to work again with Abdul.

Since Cowell announced plans for "X Factor", "American Idol" -- still the most-watched TV show on U.S. television -- has been revamped and has grown its audience after years of slipping ratings, and several other rival TV singing shows have been launched.

They include "The Voice" on NBC, which boasts a star power panel of coaches/judges in Christina Aguilera, country singer Blake Shelton, Maroon 5 front-man Adam Levine, and R&B singer and producer Cee Lo Green.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant)

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Nicole Scherzinger to co-host "X Factor" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger will co-host the upcoming TV singing show "The X Factor", Fox television said on Saturday, but there was no official word on whether former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul had signed up as the final judge.

Scherzinger will host the contest along with British TV presenter Steve Jones, Fox said in a statement. But on the eve of the first scheduled auditions in front of judges on Sunday, the statement omitted any mention of Abdul.

Abdul, who quit "Idol" two years ago in a contract dispute, was reported earlier on Saturday to be in final talks to join her old "American Idol" sparring partner Simon Cowell, British singer Cheryl Cole and record producer Antonio "L.A." Reid on the "X Factor" judging panel.

"The X Factor", created by English music entrepreneur Cowell, is due to air on Fox in the fall of 2011, offering a $5 million prize and a recording contract for the winner.

The celebrity line-up gives "X Factor" a strong British flavor, and gambles on introducing new faces to prime time U.S. television.

Although the sarcastic Cowell became a household name in the United States in his 10 years on "American Idol", Cole -- a member of British pop band "Girls Out Loud" -- is virtually unknown in the United States despite being a big star at home, where she has been a judge on the U.K. version of "X Factor."

Jones, a former fashion model and now a British TV presenter, is also a newcomer for U.S. audiences.

Cowell has spent more than a year putting together the celebrity line-up for his "X Factor" venture, which he announced in January 2010. He has made no secret of his desire to work again with Abdul.

Since Cowell announced plans for "X Factor", "American Idol" -- still the most-watched TV show on U.S. television -- has been revamped and has grown its audience after years of slipping ratings, and several other rival TV singing shows have been launched.

They include "The Voice" on NBC, which boasts a star power panel of coaches/judges in Christina Aguilera, country singer Blake Shelton, Maroon 5 front-man Adam Levine, and R&B singer and producer Cee Lo Green.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant)

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Will 4th judge for 'X Factor' be Paula Abdul? (AP)

NEW YORK – Taping for the new Fox singing contest "X Factor" is scheduled to start Sunday. But only three of the expected four judges have been announced.

While the clock is ticking, the identity of the show's fourth judge, though widely expected to be Paula Abdul, remains unconfirmed.

Previously announced judges include pop superstar Cheryl Cole and Grammy-winning producer Antonio "L.A." Reid, as well as Abdul's former "American Idol" mate, Simon Cowell.

"The X Factor," based on Cowell's hit British show, will debut this fall on Fox. The likely choice of Abdul to be included is an open secret, fueled in part by Cowell's recent remarks that he would like to work with her again.

On Friday, negotiations with Abdul were continuing, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Fox and the show's producers had not authorized public comment.

Abdul is a dancer, choreographer and recording artist who reigned on "Idol" as the nice, if sometimes dizzy-seeming, judge who often clashed with Cowell, who played the role of bullyboy.

There was no immediate comment from Fox or from Abdul's agent or publicist.

In January, she debuted on CBS with her own talent competition, "Live to Dance," which was a flop.

"The X Factor" is open to solo singers and vocal groups age 12 and up. The winner gets a $5 million record contract.

___

Online:

http://www.fox.com/theXfactor

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Katie Waissel sports dodgy wig before X Factor show

If interest in your career is severely dwindling, you didn't win The X Factor and you find out your nan's a prozzy, take advice from Katie Waissel and just get a new barnet!
The raspy-voiced X Factor finalist was spotted in Cardiff for the latest leg of the live tour but she was wearing a rather dodgy looking and badly cut brunette wig. The hair changes this girl has gone through in the past year is starting to make us believe that her management might actually be Supercuts.
When Katie first appeared on The X Factor she sported a short bleach blonde do', it seems as though she's tried to reinvent herself so that the public might warm to her. The general public seemed to take a disliking to Katie when she appeared on the show, however when asked about the public's reaction recently Katie said she was very hurt at the time but is glad for the support of her fans 'Waissel's Warriors' to get her through.
We're still baffled by the wig and have come up with a few explanations for such a style choice:
Cher Lloyd's sheer amount of swag renders people nearby bald.
Hair loss from constant preening and dyeing
Katie's head had a run in with ex-X Factor contestant Diana Vickers 's claw
She's just gone a bit mental

Probably the latter. No doubt by the time we've come to a conclusion she'll be wearing a Mrs Doubtfire wig or it'll all be shaved off and she'll be carrying it around in a see-through bag.