Mariah Carey Wanted To Be A Judge On X Factor, Not American Idol
September 12, 2012 by Hollywoodite
The merry-go-round gets even more confusing. Simon Cowell reveals that one of the American Idol judges initially asked to be a judge on X Factor, preferring the latter over the former.
The listicle of potential judges for both shows became too long to recount but, in short, X Factor settled on Britney Spears who got a contract permissive out of medical necessity, Demi Lovato who seemed to have been picked arbitrarily despite her own medical issues to appeal to the youth demographic, and stalwarts L.A. Reid and producer Cowell. Probably with Khloe Kardashian as host. American Idol is lining up to be Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson demoted from judge to mentor, and possibly Nicki Minaj as judge with whomever else won’t cause Carey to walk off the show or racist viewers to turn off in droves (the Idol panel was, at on time, going to be: Minaj, Carey, and Jackson).
In any case, The X Factor would have been very different with Carey as judge, Khloe Kardashian as host, and sister Kim Kardashian pulling focus and making the show all about KUWTK and stalking Carey with the same vigour with which the 31-year-old became “friends” with Beyonce. Cowell tells In Touch Weekly Magazine, Carey phoned him in hopes of judging X Factor but he had other ideas.
Before Mariah Carey signed with American Idol for a reported $18 million, Simon Cowell reveals to In Touch that the superstar gave him a ring about judging The X Factor.
“Mariah called me about X Factor and I met with her, but my main concern was that she might have found it harder on X Factor than on American Idol,” Simon reveals in the new issue of In Touch. “Mainly because Idol is a more gentle show and Mariah is not someone who wants to say ‘no’ to people,” Simon explains in an exclusive interview.
“I think she’ll have an easier time on American Idol than this show, definitely.”
So he’d rather have tough talking Britney Spears and Demi Lovato next to him on the judges’ panel than sweet singing Mariah? “Oh yes, I am delighted,” he gushes. “We literally only approached two people seriously, and that was Britney and Demi.” – via In Touch Weekly Magazine.