I can't dislike a guy who loves dogs.

Damn you Simon Cowell.


http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/simon-cowells-secret-dog-donation_1113446

often he was just telling people the harsh truth they needed to hear.

That's very nice that he donates to charities, but I find him to be a foul, pompous ass....I can't say I'm an expert on the subject of Simon Cowell; I only watched once and was so offended by him I never watched again. That one time , he was unnecessarily abusive with his "truth they needed to hear" . I remember specifically a young kid, must have been about 17....he wasn't particularly good, but was OK, and Cowell just tore this kid a new asshole and for what? To make himself feel like a big man was the only reason I could see, along with maybe getting off on trying to crush young people's dreams. This kid was practically in tears from the completely uncalled for meanness. And again, the kid wasn't even that bad. I have for many years, made at least part of my living as a singer and multi-instrumentalist, including having sung a cappella at the Telluride Jazz Festival, and that kid, so ruthlessly skewered by Cowell, was better than me at the same age. I work with kids, mostly adolescents, in my day job, and when the talk on rare occasion turns to American Idol, I remind them to think about how they think people like John Lennon, or Kurt Cobain, or Joey Ramone, artists they look up to, would have been treated on that show for not having the right commercially acceptable type of voices. Usually they get the point. Didn't mean to sound like I'm going off on you, NJM, for sort of defending Cowell; I just am disagreeing and saying why....I always enjoy your posts, just , again, gotta disagree with you on this one. P.S. I know it's the lounge, supposed to take serious stuff elsewhere, but I was so profoundly offended that one time, that it's stuck with me, and obviously came pouring out when I started writing this.

that is why he goes a bit overboard. Still I figure his background makes him a pretty good judge of talent. I suspect Cowell has helped some young people stop wasting their time on a career path that just isn't achievable. It's great to have a dream but it's also helpful to have someone that will let you know when you are just spinning your wheels.

it was way more than a bit overboard. It was needlessly cruel...And to reiterate my earlier point, what do you think our world would have been like if Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Strummer, Joey Ramone, Kurt Cobain,Janis Joplin etc had gone on an early version of A. I . and followed what they were told about their allegedly unachievable career path because their voices didn't fit into some preconceived version of what style of singing is the "right" one? Again, not intending for this to be some kind of argument ( we're obviously on the same side of issues that truly count; just a little philosophical discussion going on here), but it's a subject that's very close to my heart, since I could have easily been that kid I talked about in my first reply, and maybe would have given up and never had the amazing experiences and rewards I've had because someone from the music industry told me at a young age, that I wasn't good enough. Glad to hear he's kind to animals though ( not being sarcastic either; it IS nice to know that)..........abq e streeter:)

Not that I'm equating Simon to Hitler. Just sayin' maybe it's not a good metric to use...