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'X Factor': 2 Female Judges, 2 Hosts

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By LYNN ELBER   02/22/12 09:22 PM ET  AP

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LOS ANGELES -- Simon Cowell is playing it coy about rumors that Fergie, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being considered for "The X Factor."

Two judges' spots on the Fox TV singing contest opened up when Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger left after the first season. Cowell told a teleconference Wednesday that two women will replace them, but he declined to comment on who's being considered.

"There's been a load of speculation, some true, some not true," Cowell said. He added that he waited to see who was interested enough to ask about joining the show before focusing on the search.

Judge Antonio "L.A." Reid confirmed there had been discussions about adding Whitney Houston but no contact was made with her. Houston died Feb. 11.

Meetings will be held over the next few weeks with "a number of people," Cowell said, primarily to make it clear to contenders how much of a time commitment "X Factor" represents.

He didn't shed much light on the departures of Abdul and Scherzinger, saying only that shows evolve and "this time it was decided to do it sooner or later." He said the two have been "incredibly gracious and respectful" and he's looking forward to working with them again.

With host Steve Jones' exit, Cowell said he wants to switch to a two-host format that would better suit the show and the amount of information that needs to be explained, entertainingly, to viewers. He didn't say who might be hired but said they could be people who don't have "host" on their resume.

He's not looking far for new judges and emcees, Cowell indicated, saying, "it's important we have more Americans on the show."

Cowell, who's a judge on the Fox show he based on his hit British series, is English. Jones is Welsh.

He was guarded about guessing the ratings for "X Factor" when it returns this fall for its second season. After Cowell predicted it would be a hit in its freshman outing with 20 million viewers, the show averaged around 12 million weekly viewers, which is respectable but not a blockbuster.

"I should have kept my mouth shut," Cowell said. It took time for "American Idol," the home he and Abdul once shared, and NBC's "The Voice" to grow in the ratings, he said, expressing confidence the same will happen for "X Factor."

"I absolutely expect the second season to do better than the first season," he said. "We're not doing this to be second or third. ... We've learned how to make the show better."

Asked when the first release from season-one winner Melanie Amaro would be out, Cowell said the project wasn't being rushed, to do justice to her talent.

___

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LOS ANGELES -- Simon Cowell is playing it coy about rumors that Fergie, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being considered for "The X Factor." Two judges' spots on the Fox TV singing contest opene...
LOS ANGELES -- Simon Cowell is playing it coy about rumors that Fergie, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson are being considered for "The X Factor." Two judges' spots on the Fox TV singing contest opene...
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Nikolas Mitchell
44 Fans
01:10 PM on 02/24/2012
Janet Jackson should not be a judge, judges need to help the contestants. Janet Jackson is not current, and, the contestants (or the person who will win) will likely be a modern day singer, Britney Spears is a good choice. She is modern, and, I would watch her. Fergie is good, too.
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DavidoLegEagle
10 Fans
06:45 AM on 02/24/2012
They could make change after change, but as long as the musically-challenged Simon Cowell is still part and parcel to "The XFactor USA" it will continue to be lame and a second ran to "American Idol" and especially "The Voice". Simon Cowell knows a little something about syrupy pop music and that's about it. He admittedly hates country music, the country's most popular music form, and wouldn't know a rock star if Steven Tyler himself walked up and kicked him in his tiny onions. Cowell continuously labors under the misguided belief that TV talent reality shows are about the JUDGES, rather than the contestants, which affords him the opportunity to glorify his own bloated ego. Additionally, Cowell believes high entertainment value on a music program like his own (and Idol) is the constant infighting, bickering, and snarky remarks of the judges, which, contrary to Cowell's belief, "The Voice", which dwarfs "The XFactor USA" in ratings and quality presentation, proves otherwise. The judges can, and should, have a competitive but amicable relationship while on the air as with Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee-Lo, and Christina does. Even "American Idol" instantly improved when the affable and much-likable Steven Tyler took over from Cowell. Cowell will never understand this, though, and his show will continue to be the same tired old boring affair no matter what he tries to do for change. If Cowell truly wants to make "The XFactor USA" better, he should remove himself from the judging panel.
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jbshu
10 Fans
03:25 PM on 02/23/2012
They could resurrect and resusitate Whitney Houston to judge X
Factor, and I still will never ever watch another episode. Just too,
too painful/
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mwnyy
50 Fans
01:09 PM on 02/23/2012
I didn't like X-factor, I do like The Voice.
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tboys1122
106 Fans
01:21 PM on 02/23/2012
Gross.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Homer for real
...snap out of it!!
69 Fans
12:13 PM on 02/23/2012
If Simon and his team choose a LeAnn Rimes (for example) as an X Factor judge.., they're shooting themselves in the foot. LeAnn Rimes.. or anyone else with low moral standards ... who is not a 'likable' person will drive folks away - folks who otherwise would tune in. Nicole what's-er-name from last season.. was not a likable person (too full of herself).. Thus the downfall. I don't know what the "issue" was around the Paula thing... but many of the folks who 'did' tune in last season.. did so because of Paula. LA is okay.. and Simon, of course, is always candid and honest (well, most of the time) and folks love to hear his critiques.

Casting, as we all know.., is key. If the public doesn't identify with the Judges in 'some' small (or big) way they'll have 'jumped the shark.' The idea of a Britney Spears is appealing. She's sweet.., has a sense of humor..., is not too full of herself. A Queen Latifah, in my opinion, would be a home run - smart, good humor, will not be pushed around by Simon (or anyone else, for that matter).

...as for host(s)? Does Ryan Seacrest have a little brother? Seacrest, of course, is the ace, number one, gold standard of hosts. How about Brian Dunkleman? Does he have the chops to handle this? Oh well, I'm stumped on that one....
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LeeLoPink
595 Fans
09:10 PM on 02/23/2012
I'm so mad that Paula's out. Simon & Paula were magic together for me. I'll probably still watch it, but you are right, if they don't get the right judges with the right chemistry, I'll be done with it. Simon can't carry it by himself.
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