Simon Cowell tells Oprah he is getting bored with American Idol and that is one of the reasons he is moving on to different projects. With as much money as he makes, I could fake it.

“After awhile, you start to go on automatic pilot. And there were too many times, Oprah, where I was sitting there bored, and I thought, ‘The end of the day, the audience doesn’t tune in to watch me being bored.

They deserve more than that. But I can’t hide it when I’m bored. I just can’t fake it.’ “

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With only three weeks and six episodes left in Simon Cowell’s (above with his fiance) American Idol tenure, don’t be surprised if rumors and speculation about his season 10 replacement begin to intensify. But under the heading of “don’t believe everything you read,” a show source tells EW that Cowell’s successor will not be named until after the May 26 season finale. (That, of course, also means no bombshell announcement at Fox’s May 17 upfronts presentation, when the network will unveil its fall schedule to advertisers.)

The delay in finalizing such a crucial decision makes sense on several levels. For starters, any replacement announcement before month’s end would steal some of the spotlight away from the show’s current crop of contestants, not to mention Cowell’s role in the season 9 finale extravaganza. What’s more, Fox and Idol will score plenty of free publicity as debate over Cowell 2.0 turns into a popular summer sport, one that should keep water cooler buzz alive for the reality juggernaut during its seven-month hiatus from the airwaves. As Fox chariman Peter Rice said back at the network’s TCA presentation in January, “We’re not going to rush into something. We’re not going to try to find a Simon clone who can do what he does because, you know, he’s one of a kind. But the [Idol] format itself, people love.”

Cowell, for his part, is moving on to executive produce and judge a U.S. version of his British hit, The X Factor, slated to debut on Fox in fall 2011.

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Simon Cowell goes to lunch in Malibu, CA with a couple of elderly female friends on April 18, 2010 where the American Idol judge looks fit and happy.

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He may blush and seem “uncomfortable” as he sits beside and kisses his girlfriend on The Tonight Show, but Simon Cowell is really “giddy” with when it comes to rumored fiancée Mezghan Hussainy.

Cowell, 50, has been acting “teenagery and happy and light,” British actress Amanda Holden tells People. “They are like Tweedledee and Tweedledum. You can’t separate them really. ”

Holden, who is a Britain’s Got Talent judge and CBS Early Show special correspondent, might surprise many Cowell-watchers by saying that her friend is “shy” and not prone to outward displays of his private thoughts. This may explain why he and Afghanistan-born Hussainy, 36, have been so coy about their marriage plans.

“Apart from his mum [speaking about him], he’s never really let on much about his private life,” she says. “He has to maintain some kind of privacy in such a public arena. He wants to keep something back for himself. He’s an incredibly shy person.”

Holden can’t confirm that Cowell is engaged but what is clear is the ring that he has bought his love – a huge diamond sparkler that has been turning heads. “It’s the Rock of Gibraltar – it’s massive, it’s huge,” Holden laughs. “You could get a whole community living on there.”

Holden adds: “I don’t see the point of Simon’s success unless you have someone in your life.”

Why may Hussainy be the perfect someone for Simon? Besides being independent, gorgeous, sexy and funny, she says what she thinks and that works for Cowell. “People who he trusts the most are the people who talk to him properly,” Holden says. “He likes proper opinion and she’s very strong and definitely vocal and honest. Most people in his life are … He’s a straight talker on the telly and real life.”

“Simon’s fallen hook line and sinker,” Holden concludes.

Source, Fame Pictures

That’s not really his girlfriend (she’s below) I just thought this picture was better.

The sweet music of wedding bells is going to be ringing for music mogul and ‘American Idol’ meanie Simon Cowell, as he and his girlfriend Mezhgan Hussainy are engaged. The word comes straight from the mouth of Hussainy, who told RadarOnline.com’s David Perel about the engagement exclusively. The 36-year-old Hussainy and Cowell, 50, have dodged engagement rumors for weeks. Congrats, you crazy kids! Exclusive details after the jump!

Speaking to PopEater exclusively, Radar’s David Perel says that “Mezhgan is bursting with joy over the engagement and it’s obvious how happy she and Simon are together.”

According to the Radar report, Hussainy “was all smiles as she told RadarOnline.com exclusively that the couple, who are living together, are officially engaged.”

Hussainy, the head make-up artist on ‘Idol,’ met Cowell on set years ago, and the sparks began to fly months ago. While a wedding date hasn’t been announced, Radar hints at a fast walk to the altar by saying you shouldn’t “put off shopping for their wedding gift too long.”

Continue Reading…

Fame, PCN

While we were shocked when Simon Cowell announced his ‘American Idol’ departure, we were not prepared for Howard Stern to throw his hat in the ring to be considered for Cowell’s old gig. At first, we thought Stern might be joking about his ‘Idol’ interest, but after bringing it up on his show two days in a row, it’s time to consider the pros and cons of a Stern/’Idol’ pairing. Entertainment Weekly Senior Writer and resident ‘Idol’ expert Michael Slezak likens Stern on ‘Idol’ to combining chocolate with cheeseburgers. “They’re two great tastes,” Slezak tells PopEater. “But I don’t necessarily know you’d want them together. They’re very popular, but I think there’s a reason McDonald’s has never offered a chocolate-dipped cheeseburger. I think Howard Stern and ‘American Idol’ are pretty much a chocolate cheeseburger.” Can America handle a chocolate, Stern/’Idol’ cheeseburger?

But wait…there’s more!

What do you think of Howard Stern replacing Simon Cowell? I’m a huge Howard fan, and to be honest – I think I would like it. I like Howard’s honesty.

Fame Pictures