He recalls that audition days, because they were “long” and “boring.”

Simon Cowell acknowledges ‘being a d---’ on American Idol: ‘What can I say? I’m sorry’

He recalls that audition days, because they were "long" and "boring."

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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December 1, 2025 6:22 p.m. ET

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Simon Cowell, now a judge on 'America's Got Talent,' looks back on his 'American Idol' days. Credit:

Trae Patton/NBC via Getty

Simon Cowell built quite a reputation for the harsh criticism that he dished out to *American Idol* contestants.

From 2002 to 2010, the music mogul instilled fear in wannabe music stars with his blunt commentary. He doesn't blame anyone for hating him, but he does have an explanation.

“I wasn't trying to be a d--- on purpose," Cowell told the *New York Times* in a recent interview. "All I wanted with these shows was to find successful artists to sign to the label. So when all these people were coming in and they couldn’t sing, we would say after 10 seconds, 'You can't sing.' Not, 'You're going to be brilliant.'"

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But at some point, even Cowell felt he'd crossed a line.

"I did realize I'd probably gone too far," Cowell said. "I didn't particularly like audition days, because they're long and boring. I would get fed up. And of course, out of a hundred nice comments, what are they going to use? They're always going to use me in a bad mood. I got that. What can I say? I'm sorry."

To clarify, Cowell explained that he'd apologized for "just being a d---."

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The audition days are when the* Idol *cameras caught Cowell, for instance, eviscerating William Hung's viral performance of "She Bangs" in 2004. As a refresher, he said "everything about it was grotesque," which caused Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson to admonish their fellow judge.

Looking back on his days as that guy, Cowell said he's "not proud of it, let's put it that way." He adds, "When I hear about these clips, I’m like, 'Oh, God.' But then again, the upside is that it made the shows really popular worldwide."

'American Idol' judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell in 2004.

Ray Mickshaw/WireImage

Cowell has gone on to judge shows including *The X Factor* and *America's Got Talent*, where he most recently sat alongside Mel B, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara. But he's a lot softer these days, even laughing and crying during the performances, which he sometimes marvels over.

Now the father of an 11-year-old son, Eric, whom he shares with fianceé Lauren Silverman, and stepfather to Silverman's 19-year-old son, Cowell acknowledges that he's "changed over time."**

The reality star will next be seen in *Simon Cowell: The Next Act*, which documents him forming a boy band, which premieres Dec. 10 on Netflix.

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