Just hours after Simon Cowell's former show, American Idol, named Mariah Carey its newest judge, Cowell, L.A. Reid and newcomers Britney Spears and Demi Lovato appeared via satellite from Miami, where they're taping "boot camp" rounds, to answer questions from TV critics.
Spears says she and Cowell share a makeup artist, and being a reality-show judge "made sense" for her career. "I adore Simon and it was something I really wanted to do."
Cowell liked her too: "I was fascinated with her as a person, as a pop star, and there's something intriguing about her. And she's a really good judge," whereas "Demi is a brat. But there's something likable about her." Later, he added: "Britney's quite mean, as you'll discover."
What makes Lovato, 19, a former Disney Channel star, qualified to be a judge? "I'm listening to the radio right now and I know what a lot of my friends like. It's a really interesting thing when you bring a younger demographic to the competiton, I think we know what's mising in the industry and what's needed," she says.
Asked if quick fame exacerbates personal issues like the eating disorder that briefly sidelined her career, Lovato says that while it can add pressure, "Fame doesn''t have a lot to do with it, I had been struggling with those issues before."
A clip of audition footage provided evidence of some new fireworks: "Can you let me finish?" Lovato tells Cowell, then explains to the would-be contestant: "He's old and impatient."
The only thing missing from X is a host to replace Steve Jones, which Cowell expects by mid-August. "Ideally I would like someone who hasn't done this before," he says.
The show will make other tweaks, Cowell says. "There's an awful lot of competition we've got to fight against this year,so we're going to evolve."
And what does Cowell think about Idol's newest star? "I'm happy for her, I like Mariah," he says. But he wonders if she will have the fortitude to reject aspiring singers. "I think she's going to find it difficult to say no."
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