Simon Cowell Wanted To Keep Paula, Not Crazy About Elton John

Does Simon Cowell get whatever he wants? Not always, if you believe reports that he wanted to keep Paula Abdul as an “X Factor” judge.

In an interview with “Extra.” (via the Daily News) Cowell claims that it was FOX that wanted the changes and he would have preferred to keep Abdul on the show. “It was fairly straight what they wanted…  We were told it had to happen straightaway… I would have liked to have kept her.”

That said, lets not be so sure that Cowell wasn’t in support of the decision but wants to play nice publicly. Still, FOX is paying the bills for the high budget show – which is yet to gain the following that the network hoped.

Last week the show cut Abdul, judge Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones, leaving just Cowell and record exec L.A. Reid as the remaining cast members. Then the rumor mill began about who could potentially come in as a replacement – and the notion that there was interest in someone BIG. Names like Mariah Carey, Beyonce and Elton John all got thrown around. Cowell has pretty much shot those rumors down for the time being.

 Asked about replacements, Cowell shot down a report that he’d offered Beyoncé $100 million to work on the show.

He rejected the idea of Mariah Carey coming aboard, too.

Regarding Mariah: “I have no idea where this rumor came from…“complete nonsense…I don’t think Mariah would make that commitment.”

Regarding the rumor that Beyonce would get $100 million. (I don’t think ANYONE believed that… no show could afford that.):  “Forget it; no, it would never, ever happen.”

And finally the Elton John rumor: “he’d be really difficult to work with.” Meow. But probably true.

Cowell didn’t say much else other than to say Madonna and Katy Perry could handle the show, because of their strong personalities. Hmm…

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