Comparison of American Idol and The X Factor

TV Comparison

Simon Cowell: The Man with Two Faces

The enormous popularity of American Idol gave many people in the United States their first taste both of Simon Cowell and the singing-superstar contestant shows that he seems to have made it his life's work to popularize, but in fact the acerbic Brit was prominent on the producing end of the music industry for decades, and before his American Idol fame he was a creator, producer, and judge on the UK television show X Factor, which has since spawned many versions in other nations. It is not all that surprising to discover that Cowell started a show similar to American Idol in his native country, but it is somewhat striking to see the difference in his temperament and character between the two shows.

The Simon Cowell that for so long graced U.S. airwaves as a judge on American Idol was a vicious, cold, and often deliberately hurtful human being that often seemed quite bitter despite the success he had met with in his life. He was very direct and to the point, and many both enjoyed and respected the forthright way in which he told individuals that they couldn't really sing, or what they needed to work on -- he is certainly uncompromising, and his pedigree makes it clear that he knows what he's talking about when it comes to the music industry. At the same time, it is possible to be direct without being unnecessarily harsh, and as entertaining as many found Cowell's insults to be they often seemed geared more towards simply ridiculing contestants rather than helping them recognize their limitations or make improvements in their voice. Cowell's character on American Idol was the mean and hurtful judge, resembling a middle-school kid with no self-esteem but high intelligence.

This version of Simon Cowell is still visible on the UK version of X Factor (Cowell will also be appearing as a judge on the U.S. version of the show as well, which is scheduled to air this fall), but overall it is a much softer and more positively engaged judge that is seen on this show. The format of the show is one thing that contributes to this; rather than simply acting as judges, the judges on X Factor are also mentors to the contestants helping them make choices and giving them real tips on how to improve. While Cowell is no less direct and straightforward with contestants on this show, and can even still be vicious during certain portions of what the audience sees, but when he is in mentor-mode a much more earnest and even compassionate Cowell is visible that never reared his head on American Idol. It is clear that Cowell's success is in some way measured by how much the contestants he is mentoring improve under his mentorship -- that is, he needs these contestants to actually get better if he is to demonstrate that he has skill as a mentor and talent coach in the music industry. This does not diminish the competitive aspect of the show, but it adds a facet to Cowell's job and character that colors his overall appearance.