Simon Cowell (b. 1959)
Filed under the name Simon · June 28, 2026
I never had cable long enough to watch much of American Idol, but I heard about it plenty from my grandkids, who used to argue over whether Simon Cowell was being mean or just honest with those young singers. Having stood in front of a classroom of eight-year-olds for 38 years, I can tell you there's a real difference between the two, even if it doesn't always look that way from the outside, and the good teachers — and I'll allow that maybe the good judges too — learn how to be honest without being cruel about it. Building shows that launched that many careers takes a sharp eye for talent most people would've overlooked, which isn't so different from spotting the quiet kid in the back row who turns out to have something. I imagine a man in that line of work has broken a lot of hearts telling the truth, and probably built up a few too. Either way, if you can find real talent and put a spotlight on it, you've done something worthwhile, however sharp your tongue got getting there.