Simon Cowell is Laughing All the Way to the Bank
 

http://news.yahoo.com/i/762;_ylt=Aus...LYD0QMdw6s0NUE



Cowell says he's bigger than Springsteen


NEW YORK - Simon Cowell says he's bigger than The Boss. In an interview to air Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes," the "American Idol" judge says he's worth five times more to Sony BMG than Bruce Springsteen.

"I sell more records than Bruce Springsteen, sure," Cowell says of the 57-year-old rocker, who signed a contract that was reported to be in the neighborhood of $100 million.

"I mean, in the last five years, I've probably sold over 100 million records. If (Springsteen) got one hundred (million dollars), I should have got five hundred (million dollars)," he says.

Cowell says he sells all those records because he's signed "the biggest artist on the planet" — Fox network's "American Idol."

"Every single `Idol' winner is now signed through Sony BMG," says Cowell. "And this applies to ... all the countries ... we sell `Idol' to, which is over 30 countries."

Albums by "American Idol" winners and runners-up are distributed by labels within the Sony BMG system through a deal between Clive Davis and 19 Recordings Unlimited, the label managed by "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller.

Interviewer Anderson Cooper asks Cowell, 47, whether his deal with Sony BMG is in the same neighborhood as Springsteen's.

"A hundred million ... that's a great deal," Cowell says.

Was he referring to himself or Springsteen?

"For him," Cowell says, grinning. "For him it's a good deal."

-----------------------

So, he's making money from every single Idol WORLD wide.

Well La-dee-dah!

;)

Good for him!

Simon :up:

I will never, ever buy an AI winner's music, but I think he certainly has a point.

Simon rules.

Simon has introduced one of the biggest pop-culture events in history, and he himself has become an icon (based on his smarmy britishness). smart guy.

I might download a few Carrie Underwood songs some day, but I can't see myself buying any CDs by those artists. That kind of music they do is just not for me, first off, and secondly I am far more impressed by singer/songwriters, and independent artists at that. But I think Simon has a great ear for music and talent (at least finding that kind of music and talent for a lot of people) and all the power to him. I hope he's saving the money, because there will come a time his gravy train pulls away.

The article doesn't mention his other two series: America's Got Talent and that Inventor show. (Is that coming back?)

Don't forget his Pop Idol show for the UK...is that still on the air? And does he have anything to do with Canadian Idol? (yes, it's real...I've seen the DVDs on amazon.ca.)

I assume that's what is meant by owning Idol rights world wide.

Hmmm..then there's Simon's solution to the National Nightmare...he could just ship Sanjaya back to his home country to compete in the national Idol show there!

Hmmm.. I think he is in his home country. ;)

Why do you want to prolong the nightmare???? AUUUUGHHHH!!!!

Then find out where his ancestors came from and ship him there!

Touche! :)

When Liberace was told that he got bad reviews, he said he was crying all the way to the bank. Not laughing.

Anyway, good for Simon! He is the backbone of the show afterall, I'm glad that he's doing well and is signing up people to release albums. Except for Taylor Hicks, I wish he hadn't signed him up for an album.

Without Simon, Idol is the equivilant of 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here'.

I don't know why Simon gets a cut unless he's a co-creator of Idol. Simon Fuller is not Simon Cowell. Simple Simon. I know he's responsible for Il Divo. Yuck! Never bought any Idol CD. Came close to buying Kelly's debut but didn't.

you guys forgot about The Whiggles. I bet he's making a pretty penny off of them.

He's an A&R rep.

Is this his "bigger than Jesus" moment? I sure hope so, "American Idol" has been fucking up my television schedule for too long.

I hate Simon. What an ego.
Time to come back to Earth Simon.

I can respect his business sense, but he is responsible for getting a lot of really shitty music onto the radio and marketplace.

Yes, American Inventor is coming back. "Here comes Naya..."

:lol: Seriously, thanks for mentioning that... I know how I'm going to creep out my wife tonight (uh, by singing that!)

I've watched every American Idol except season one. Never bought one single song or album and I doubt I ever will with so much better music out there. But, I say more power to him.

Cowell is a great judge but I agree that he produces a lot of crap. See Il Divo above and his attempts at TV shows, Cupid(?), Duets, etc. Never saw American Inventor. Some of his crap sells though so he knows what crap people are willing to see and listen to.