At the end of its ninth season in mid-March, American Idol will say good-bye to Simon Cowell, the judge on the top-rated reality show that people might love to hate or hate to love, but tune in to see. Replacing him with someone just as boisterous and blunt is a tall order.
But the perfect fit may be a BU alum: Howard Stern.
The Sirius radio shock-jock is rumored to be a top contender to fill Cowell’s seat. What Stern (COM’76) lacks in music industry experience, he more than makes up for in hard-hitting, raucous, raunchy commentary.
Stern has responded on air to fans’ criticism that he’s sold out by considering a stint on American Idol.
“Of course it’s a sell-out,” he said. “It’s a dumb karaoke contest concept. I don’t give a sh*# about American Idol, but it would be a fun gig.”
Cowell is well known in the television and music industry, especially in his native England, where he’s the executive producer and star of top-rated The X Factor. He’s also the executive producer of America’s Got Talent and produces and judges Britain’s Got Talent.
The controversial Stern revels in pushing the envelope, using his radio talk show to engage everyone from Penthouse pets of the month to rock stars and comedians, often delving into non-PC discussions, personal rants, and X-rated variety stunts.
Stern doesn’t doubt he’s qualified for the job: “Sit there and judge? I do that anyway.”
The stars may align in a business sense as well; Cowell leaves American Idol at the end of this season, and Stern’s contract with Sirius expires at the end of 2010. The question remains whether Fox, which broadcasts the singing competition, can afford the BU alum. Stern makes $100 million a year; Cowell is paid half that amount.
Stern denies he’s using American Idol as leverage against Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin to secure a bigger contract.
“He knows exactly what I’m worth to him,” Stern said on air. “There’s no negotiating.”
Should he join the show, Stern would sit alongside judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and newly arrived Ellen Degeneres, with whom he hardly plans to play nice.
“I’m not just giving opinions on music,” Stern predicted. “I’m giving opinions on Ellen.”
Bloviating aside, Stern expressed on-air doubts last Tuesday about his American Idol future.
“It’d be very difficult for them to get me to do that job,” he said.
Leslie Friday
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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