When we first met Simon Cowell in the early 2000s on American Idol, he seemed like kind of a jerk. He certainly wasn’t as warm and fuzzy as judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. Simon’s edgy personality made him the person everyone loved to hate, keeping them coming back. Even though he’s very blunt, Simon’s criticisms are typically pretty valid. To his credit, he’s equally as generous with compliments and has no qualms about identifying star potential. America’s Got Talent premieres June 2, 2026, on NBC, and Simon Cowell is ready for a summer of changing lives. It’s something that he truly loves about his job.
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Simon Cowell Opened Up About Changing Lives
In an interview with Parade, Simon Cowell discussed decades of changing lives through reality TV.
“I genuinely believe that these shows have to have a purpose. And to that point, whether you win or lose, I think particularly today, you’ve got to be able to get attention with so many millions of people uploading content at the moment,” Simon said.
He added that contestants who make it on the show, whether they win or lose, gain exposure they would not have otherwise received.
“I think what this does is it puts you on the ladder, so to speak. So, if you do a great audition or a great live show performance — and I’ve seen that happen so many times now — there are massive knock-on effects in terms of their careers, their lives, their confidence. That’s one of the best parts of doing the job,” Simon shared.
Simon Cowell added that if the shows he works on didn’t continue changing lives, he would no longer be involved. For him, it’s truly about creating success stories.
“When I look back on the origins of all these shows, I’ve seen so many people and to be able to see what it’s done for their careers, their lives, it’s amazing,” he added. “If that didn’t happen, I promise you, I wouldn’t do the shows.”
This story’s featured image is by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images
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