Simon Cowell Opens Up About How His Son Changed His Judging Style

Viewers have popularly regarded Simon Cowell as the hard-to-please judge on America’s Got Talent. He has been on the show from its 11th season in 2016 till the present, while previously being a long-time judge on the show American Idol. However, he does that alongside Sofía Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel, with Terry Crews as the show host. Apart from his work on the NBC show, the 62-year-old is engaged to his longtime lover, Lauren Silverman, with whom he shares an eight-year-old son, Eric.

Cowell opened up to Fox News about how his style of judging contestants on the AGT show has evolved over the years because of his son. “I have a son; I have much more empathy for the younger acts,” he revealed on America’s Got Talent red carpet.

Being a Judge

Before America’s Got Talent was American Idol. Despite being viewed as too strict, he has helped take the careers of many persons and groups from nothing to stardom. Popular artists and bands like Leona Lewis, One Direction, and Fifth Harmony owe a significant part of their beginnings to Cowell, as well as Kelly Clarkson (the first “American Idol”) and Carrie Underwood.

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Furthermore, the no-nonsense Cowell seems to have a good eye for potential stars, and he may have found yet another one, Sara James, on the recent episode of America’s Got Talent. Sara, who got a Golden Buzzer from Cowell in June, has managed to pull another miracle with the performance of Elton John’s “Rocketman,” which delighted the judges. Cowell revealed, “If we didn’t have people like Sara, we wouldn’t be able to make these shows.”

Cowell’s Joy is Seeing Contestants Deliver Good Performances

Cowell also opened up about how he feels when contestants give mediocre performances. “The truth is you want everyone to succeed. I just get frustrated when people don’t do well or make their own decisions. It’s frustrating. When I first started making these shows, they just got loads of terrible people and asked me to comment on them. ‘Well, they’re all terrible. What do you want me to say?’ Then, over the years, I think people got better now.”

Hopefully, Cowell prays that his all-time wish of having great talents this year will come through. “You pray every year that you could find someone great, and they’re going to have a great career afterward. I have a feeling that’s going to happen to our artists tonight.”