I've always treated the music business as a business. Whether I'm making TV shows or signing artists, you have to do it by the head and not the heart -- and I run my businesses that way.
I think America is a hard nut to crack. But once you get a toehold it's a great place for an entrepreneur because people are so enthusiastic, and you have the most enthusiastic audiences in world.
Work hard, be patient, and be a sponge while learning your business. Learn how to take criticism. Follow your gut instincts and don't compromise.
When I was 30 the company that owned Fanfare went bust, and I effectively lost everything. I had to move in with my parents. In hindsight, it was the best thing that happened in my life because I learned the value of money: not to borrow money and not to live beyond my means. And I learned that getting there is more fun than being there. But one thing that I have always been able to do is to own up to my mistakes and not blame others. As for Cupid, we compromised. We allowed other people to make decisions for us, [but] I don't blame anybody but myself for allowing that to happen.
When I think of invention I always think of America. You're always seeing ads: "Have you got the next big idea?" There seems to be that spirit in America of inventions and inventors.
I actually really like Donald Trump. I think he's entertaining. There are so many unhappy billionaires, and he's a happy one with a great sense of humor. I didn't think I'd like him. I like people [who] don't take themselves too seriously.
When you tape a show it's a 12-hour day. I think I am nice to more people than I am unpleasant. I guess they only seem to show the unpleasant bits. I try not to be nasty for the sake of it. I try to put humor into a ridiculous situation I haven’t done anything particularly harsh. Harshness to me is giving somebody false hopes and not following through. That’s harsh. Telling some guy or some girl who’ve got zero talent that they have zero talent actually is a kindness.
I think we've got better talent than last year. There are two or three contestants, even without the competition, we would take seriously as a record label. If I don't find an international artist this year, then I will have failed. That is the one thing that interests me.
I think you have to judge everything based on your personal taste. And if that means being critical, so be it. I hate political correctness. I absolutely loathe it.
If I said to most of the people who auditioned, "Good job, awesome, well done," it would have made me actually look and feel ridiculous. It's quite obvious most of the people who turned up for this audition were hopeless.
It is a personal thrill for me to play a role in giving the best young singers in America a shot at realizing their dreams. I'm also happy to be working with my good friend Simon Fuller for the foreseeable future and I look forward to continuing to be a part of the Fox network and the phenomenal success that is American Idol.
My attitude is, if someone's going to criticize me, tell me to my face. I find Paula patronizing. It's as simple as that. Paula is more damaging than I am to these contestants because a lot of people just shouldn't be singing for a living.
Not everybody is perfect, and I don't think we should be looking for perfect people.
Ryan, with respect, I do this for a living. I don't play at it like you.
That process works very well, in that you've got a very clear A to Z path. But you've also got a sense of responsibility from the judges, who actually try to help the contestants.
The object of this competition is not to be mean to the losers but to find a winner. The process makes you mean because you get frustrated. Kids turn up unrehearsed, wearing the wrong clothes, singing out of tune and you can either say, "Good job," and patronize them or tell them the truth, and sometimes the truth is perceived as mean.
They all hate each other deep down, but they're not gonna say it on camera. Ask Kelly how many congratulation e-mails she got from the other contestants. Probably zero. But that's the music business. In a positive way, I like that. I like the fact that people enter the show because they might win.
What you're seeing on TV is faked because I'm trying to make it look like I like her. One of these days I might say what I really feel. Randy's okay, Paula's a pain in the ass. She's just one of those irritating people. I agree with some of what she says, I disagree with a hell of a lot of what she says. I keep my time with her to a minimum.
If you've got a big mouth and you're controversial, you're going to get attention.
I can't bear political correctness. I don't like a rule driven life and I hate the fact that you can't criticize a fat person.
I met someone the other night who's 28 years old, and he hasn't worked a day since he left college because he's pursuing a dream he'll never, ever realize: He thinks he's a great singer. Actually, he's crap. But nobody has said to him, "Why have you been wasting your time for eight years?"
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