Simon Cowell, infamous producer and judge of "American Idol" is being sued by a former contestant of one of his other talent shows, "Britain's Got Talent." Emma Amelia Pearl Czikai is suing Cowell for $3.8 million, saying she was "humiliated" and "degraded."
According to the NY Daily News, Simon Cowell told Czikai she had a "horrible singing voice" after she sang just a few notes of the Josh Groban song "You Raise Me Up." When Czikai suggested that the microphone or volume of her background music could be to blame, he reportedly told her
that the song was beautiful, providing she was not the one singing it.
"This program makes a select number of rich people very, very rich on the backs of the ordinary man and woman in the street through exploitation, humiliation, degradation and a re-emergence of modern-day barbarism with all its inherent cruelty," Czikai said during a pre-hearing review Thursday in London.
Reuters reports that Czikai previously filed a complaint about Simon Cowell with the British media regulator Ofcom, but that they rejected it.
The one-time nurse, who is 54 years old claims that if she wins the suit, she will donate the money to charity.
Anyone who goes on any program that involves Simon Cowell should be prepared for the man's brazen personality. While his digs can be deep and undoubtedly wounding, it seems the man does indeed know his stuff when it comes to talent, as he has launched the careers of many successful singers. Performers need to develop thick skins, so contestants on these shows should have a few layers growing already, especially when competing on a show with Simon Cowell as one of the judges.
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Comments: 1
I wonder who exactly is 'paying' for her litigation (a typical 'no win-no fee' bunch, perhaps??)because, for all his abrupt style and brutal (at times) honesty, Simon, over the many performers he's seen and the years he has been doing BGT and XF, still maintains a balance and objectivity.
I doubt Emma will do her 'singing career' any good by taking Simon to court. She may well face another bout of humiliation. Best to stop now before it gets worse, dear Emma. Maybe taking her singing coach to court will be better.
But that's only my opinion. The show...is the show, Britain's Got Talent, but not all auditions are by really talented people. It's got a history. Retreat is painful but often the only option.
Peace.