Simon Cowell Regrets Being “Mr. Nasty” and His Apology Signals a Big Reality TV Shift

Simon Cowell Regrets Being “Mr. Nasty” and His Apology Signals a Big Reality TV Shift Simon Cowell's promo for 'America's Got Talent' Season 20.Image via NBC By  Michael Block Published 2 hours ago Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!  On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.  In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.  Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Sometimes the way to fame is to create an immediate impact. During the heyday of reality television, the mold for the perfect judging panel was created by everyone's favorite grump, Simon Cowell. The notorious Brit first rose to prominence on reality television as the "mean" judge on American Idol alongside Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. After his tenure on the series ended, he brought the same brand of mean to the American edition of The X Factor. Now, he's continuing to reign supreme on America's Got Talent, but that grumpy facade has disappeared as Cowell has softened.

Recently speaking with the New York Times for an exclusive, Cowell confessed that he regrets the harsh comments that made him the mean TV judge. “I wasn’t trying to be a d*** on purpose," he told the outlet. Though his main goal was always to find talent and keep the shows successful, he opened up about the business side of things with brutal commentary. As Cowell continues to be a mainstay on the competition show circuit, it serves as an examination of how the genre has evolved. Cowell no longer has to be the resident bad cop; he can share his opinion constructively, helping the artists.

From Auditions to Infamy: How Mr. Nasty Was Made

Maybe Cowell was always misunderstood. During his profile with the Times, Cowell laid out the truth behind his time on the hit series. The music mogul explained that he wanted the shows to succeed and for the artists to sign with a label. Stating the facts, Cowell said, “So when all these people were coming in, and they couldn’t sing, I would be like when I used to audition people, and someone would come in, and they can’t sing. We would say after 10 seconds, ‘You can’t sing.’ Not, ‘You’re going to be brilliant.’”

Noting the frustration of the potential of not finding talent, his barbs were necessary to separate the good from the bad. His brutal commentary became a signature to the show and to his character, but he knew he may have gone too far. “Out of a hundred nice comments, what are they going to use? They’re always going to use me in a bad mood. I got that,” he added before apologizing. “What can I say? I’m sorry.” Cowell admitted he was not proud of being a "d*ck," but knew how it brought notoriety and worldwide popularity. Still to this day, old clips of his nasty comments are shared in "best of" videos.

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Posts By  Michael Block Sep 29, 2025

The Apology That Speaks to Reality TV's Future

Paula Abdul jokingly strangles Simon Cowell as Randy Jackson watches on 'American Idol.'Image via FOX

If you were a day one fan of American Idol coming into America's Got Talent today, there is a drastic difference in Cowell and how he performs behind the judges' panel. No longer is he a villain. Instead, he's showing a softer side and giving more praise to the acts presented on camera. There are occasionally some performers he dislikes, but rather than beating them over the head with insults, he finds some humor and self-deprecation instead, admitting he's in on the joke.

The change in Cowell marks an overall change in competition shows. There's far less tolerance for cruelty that has trained viewers to believe that's how it should be. It's a major factor on The Voice. Some viewers simply no longer trust the coaches' opinions because they're laying the false praise on too thick. How can every single singer be great? And if they're all great, how do you make a decision that the audience has very little say in? No longer are reality shows profiting from emotional harm, but the ethical question of tearing down someone isn't the issue. It's building them up into something they'll never be. And that, in this business of show, is problematic.

There is a problem, though, with the current direction of judging on reality television competition shows. Not every contestant that graces the stage is talented. And if the judge won't dish out a helping of harsh reality, social media will. By shielding performers and showering them in praise, it serves as false gratification for the audience and the network only. Loyal fans hate dishonesty, so why is the new era of judges doing it? As much as Mel B took over the mean judge moniker on AGT this season, some of her points were valid. Where she faltered was in how her opinions were projected. She fell into the trap that made Cowell a success. Unfortunately, after training viewers' ears to niceties, it caused an ill reaction for the former Spice Girl. The entertainment value of reality TV is the talent. But if the judges are no longer the source of drama, we're going to lose what makes the genre unique. A good story needs a villain, and in a socially conscious world, the networks have given that responsibility to social media.

America's Got Talent is available to stream on Peacock.

America's Got Talent

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