Simon Cowell Not Worried About ‘X Factor’ Ratings In Storm’s Wake, Plans Sandy “Shout Out”

DOMINIC PATTEN
Simon Cowell: “The X Factor’ Will Be Back Next Season”; “I Might Have A Different Kind Of Role”

Fox’s The X Factor plans to acknowledge those hit by Hurricane Sandy, said Simon Cowell today. “I’m certain we’ll have a shout-out to those people on that side of the coast and say, you know, stay safe, be strong and we hope that the storm blows off as quickly as possible,” Cowell said Tuesday, the day before X Factor starts airing the first of two-nights-a-week live shows. But Cowell was dismissive about worries that coming on so soon after the uberstorm that battered the East Coast and knocked out power up and down the seaboard would hurt his show’s ratings. “I couldn’t care less,” he said. The producer/judge also said he hoped Fox could find a way to repeat the show for those on the East Coast without power or cable.

Tomorrow’s live show will introduce new X Factor hosts Khloé Kardashian Odom and Mario Lopez, who will take the stage alongside the Top 16 acts and judges Cowell, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears and L.A. Reid. “Mario and Khloé have great chemistry,” Cowell said the longtime Extra host and reality star. Cowell did say that bringing the live show ahead a day, as Fox announced Monday, has made the inexperienced Kardashian nervous. “My attitude is we could have pre-recorded it, but that is boring,” he said. “I quite like seeing people under pressure.” Cowell also noted that he was surprised at how good Spears is proving to be as a judge for her first season of the show. “She’s been a lot better than everyone thought, she’s very engaged,” he said. “I don’t know what she’s going to be on the live show because we haven’t done one yet and it’s a very different setup.” Cowell also said he wanted to see Spears performing on the show, maybe for the season finale. “I think she’ll do it”, he said.

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