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“American Idol” judge Simon Cowell is engaged to makeup artist Mezhgan Hussainy after a year of courtship. 

Hussainy confirmed the news to Radar Online.  Hussainy, 36, is a native of Afghanistan. 

She seems like a nice and polite woman which is good because she will be able to balance out Cowell’s rude persona. 

I was secretly  hoping Cowell would reunite with his former girlfriend Terri Seymour because I thought they made a great couple, but I still wish him a happy future with his new fiance. 

Mezhgan’s photo is posted above. As you can see, she’s pleasing to the eyes.

Cowell is leaving the “American Idol” judge’s panel after this season to focus on another talent show titled “X-Factor.”

On his Sirius radio show, Stern said he’s interested in the job, but they would have to pay him  a lot of money if he agreed to take it.

When I first heard about Stern as a possible replacement, I thought Fox executives lost their mind.  However, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I don’t think it’s a terrible bad idea.

Cowell is known for making controversial and rude remarks on the talent show, and he shows no mercy when he verbally rips the contestants apart.

The person who replaces Cowell will have to be just as mean.  Stern fits that’s description perfectly.

Plus, it would make for good TV to see the battle that would occur between Stern and new judge Ellen DeGeneres, who is known as the nice girl.

Other celebrities I think should be considered as Cowell’s replacement are Kanye West and Rush Limbaugh.  Those two are rude and disrespectful just like Cowell.

(Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Last month, Simon Cowell’s brother let the cat out of the bag when he said Cowell will leave “American Idol” after the 2010 season. 

Now, Cowell has confirmed the news.  This season will be his last on “American Idol” because he’s going to focus on “The X Factor”–a talent show that will begin airing in the United States next year, according to the Associated Press.

Cowell said he’s leaving “Idol” because it would be too difficult for him to be on both shows. 

Paula Abdul is being replaced by Ellen DeGeneres this season, and that’s going to some getting used to by us “American Idol” fans. 

But when C0well leaves, it might hinder the show’s success.  Many viewers tune in to see and hear Cowell’s straight forward (yet rude) comments.  It will be hard for the network to find a suitable replacement for him.

Simon’s brother Tony Cowell said Simon will leave “American Idol” at the end of 2010.  His brother Tony made the revelation on his podcast titled “The Cowell Factor.” 

The Associated Press story is posted below via NewsOK.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP photo)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Simon Cowell’s brother says the next season of “American Idol” will be the judge’s last.

Tony Cowell said in his weekly podcast, “The Cowell Factor,” that a statement was being prepared that would certify that the acerbic British judge was leaving the popular Fox signing competition at the end of 2010.

Simon Cowell will concentrate on bringing his popular U.K. talent show “The X Factor” to the U.S. next year, his brother said on the Saturday podcast, which has since been removed.

“Meanwhile, Simon prepares for a new season of ‘Idol,’ or should I say, his last season of ‘Idol,’” Cowell’s older brother said. “A press statement is being prepared which will confirm what everybody expected: Simon will leave ‘Idol’ at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of ‘X Factor’ to U.S. TV in 2011.”

The 50-year-old Cowell has been with “American Idol” since the series debuted in 2002. His contract ends after the upcoming ninth season, which begins Jan. 12. The judging panel was shaken up last year with the arrival of songwriter Kara DioGuardi and departure of pop star Paula Abdul, who is being replaced next season by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

A Fox spokeswoman had no comment about the report. Messages left for Cowell’s spokesman were not immediately returned.

Daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is replacing Paula Abdul on the upcoming season of “American Idol.”

Fox television made the announcement Wednesday (Sept. 9). Although I was hoping Paula would eventually return to the show, I am willing to give Ellen a chance for now. 

The full Associated Press story is posted below.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ellen DeGeneres is dancing her way into the fourth judge’s seat on “American Idol.”

Fox announced Wednesday the talk show host and comedian, who admittedly has no formal music experience, just a passion for tunes, will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi for the ninth season. The announcement all but seals the departure of Paula Abdul, the original third judge who announced she was quitting amid a contract dispute in July.

Wednesday’s announcement came as a shock to many of the singing competition’s fans, who did not expect the Emmy-winning talk show host to fill Abdul’s spot. DeGeneres told her talk show audience in an episode scheduled to air Thursday that she had been “dying to tell everyone” and would not abandon her chatfest. Instead, she will have “a day job and a night job.”

“The times we’re living in,” she quipped, “we’re all doing that.”

Abdul had been replaced by a succession of guest judges across the country as “Idol” started next season’s auditions, which will air in January. Among them: Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry and Shania Twain — but not the 51-year-old DeGeneres, who will join the ninth season following the show’s tryout rounds.

“Hopefully, I’m the people’s point of view because I’m just like you,” DeGeneres said on her talk show. “I sit at home and I watch it, and I don’t have that technical … I’m not looking at it in a critical way from the producer’s mind. I’m looking at it as a person who is going to buy the music and is going to relate to that person.”

It won’t be DeGeneres’ first time in a reality TV judge’s seat — or on “Idol.” She served as a guest judge earlier this summer on “So You Think You Can Dance,” critiquing the dancing competition’s top eight finalists. In 2007, she was the co-host of “Idol Gives Back,” the singing contest’s charity event. She returned the next year in a pre-taped segment.

DeGeneres’ has enjoyed a successful reign as the host of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for the past six years, although her four-year streak as the talk show host Daytime Emmy winner ended this year when Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters from ABC’s “The View” were awarded the prize for the first time.

“Beyond her incredible sense of humor and love of music, she brings with her an immense warmth and compassion that is almost palpable,” said “Idol” executive producer and FremantleMedia North America CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz in a statement. “She is one of America’s foremost entertainers, and we cannot wait to have her join our team.”

With the four judges’ seats now filled, it’s highly unlikely Abdul will return to her post on “Idol.” Known for her sugary sweet but often obscure evaluations, Abdul had served as judge alongside Cowell and Jackson since the show’s debut in 2002. Producers attempted to shake up the franchise last season by adding songwriter DioGuardi as a fourth judge.

Since departing “Idol,” Abdul has gone diva, filming a cameo for Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” as a gavel-banging, glammed-up version of herself and signing on to host the live “VH1 Divas” concert Sept. 17. Abdul has yet to announce a steady job to replace her role on the Fox singing contest, but she told TV Guide last week she’d like to host a talk show.

“American Idol” fans were shocked and disappointed when Paula Abdul announced she was returning to the talent show for its upcoming season. 

However, the original “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson has a different spin on the situation.

Clarkson believes Abdul will return to the show, and she thinks the parties involved are just being dramatic. 

In an interview on Sirius radio, Clarkson said “Are they trying to do that for drama?  I totally think they’re doing that for drama. I know those producers.  They’re doing that for drama. She’s totally probably going to come back.”

Hopefully, her viewpoint is correct.  Hopefully, Paula will be back on the judge’s panel. 

But something tells me it won’t happen.  The network is to busy shelling out salary increase to Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell. 

Tim Henley