Hello, my name is Simon Cowell and in case you don't know who I am...where have you been hiding for the last fifteen years. I am what the business would call "a music mogul" but it's probably easier to describe me as a man who got incredibly rich from other peoples talent, but hey it had to be someone, so it might as well be me.
Over the last decade I have worked with the hottest recording stars in the industry and travelled the world in the process. There is a side to my life though that only a small number of people are aware of, this select few have seen behind the curtain that is the music business and lived to come out the other side. I've hidden behind this curtain for too long though and it's about time I pulled the curtain back and revealed the truth about the past decade (and a bit) to the world.
When I look back I don't think I realised what was in store for me until the spring of 2002 I'd just had a whirlwind 12 months and finally hit the big time as a judge on Pop Idol. I was 42 and after many ups and down in the music industry I was now a household name, people in the UK knew who I was. I couldn't walk down a street without being mobbed and I absolutely loved it, but the taste of it just left me wanting more.
That spring I made the decision to take Pop Idol to America, I knew it was the right thing to do, the money was better and if I wanted to be as famous as I had dreamt of it was my only option. So that spring I flew out to Los Angeles and started the process of setting up what we now know is American Idol.
Now a large part of this process is as boring as you would expect, lots of meetings with television executives, drinking coffee and generally making me regret my decision. My keenness for these meetings had been clear when I had arrived wearing a pair of white knee length shorts, a loose fitting un-tucked white shirt with the top few buttons undone and some sandals, I looked like I should be on a boat in Monte Carlo never-mind a high powered business meeting, typical Englishman abroad. I had paid just enough attention throughout too fain interest but that quickly changed when the conversation turned to the judging panel.
Now obviously my name was the first name on the list, the whole reason I was bringing the show to America was to be on this panel, Fox who were producing the show had insisted on Ryan Seacrest for the host and Randy Jackson, I had no issues with either of them, so they were agreed at the initial meeting and plans were put in place to meet up again with a list of potential female judges.
I returned to my hotel and sat by the pool having lunch looking out over the Pacific Ocean, my outfit now looking totally appropriate and wondering how I had ever managed to get myself in this position, I was in dreamland absolutely oblivious of what was about to happen. I took a sip of the coffee that had just been served closed my eyes hidden behind my dark sunglasses and smiled to myself, an almost smug smile, suddenly I was startled from my day dreams by the gentlest "Hello." if I hadn't opened my eyes I would have though an angel was whispering to me. Opening my eyes, the grin on my face that I thought couldn't get any bigger suddenly increased as I quickly rose to my feet responding "ohhh, hello." I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to remove the grin as I looked down at the slender tiny figure of Paula Abdul.
Paula was a similar age to me and if I am honest she was exactly my type, perfectly styled mousey brown hair, eyes that I could spend forever looking into, so dark and enticing, those high cheek bones that almost became part of that huge smile that lit up her entire face and I haven't even mentioned her stunning body. Those perky subtle breasts, probably cosmetically helped but this was LA what else could I expect, about 32C, the perfect handful, her slender stomach leading down to those shapely hips, small enough for Hollywood but big enough to grab onto and finally leading around to that awe-inspiring derriere. I knew every inch of Paula's body yet here stood in front of me my thoughts and imagination had done her an injustice.
She was casual yet elegant like she always was, wearing a sheer peach off the shoulder top with oversized sleeves, showing enough skin to be sexy but not enough to be slutty and a white tight fitting vest top underneath to help keep those perky breasts hidden but with enough cleavage to keep any mans interest. I quickly allowed my eyes time to scan down her body and that figure, her waist pulled in by a tight black belt and skin tight black jeans that I was desperate to see the back of, knowing that her ass would look stunning in them.
I must have looked like a nervous schoolboy stuttering and mumbling around her my eyes trying to look anywhere but at her cleavage but failing miserably but eventually I settled down and spent the next hour enjoying brunch with Paula. She was so pleasant and so touchy feely, constantly leaning over rubbing my arm or thigh, being British this was completely awkward for me but I chalked it down as an LA thing, everything else was strange out here, why wouldn't this be.
Suddenly the conversation changed from friendly chit chat as Paula asked me, "So what's this I hear about a talent show?" I was surprised at first because all parties involved had strict rules not to disclose anything about the show but I wasn't about to shout at Paula Abdul so I went along with it, "Yes, I'm planning on bringing a show over from the UK, called Pop Idol..." Before I could continue Paula had interrupted me "oh my god, I know the show I absolutely love it." She then left over once again resting her hand on my arm looking up into my eyes "You are amazing on it, you have such a presence on the television, and you were made for it." Flashing that killer smile at me, if I wasn't sat opposite Paula Abdul I would swear she was flirting with me
I was a little more modest back then so I was grateful for the pleasantries and the conversation continued about American Idol, we were discussing the meetings I'd had so far and without thinking, perhaps a little more naive than I realised I blurted out, "were just waiting for a female judge and were all set to go." Paula almost leapt out of the seat once I'd said it, leaning into me her faces inches from mine feeling the heat from her body against me she rested her hand inappropriately high up my thigh and looked directly into my eyes, "I would do anything for that job Simon."
What followed felt like a lifetime but may well have been just a few seconds that we stared into each other's eyes and suddenly I had a light bulb moment. I had naively persuaded myself that Paula just turning up and introducing herself to me was a coincidence when actually she knew all about American Idol and wanted that judges spot. Not only this but all of a sudden I realised that I had all the power and the nervous schoolboy should actually be a nervous schoolgirl named Paula.
Now all of this had happened in a flash and Paula was once again sat opposite me and as my new found confidence started to flow through me I found myself looking Paula up and down, drinking in the shape of her breasts held in position by her tight vest top and those sultry lips that could drive any guy wild. I decided to test my theory looking straight into Paula's deep dark eyes I confidently replied "How much do you want the job Paula? How far would you actually go?"
Paula looked back at me breathing a little heavier, she had been in the industry long enough, she knew exactly what I was getting at and we both sat staring into each other's eyes in what I can only describe as a sexual Mexican stand-off waiting for one of us to blink. Paula never blinked as she stared straight back at me leaning forward, "I'd do...anything."
I almost fell off my chair watching her lips say anything. Plenty of girls had thrown themselves at me over the years but none of them had ever been Paula Abdul. The two of us barely moved or said anything as we looked at each other waiting for the next move. I knew the next move was mine and it was time, as the yanks put it, to poop or get off the potty. I looked straight at Paula trying to seem as confident as possible when I was actually shaking like a leaf I lifted my hand onto the table and pushed a key card towards Paula, "It's the penthouse."
I'd almost stopped breathing myself at this point as I sat there waiting for Paula to make her move, she glanced down at the key then back up into my eyes before suddenly she rose to her feet. I was sure I had blown it and she was about to leave, neither of us had said another word, when slowly her slender fingers reached down grabbing the key card looking once more at me and walked away towards the hotel I sat there staring at her perfect ass walking away. Her jeans so tight hugging those cheeks, her wiggle clearly practiced over the years almost hypnotizing me as I watched her walk away. I let out a huge breathe as she went out of sight, partly in relief, partly nerves as it dawned on me that Paula Abdul was headed to my hotel room where she was going to do anything to get a job,
