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Simon vs. Simon: Attorney for Fuller Fires Back at Cowell in ‘American Idol’-‘X Factor’ Legal Showdown

Aug 25, 2011  •  Post A Comment

An attorney for “American Idol” creator Simon Fuller lashed out at Simon Cowell after Cowell sounded off about Fuller’s lawsuit over the U.S. version of “The X Factor,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Mr. Cowell would be better served reading scripts than legal pleadings and documents he clearly does not understand,” Fuller attorney Dale Kinsella told the publication.

His comments came after Cowell said in an interview with THR that Fuller has no right to seek an executive producer credit on “X Factor,” which premieres next month.

Cowell told the publication: “It’s like me saying I want to be executive producer on ‘The Voice’ or ‘Project Runway.’”

The latest report notes: “The feud between the two Simons goes back years. Fuller sued Cowell shortly after ‘X Factor’ first appeared on British television in 2004, leading to the settlement that Fuller now claims granted him the right to a rich fee and credit on the U.S. ‘X Factor.’”

3 Comments

  1. I completely agree with Fuller’s attorney. Cowell’s ‘X-Factor’ was a clear rip-off of Simon Fuller’s original show, ‘Pop Idol,’ which launched Simon Cowell into super stardom. When Cowell figured out that he could steal the idea to create a new show instead, he jumped ship, launched ‘X-Factor’ and then argued that Fuller had no rights to it. Fuller sued him, and they settled. If that settlement included an Executive Producer credit, then Fuller is entitled to exactly that. Even if it didn’t, he can still be considered an EP, since he basically created the entire show. Imagine that these two were once good friends. Money + Friendhip = lawsuits. http://www.thedishmaster.com

  2. So then I assume that you agree that the original producers of “Star Search,” (or any of the even earlier talent search shows,) should also be able to claim Executive Producer credit on Pop Idol, American Idol, Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc. etc…
    No?!?!

  3. So then I assume that you agree that the original producers of “Star Search,” (or any of the even earlier talent search shows,) should also be able to claim Executive Producer credit on Pop Idol, American Idol, Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc. etc…
    No?!?!

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