No sooner did Simon Cowell get comfortable Monday night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno than someone came out and handed Jay an article that said Paula Abdul broke her nose, tripping over her Chihuahua. Simon said it was the first he ever heard of it, and deadpanned that it was ‘good,” as “Pauler” wouldn’t be able to talk during the American Idol season finale. Jay Leno said that he was ‘cruel.’
Paula’s mishap occurred over the weekend. Abdul told the TV show “Extra” that she tore cartilage in her nose and fractured her toe, trying not to hurt her dog.
“I took a nasty fall …. I bruised myself on my arm … my chest, my waist all the way down to my hip. All from my little chubby Tulip,” Abdul said.
Jay Leno then asked Simon what he talked to Paula Abdul about during the breaks. Simon said he talks to her about “utter and complete rubbish.” He told a story how once, when one of two contestants were facing elimination, he made up a fortune cookie saying and told Paula to say something to the effect of “the moth who finds the corn flake always finds the melon.” Paula somehow garbled this up and Simon admitted that at the time of the incident he didn’t confess to being the inspiration behind the remark, and let Paula Abdul wallow in embarrassment alone. He owned up a year later and apologized.
Jay Leno asked Simon why he, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest didn’t invite Paula out with them. Jay wanted to know if it was a “boys night out” thing, or if it was because they really didn’t like Paula. Simon compared Paula to an annoying younger sister that you don’t want to be around anymore than you have to, but you love anyway. “Everyone has one,” he said.
When asked how he feels when the audience boos him, Simon Cowell remarked that during this season, they’ve been booing him as soon as Ryan asks him what he thinks. He said it’s bad enough with Paula’s interruptions, but now he can’t even open up his mouth before the booing begins.
On American Idol’s upcoming season finale, Simon did admit he was indeed sorry that Melinda Doolittle was voted off and didn’t make the final two. He thought that he may have delivered “the Kiss of Death” when he let it be known that he wanted to see her in the finals. Simon stated that, in his view, Melinda was the best singer and that she had worked the hardest. Jay asked him what all the hoopla was about with the Lakisha Jones kiss. Simon said he didn’t know. He just wanted to kiss “those big lips.” He said Lakisha was very kissable. Simon thinks this season’s finale will be the most interesting because both Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis are young and appealing. He said what we’ve got now is “the singer vs. the entertainer,” and that each finalist is best at what they do.
Sanjaya Malakar also came up and Jay wanted to know if it was true that Simon would have quit if Sanjaya won. Simon said he really wasn’t allowed to quit, but he felt that Sanjaya was only on the show because of his hair – not his singing. Jay Leno brought up Sanjaya’s own appearance on The Tonight Show and said Sanjaya had an outgoing personality. Simon did his best to rectify any misimpressions that he did not like Sanjaya. He said that Sanjaya was a great guy, but he preferred him when he was not singing.
Jay Leno asked Simon if he knew Paris Hilton and how he felt about her current legal troubles. Simon said he had met Paris a few times and thought she was “cute” and “sexy.” While Jay Leno outlined the specific activities that had landed Paris in hot water, Simon observed there were far worse offenses to deal with than these, and said he felt a little sorry for her. He said if they really wanted to punish Paris, they should send her to live with him for 45 days.
Cowell also confirmed that, contrary to tabloid reports, he was not engaged. Simon joked that no one will ever marry him because after anyone lives with him for a week, they hate him.
