Simon Cowell has made a name for himself on both sides of the pond, from London England, to Hollywood California. A talent industry giant in all aspects, climbing his way to the top in television, movies and radio airplay. Although it may seem to people here in the United States as if Cowell became an overnight success, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Born in Brighton England on October 7, 1959 to a hard working middle class family, Simon Phillip Cowell dropped out of school at the age of sixteen, stating that high school “just wasn’t for me”. In 1979, after numerous dead-end jobs, his father got him a job at local production company, EMI as a mail room clerk. But persistance pays off and after ten years of dedication to the company, Simon was offered a job as A & R representative.
In 1999, Simon Cowell got his first number one hit with a band he produced called “Westlife” but the high was short lived. When calling his parents to share the news, Simon was shocked to learn that his father had suffered a fatal heart attack just hours before.
Since 1999, Simon Cowells’ career has seen nothing but acceleration in the industry, starting out on a talent show in the UK called “Pop Idol” He became a judge known for his no-nonsense and some times hard to take straight shooting. Television producer Simon Fuller took notice and offered Cowell a place on the judging panel for a new Americanized version of the talent show called “American Idol“.
Since then, Simon Cowell has become a household name in the United States, often frowned upon for his often brutal criticism of the lack-luster talent demonstrated by some of the thousands of contestants that flock to audition every year. “I’m not trying to be rude but…” has become a catch phrase often associated with Simon’s “Judge Dread” persona.
However, there is a much softer side of Simon Cowell that is usually over-shadowed by his cut throat judgement. Simon has donated a large portion of his $198million net worth to charities all over the world. From eco-friendly causes such as England’s Centre for Enviromental Education, to charity-based organizations such as children’s hospice alliances all over the UK as well as the United States.
On November 21, 2008 Simon Cowell was named Patron of British Charity at a fund raising dinner held by many of the organizations. Also in 2008, it was made public that Simon had wrote in his will that $180million be left to select charities including ARK and disaster relief funds.
Look for Simon Cowell as he again joins the judges panel in early 2010 on American Idol, season 9