http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/tv-tug-of-war-its-ellen-vs-simon-and-simon-fuller-vs-simon-cowell-and-american-idol-vs-x-factor-as-tommy-mottola-is-first-choice-to-judge-both-shows/TV TUG OF WAR: It's Ellen vs Simon, And 'American Idol' vs 'X Factor', As Tommy Mottola Is First Choice To Judge Both Shows (And Paula Is Involved, Too)
By NIKKI FINKE AND MIKE FLEMING
EXCLUSIVE: It was American Idol's newest judge Ellen DeGeneres’ first day of taping the Hollywood segment, and she was excited and nervous, sources tell us. But then that turned to anger. Because, our insiders say, Simon Cowell was an hour and a half late for the taping. And Ellen stewed while she waited. She had reason: to accomodate both her talk show hosting duties and her American Idol judging duties, she had moved up her schedule so that now she shot the talk show earlier in the day and then jumped in the car to go to Idol. She was on time, and Cowell was not. "Here it was the first day of taping of the Hollywood shows, and Ellen was there waiting for Simon to show up. Ellen's new to gig and she's very organized and she made a commitment to take this on, and now she's asking herself, 'What did I get myself into?' She called Simon Cowell a prima donna. So right from the start, the chemistry isn't great," an insider tells us.
With that, Ellen Degeneres contacted the pal who brought her to the primetime hit show, Fox alternative programming chief Mike Darnell, and made a request: she asked for him to "hurry up and pick" Simon's successor. Cowell has told the world this will be his last season judging Idol to do his own U.S. version of The X Factor. But there's a problem, a big multi-pronged one, and it involves Ellen vs Simon, and Simon Fuller vs Simon Cowell, and American Idol vs The X Factor as well.
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