American Idol Alums Say Farewell to Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
After nine seasons at the judges' table, Simon Cowell said goodbye to American Idol on Tuesday's finale. His snarky critiques and cheeky British candor captured the attention of millions of fans — and detractors — who tuned in each week not only to see dreams come true, but also to see Cowell crush them. TVGuide.com caught up with several Idol alums on the red carpet at the Season 9 finale as they shared their goodbyes to Cowell:
American Idol finale: And the winner is...
"Have fun on X-Factor. He wasn't super-nice to me, but he said some nice things. We don't get too much advice from him. I hate it because I wish I could've been like, 'Hey Simon, what can you tell me?'" —Kris Allen, Season 8 winner
"Thank you so much for being so awesome in telling me that I wasn't likable. It actually helped me out. You're amazing and we're all going to miss you." —Allison Iraheta, Season 8 finalist
"Simon, it's all right to be artistic, but just not on this show. I'm just quoting back what he said to me one year ago. I really wish him all the best and he's been an amazing guy." —Scott MacIntyre, Season 8 finalist
Read our American Idol recaps
"It's bittersweet, but we'll see him on another TV show soon, so we won't miss him too much. Simon is Simon. Ultimately, he's going to be missed, but the show itself is about the American dream. Thank you for being honest, Simon, and having the honesty that a lot of people in this business need." —Taylor Hicks, Season 5 winner
"Simon, thank you for motivating me to be the best I could be, because I never wanted you to think I was bad." —Anoop Desai, Season 8 finalist
Say your goodbyes to Cowell in the comments below.