We all know that i don't spend a lot of time watching american tv, but have quite a fondness for the stuff produced in the UK. In fact, I just realized that I'm paying 45 bucks a month for a lovely satellite picture that I haven't seen in about four months - - - and I'd cancel it, but the penalty would cost me more than paying out the rest of the contract.

But that's not what this is about, it's about simon cowell. I've only seen 1 edition of American Idol, but the Washington Post writes about it weekly, so I know what's going on. But I know all about Simon Cowell because a couple of years ago I sat next to someone on a plane who'd worked with him years and years and years ago at EMI. And he loved him. Said he knew what was good, and what was bad, and also knew that the public often confused the two. And that he worked awfully hard, and was good to the people he worked with. That sentiment was later echoed by someone who'd "taken a meeting" with him, and was quite impressed with how Cowell treated everyone on the production team of his television show. But not just his employees and co-workers, the same went for valet parkers, servers, and the fan who came up and asked for an autograph. everyone was treated with respect. Probably because he understands that those you kick on the way up, kick you harder when they zoom past you.

Which is a very windy way of setting up this q.i. (quite interesting---that's for lee) article from the Sunday Times. UK, not NYT. Go here, you won't regret it.