Kelly Rowland is out and Simon Cowell is looking for her replacement! Kelly was a judge on the British version of The X Factor, but she decided to bail on the popular talent show.

Kelly reportedly "was taken aback by the circus surrounding it." She started out strong but then she seemed over it toward the second half of the series. Cowell also noticed her supposed lackluster performance. "Simon felt that Kelly slightly faded towards the latter half of the series," according to The Daily Mirror.

I think Kelly is stunning and so underrated here in the States. It's good that she did the judge thang across the pond. Hopefully she has bright things in her future in the States this year! When one door closes, a bigger and better one opens right up!

Photos: Wenn

Melanie Amaro has had plenty of time to figure out how she would spend $5 million if she were to win The X Factor. Simon Cowell wanted to one-up all talent competitions, giving the winner a huge check. Melanie, 19, says that her life "will change a lot" and that before the competition, the most money she's ever had before "was $200, if [she] was lucky."

Melanie says that her house now "sucks," so she plans to buy her mother a new one. She also claims that she "can't live without" chicken, so she'll be buying herself some of that.

LA Reid said that "America got it right" while Simon revealed that four labels want to sign Amaro and that they plan to make their decision today. Strike while the iron's hot! Ms. Amaro has a very bright future ahead!

Melanie Amaro is the very first winner of The X Factor! Melanie was actually sent home, but Simon Cowell realized that he made a mistake and invited her back onto the show. Melanie, 19, was able to sing "I Believe I Can Fly" with R. Kelly yesterday before belting out Beyonce's "Listen".

The shocked singer was left nearly speechless when she found out that she won the competition.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" was all she could get out through tears before falling to her knees to pray. "Thank you so much!" she said. "I don't know what to say. Thank you. God is good."

Grateful that voters got it right, Simon said: "America, thank you for giving this girl an opportunity. She is a star."

Melanie can sang! Congrats girl!!

On Monday, I attended The X Factor press conference at CBS studios in Los Angeles and it was the nicest press conference that I had ever been to. The press conference itself was held in the same room, same stage and all, that The X Factor is filmed in.

Paula Abdul is just as tiny as she appears to be on television, and Simon Cowell was just as feisty with reporters as he can be with contestants.

When a reporter directed a question to all three contestants - Chris Rene, Josh Krajcik and Melanie Amaro - Chris and Josh answered the question and then another reporter jumped in (asking a new question) before Melanie was able to respond. That upset Simon, and he scolded the reporter, saying that he can't just jump in and not allow Melanie to answer a question. It was nice to see!

Simon himself is clearly a kind person. He has a vested interest in launching talent and he will protect his proteges. You definitely want him on your side.

Paula's Pepsi purse!

At the conference, Simon also said that he realizes that he went into The X Factor being too cocky, but he confessed that "I'm cocky by nature!" He also said that he learned that he is not American, and he changed the song that Melanie sang (yesterday) because he realized that British people would enjoy it more than Americans.

An attention whore girl asked Simon if she could host the show next year, and Simon gave her an impromptu audition on stage! No joke! He's that generous and that interested in helping others come up. Melanie said that she's "interested" in finding out what the media will dig up, as far as fake rumors are concerned; I'm hoping that she has a squeaky clean past... What else? Simon and Nicole really don't like each other and they had a few disagreements. Simon also promised that The X Factor will be much better next year!

The X Factor season finale, Justin Bieber will be performing btw, airs at 8PM tonight on Fox!

Photos via POTP!

Simon Cowell's contestant, Melanie Amaro, is the one that the cocky Brit wants to win the first season of The States version of The X Factor. Melanie is a 19 year-old from Florida that Cowell actually sent home only to bring her back to the competition.

Yesterday, Simon told reporters: "To be honest with you, anything could happen tomorrow and I'm kind of preparing myself for any decision. But you know, my gut, my heart tells me that Melanie should win after tonight."

Simon is very skilled at picking the right talent, and when undeserving people have won American Idol, he has remained in his seat while the other judges have stood up and cheered for winners. He's aware that Josh Kracjik or Chris Rene could win.

"I was nervous until that very last song by Melanie. If that doesn't win the competition, I might as well give up!" Cowell confessed.

I'd be happy with Melanie or Josh winning the title. They're both the real deal.

Photo: Wenn

ABC announced Barbara Walters' list of the Most Interesting People of 2011, and there are surprising (and surprisingly talentless) selections among this year's honorees.

Kim Kardashian, Pippa Middleton, and Donald Trump all piqued Walters' interest this year, along with some folks who actually earned their fame and fortune, like Derek Jeter, Katy Perry, and Simon Cowell. Of course, the big mystery of who Walters chose as the year's number one most interesting individual remains a secret, and will be revealed in an ABC special airing December 14th.

Naturally, the 90 minute show will feature interviews with all of Walters' selections. Kim will be joined by her sisters for her segment, because apparently they haven't been featured in the media enough this year. The show will be capped off by the revelation of Walters' most interesting person. I'm guessing she'll do something unexpected like give the Occupy Wall Street protesters the top spot, but she could also flip the script and hand the prize to Herman Cain. A-holes are usually more interesting than good guys.

(Photos: WENN)

British mogul Simon Cowell is trying to promote his new show "The X Factor USA" by being an obnoxious, delusional douchebag. Simon has never held back when it comes to slamming other stars. In 2008 he told Esquire magazine: "Beyonce's not sexy, she hasn’t got a great body and she’s not a great singer.” B!tch, please!

Simon Scowl is at it again, this time throwing Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Beyonce under the bus.

Simon tells The Mirror: "If you only ever heard Lady GaGa, she’s the most boring singer in the world. Same with Beyoncé. Or Katy Perry."

Cowell is losing his credibility and folks aren't even tuning into his X Factor show in the States. Can someone explain to me why these chicks still appear on his shows to perform? Isn't that like still going to your ex's house to cook and clean? Gaga, Beyonce and Katy Perry should boycott.

Simon Cowell revealed that he pays his ex-girlfriends. He thinks that it's the right thing to do. Mr. Cowell allowed his ex Terri Seymour to move into one of his LA apartments post-breakup, and it is rumored that Simon pays his former girlfriends so they won't talk about his "quirks."

Simon said: "You can’t have somebody in your life who’s become accustomed to a certain thing, and just because you don’t want to be in the relationship any more, now everything is cut off. It’s not alimony. It’s doing the right thing."

Isn't it more effed up to not be with someone yet still have reminders of that person all up in your retinas? Come on. Now you're sending me sh!t too just to remind me of what your new ho is getting? That's counterproductive to moving on. Ya gotta cut the exes off eventually, preferably the sooner, the better.

In 2008, Simon said his ex-girlfriends are "like his best friends."

Simon Cowell has been busting his butt to make the American version of The X Factor into the next big thing, but the show premiere didn't rank nearly as well as expected. In fact, The X Factor rating of 6.7 is only half of what the tenth season of American Idol raked in at 16.4. Even the weekly episodes of Idol received better ratings than 'X' did for their premiere. Ouch.

Not only did The X Factor ratings suck, it was beat out by Modern Family and Criminal Minds. Maybe the ratings reflect people realizing we have enough talent show competitions as it is, and there's nothing extravagant about this one that makes it stick out more than the rest. Simon and Paula Abdul's names can only take the show so far.

Photo: WENN