Simon Cowell Gets Bugged

'American Idol' judge, and all-around meanie, Simon Cowell apparently found a bug, as in listening device, in a television set in his hotel room. Now Cowell is embroiled in an investigation into a major gambling ring which has already resulted in the arrest of one man.

Police were called to the Palace Theatre in Manchester, England, after the music mogul spotted the high-tech listening device in the corner of the room.

The star was using the hotel to audition members of the public for his forthcoming U.K.-based reality TV contest Britain's Got Talent. It is now feared Cowell, and his fellow judges, journalist Piers Morgan and actress Amanda Holden, were the target of an underground betting ring trying to glean information about possible winners through their private conversations.

Cowell says, "I am absolutely shocked that someone tried to bug me. It is incredible the lengths some people will go to try and get inside information about myself and the other judges. Nobody knows what they intended to do with the information they got from recording our conversations - but it is a concern that they were able to breach security."

Police in the city have launched an inquiry and a man was arrested on Thursday night in connection with the investigation.

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Does Simon Have Fake Boobies?

Simon Cowell has his fingers in many a television pie, including across the pond in the UK, where the acid-tongued 'Idol' judge hails from. Cowell is a judge on a show called 'X-Factor', which is based on the same premise as our 'American Idol'. Unfortunately for Simon, he doesn't seem to be as well liked by the judges on 'X-Factor' as he is on 'Idol'.

One of those Brit judges, Louis Walsh, has gone on the record saying that Simon has had pectoral implants to get that muscled look he sports under those tight black t-shirts that he incessantly wears. Walsh goes on to say that the rest of the judges, with the exception of him, "all have fake t**s" and other work done.

No big deal, I say, since the rest of the judges are women! Whatever, it just sounds like some sour grapes to me, though those boobies Simon's got do look a little suspect....

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Chris Sligh Latest 'Idol" to be Going Home

Chris Sligh, the kind of loveable chubby cross between 'Lost's Hurley and Jack Osbourne, was voted off 'American Idol' and sent packing, also sparing Sanjaya Malakar for another week.

Simon predicted the results, saying "It's bye-bye curly", even before Ryan Seacrest read the results.

Cowell said on Tuesday's program that Sligh's rendition of the Police classic "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" was a "mess."

Haley Scarnato and Phil Stacey rounded out the bottom three, but were pronounced safe, and Sligh got the boot.

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Osbourne to Replace Brandy on Talent Show

Sharon Osbourne is possibly set to replace legally challenged R & B star Brandy Norwood on the show 'America's Got Talent'. This comes after lawsuits have been filed as a result of the car accident Brandy was involved in which resulted in a fatality.

Studio sources say talks with Osbourne are ongoing, who also appears as a judge on the UK based series by Simon Cowell 'X-Factor'.

Another 'Idol' Scandal

There is yet another scandal surrounding Fox hit show 'American Idol', but this time it centers around British meanie Simon Cowell, and lets beleaguered, and perpetually out of it, Paula Abdul off the hook.

Rumors are flying that Simon has been accused of planting a British pop star, Tom Lowe, who was once signed to Cowell's record company. He made it through the audition in Seattle, and has his golden ticket to Hollywood, but some other Idol wannabe's aren't happy about it.

Lowe was a member of British boy band North And South, who scored four minor British hit singles on Cowell's record label before splitting in 1998, but Cowell claims he can't remember him.

However, a furious contestant tells British newspaper The Daily Star, "It's really suspicious that they were at the same record company. Simon claims he doesn't remember him but there's a feeling among some people that this could be a fix. A career in the States could be worth $195 million so there's a lot at stake and people aren't happy."

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Joss Stone Turns Down 'American Idol'

Source: Hello!
British soul singer says she turned down Simon Cowell's invite to take a turn as a guest judge on 'Idol' because she finds "these shows far too cruel," she says. "Music should be allowed to develop naturally."

The 19 year old is about to release her third album, entitled Introducing Joss Stone, due to drop on March 12. Later in the year she's set to return to the UK when she takes part in the Concert For Diana on July 1 at Wembley Stadium.