Anyone who paid attention to celebrity news this week already knows the hottest news item regarding Simon Cowell's life: Season 3 of "X Factor." (What? Children with subjects of extramarital affairs? What papers do you read?)
Like Cowell's former gig "American Idol," the American version of "X Factor" saw a decrease in viewers for 2012. The head judge isn't worried however. He's identified some of the problems from last season and thinks he has the solution.
For one, Cowell believes that last season was too moody.
"I thought that tonally, the show got a little dark last year," Cowell said during a panel. "That's not what viewers want."
Another change being made to bring in a bigger audience: more female judges. And Cowell doesn't mean that in a sex appeal way. Britney Spears may have signed off after Season 2, but Cowell brought in two more female judges (Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio) to replace Spears and other retired judge L.A. Reid. That leaves Cowell with three female cohorts, but he said that's the name of the popular music game.
"It's a girls' world in popular music today," he said.
Still, there's one aspect to being a successful vocal competition that he can't control: Competitors that are born to be stars. "X Factor" is already well into shooting the new season, even though episodes haven't aired, and Cowell thinks he's got one this year. He promised that one of the female contestants on Season 3 would be one that "everyone will remember."
