Paula Abdul Calls 'X Factor' A 'Different Ball Of Wax'

Simon Cowell says the show couldn't go on without newly signed judge Paula.
By Tami Katzoff

Paula Abdul
Photo: Getty Images

The fantastic four have suited up and are ready to battle ... each other? With the last-minute signing of Paula Abdul as the fourth and final judge on Simon Cowell's "The X Factor," the panel is now complete.

On Sunday, all four panelists — Cowell, Abdul, L.A. Reid and Cheryl Cole — arrived at the University of Southern California's Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles for the Fox show's first taped audition. The vibe among the judges was a mix of anticipation and nostalgia. For those who've worked together before, there was an eagerness to get back into the old rapport.

British pop star Cole, who previously served as a judge on the U.K. version of "X Factor," spoke about Cowell as if he was a beloved, yet somewhat bothersome, big brother.

"I have the utmost respect for him and I love him to bits," Cole told MTV. "We have a great friendship, but he's very, very annoying." Having just found out about the addition of Abdul, Cole said she was excited and eager to begin working with the former "Idol" judge. "I'm really looking forward to meeting her actually."

As for Abdul, the newly signed panelist admitted she's still getting familiar with the "X Factor" format. "We are placed in a way that we compete with each other, which is interesting," she said. "But it's a whole different ball of wax. I'm excited to be getting into that mentoring aspect. That's really my passion, that's what I've done for over 20 years."

Legendary record executive Reid is the one "X Factor" judge who's new to televised talent searches. "I haven't been a part of auditions like this, and people that audition for me, they generally do original material," Reid explained. "So to hear people do cover songs, it's a bit unusual for me." But watching Cole and Cowell on the U.K. show boosted his admiration for the format, Reid said. "I just think they're really great at what they do.

"I mean, it surprised me 10 years ago when Simon became the biggest star in the world on 'American Idol' ... and that the platform for television talent became so huge — that surprised me and made me a little bit jealous," he admitted. "Because they were finding talent that I couldn't find because those people didn't walk into my office, but they came to the audition, so that was exciting ... that impressed me."

Cowell, likewise expressed admiration for Reid, and opened up about fighting to get the judging panel he believes "The X Factor" deserves. "When you make a show like this, you have a lot of people who have a lot of opinions and, at the last second, because of other situations, people get a bit jittery, maybe a bit panicky, and I stuck to my guns," Cowell said. "I wanted this panel."

And he really wanted Paula. "There was a lot of backwards and forwards going on and talk of maybe we'll just do it with three judges, and I said, 'We're not. Unless she is confirmed, we're not filming.' "

So with his dream team finally in place, how did Cowell expect the panelists to interact during their first day together on the job? "Fake. Pretending they all like each other. What else do you expect?"

Are you glad to hear Paula will be joining "The X Factor"? Tell us in the comments!

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663547/the-x-factor-paula-abdul-simon-cowell.jhtml

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