American Idol Judge (Simon) Denies Obscene Gesture (FCC Reviewing)

[matcom]

<snip>

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Simon Cowell, the often brutally acerbic judge on the Fox television hit "American Idol," insists it was an innocent posture, not an obscene gesture.

Contrary to suggestions that he was directing an insult to fellow judge Paula Abdul by putting his middle finger to the side of his face during Tuesday's broadcast, Cowell denied flipping her the proverbial bird on prime-time TV.

"I certainly would never make a gesture like that toward Paula or on national television," Cowell said. "Sometimes I lean on my index finger. Sometimes a different finger. Sometimes two at the same time, or, God help me, even the whole hand. I never even thought about it until now."

Likewise, a spokesman for Fox Broadcasting Co., a unit of News Corp. Ltd., said network censors saw nothing offensive about Cowell's hand position.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=2&u=/nm/20040325/od_nm/idol_dc

[Bertha Venation]

1. WHO GIVES A SHIT?!

Jesus Christ, FCC and all you fucking blue noses!! Why are you wasting time and energy on this idiocy?!

[trumad]

4. Uhh..because it's the Lounge and it's funny...

Take a chill pill and lighten up...jeeezzzz

[Bertha Venation]

7. I am not asking matcom who gives a shit.

I am asking the FCC, the blue noses, the world.

Here. Have a chill pill yourself. Pal.

[trumad]

10. Why are you wasting time and energy on this idiocy?!

I din't know "you" meant the whole FCC... Sorry

[trumad]

2. Uhhh Simon

YOU'RE FIRED!

Whoops..wrong show!

[Kadie]

5. Good One.

Thanks for my first laugh this morning.

[Kadie]

3. oh boy.

this is getting ridiculous.

:crazy:

[TN al]

6. Seinfeld

did a show where George was convinced a waitress had done that to him. So the FCC is the federal regulatory agency equivalent to George Costanza? Only in a gop administration.

[OneBlueSky]

8. it's the end of the world as we know it . . .

and I feel fine . . .

no . . . really . . . I do . . .

[felonious thunk]

9. Who the fuck are the people that complain to the FCC

Do you think there really are people that see that and call up the FCC.

"Um, yes, can you please let Chairman Powell know that Simon made a naughty gesture on American Idol? My fragile sensibilities were seriously damaged by seeing it. I had to explain it to my children and now they are crying."

[NicoleM]

12. somebody on the TV said

there was less than one complaint per MILLION viewers.

[felonious thunk]

13. Well, that one person

needs to be severly beaten with a mop.

[nini]

11. He does that alot when he has his hand to his face

I've noticed it before and it's not what they think it is.

But, who the hell cares? this is getting out of hand.