Posted on: Sunday, October 5, 2003

'Nasty Nigel' stands behind 'Idol' putdowns

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

"American Idol" executive producers Nigel Lythgoe, left, and Ken Warwick are at the heart of the final round of Hawai'i auditions at the Sheraton Waikiki. Lythgoe was a judge on a British talent-search show. Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

"American Idol" production assistant Libette Garcia, right, calls in contestants, one at a time, to audition in the second round of tryouts at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Said the judge to the contestant: "You have to lose weight. Christmas is gone and the goose is still fat."

Simon Cowell's words of wisdom? Fat chance, pardon the pun.

The brutally honest tidbit is merely a welcome to the world of "Nasty" Nigel Lythgoe, 54, an executive producer of Fox-TV's "American Idol."

Lythgoe is the original prince of the putdown, the king of the curse, the master of mean, the judge who went for the jugular, on the British talent search show, "Popstars."

Before Cowell, there was "Nasty Nigel." And Lythgoe — who turns out to be not so nasty — is one of the driving forces of "American Idol," actively auditioning contestants like a true hands-on executive producer.

"Simon is my love child," quipped Lythgoe. "Yes, I am his nasty father."

In reality, his menacing days are over, since Lythgoe transited from on-camera rudie to behind-the-scene mover and shaker of "Idol," the No. 1 Fox series and the dream of folks hungry for stardom. In fact, he's cordial and likeable, with a charming British clip in his speech, when he shares tales behind the cultural phenom that involves viewers in the star-launching decision.

With Ken Warwick, a fellow producer (they were Liverpool schoolmates at 12 and have reconnected on "Idol") Lythgoe has been at the heart of the first-ever Hawai'i auditions last week at the Aloha Stadium, the finals for which are being held today at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Dishing out honesty

In passing on the robe of nastiness and the reign of rudeness to Cowell, Lythgoe remains quick with the quip. Like Cowell, he believes that honesty and truth are at the essence of the jibes. The victim of the goose criticism was a woman, he said without apology, but he would have "done the same" if it were a guy with weight issues.

"Audiences love celebrities, but they also are fascinated by good-looking people," he said. "Plain and simple."

Lythgoe connected the dots on some of the concepts and formats at play with "Idol."

"It's big all over the world because people emotionally invest in it," he said. "We're asking them to judge rather than being (like) the indigenous music industry that says to people you've got to like this person because we've invested millions into them. People don't like being told; they like to make their own decisions. And (the show) allows people to make a choice."

Lythgoe said nastiness was overstated, overriding his truthfulness. "I was cutting, I was honest, and I do think, as Simon does, that sometimes dreams do have to be stopped in life. I mean, we've seen kids who want to be doctors and nurses who have a dream of being a pop star and they can't sing. You can lose your entire life in dreams and not get on. We've seen 100,000 kids who aren't Kelly (Kelly Clarkson, the first season's winner) or Ruben (Ruben Studdard, the second "Idol" victor). That's just the way it is."

In the private second round of auditions last week before producers, leading to the third round yesterday and today (before judges Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson), there was no nastiness. "There's no reason to be harsh (in Hawai'i)," Lythgoe said. "... The attitude's good here. In truth, everyone said 'Thank you,' even when you said 'I'm sorry, you cannot be America's next idol, you're not right for this."

Reactions might have been more cutting and abrasive in Mainland cities. "There's a bit more attitude in New York, certainly," he said.

Let's talk stardom

Lythgoe, a broadcaster with a background in show biz, including choreography, said there are distinctions between a celebrity and a star.

"But many people confuse the word," he said. "I don't see that many stars nowadays; I see a lot of celebrities. Being in what we call reality TV, we make celebrities; we don't make stars. Stars will be there in 10, 15 years, going through the celebrity phase. We'll wait and see."

Personally, he said, he would have put his money on Clay Aiken, not Studdard, for the "Idol" crown earlier this year.

"Clay may become a star; he's a celebrity now. 'Joe Millionaire' is a celebrity, but he's no star. 'Big Brother' creates celebrities, but doesn't create stars; they haven't even got talent. At least on 'American Idol,' kids have talent. But with celebrities we create, we go through them very quickly and then we discard."

Cowell has been part of celebrity process, too, said Lythgoe. "He thinks he is just judging, but he's part of what we do. TV does that. When I stood in front of a camera, I became a part of the process. And face it, people want good-looking people."

As part of the conversion to celebrity-hood, Lythgoe said the geeky Aiken underwent a makeover (the specs went, the hair became spiky-tousled) and suddenly a potential star was born.

Both Lythgoe and Warwick remembered Hawai'i's "Idol" contestant, Jordan Segundo. "Fish on a slab," Lythgoe barked, without a blink.

While his work with "Idol" is now behind the scenes, Lythgoe misses the audience contact.

"I loved the on-camera thing. But you only need one lousy Englishman," he said, alluding to Cowell.

Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, or fax 525-8055.