George Michael Won’t Be Involved In The “Cruel Part” Of X FACTOR!
George Michael has denied rumours that he’s accepted a judge post on ‘The X Factor‘, and puts it down to the TV show’s publicity working over-time to drum up some gossip. The singer didn’t rule out mentoring the reality star wanabees, but stands firm against being involved in the “cruel” part of the contest!
In a phone-in interview with ITV‘s ‘Loose Women‘, the Outside hitmaker confirmed that he will not be joining the ‘X Factor‘ judging panel, whether as a part or full-time member, because Simon Cowell hasn’t officially asked him!
When questioned whether the rumours were true, George laughed and said:
“Simon hasn’t asked me, so I don’t understand it really. I don’t read the papers so I keep hearing this once every couple of months or even a couple of weeks and it’s just like ‘I don’t understand it’.
“I think it’s part of the X Factor publicity, you know, strategy. But I don’t think it includes me being asked.”
Despite being the ideal launch-pad to showcase his return to music, George believes he couldn’t accept the offer (whether true or not) because he doesn’t want to appear cruel to the singing hopefuls. He recalls a time when he auditioned for singing career and was shunned because of his demo tape of Careless Whisper! He still remembers how awful it was to feel rejected at a young age.
He adds:
“I couldn’t be involved in the bit where they take the mickey out of people, you know.
“I did those auditions, when I was like 16, 17, 18, and I really wasn’t a very good singer at that age, and I was terrified and I remember people.. I remember an old guy handing me back my tape of Careless Whisper. Actually he didn’t hand it back, he threw it back!
“He threw it back across the desk and said ‘Well you’ve got quite a good voice, but go home and write a hit song’.”
But after the gasps of the audience listening to the account of his early days, George then described how smug he felt after meeting up with man in question many years later:
“You know something which is very rare.. I managed to actually get my own back because about two years after Careless Whisper had come out, some years later because I put to him when I was 17, when it finally came out I think I was about 20 or 21, I saw him at a showbiz.. (It was) not showbiz, like a media party, and I walked up to him in a group of people and I said to him ‘Do you remember me?’, and he said ‘No’.
“So I said ‘Yeah, yeah, do you remember? You must remember. I was about 17 and I came in and I gave you a cassette of Careless Whisper, and you told me to go home and write a hit song. I’m sure his heart fell through his stomach in the same way mine did, when he threw the tape back at me.
“I understand how terrifying and heart-breaking auditions are, especially if you’re really young. I could never be involved in that part! Maybe, I don’t know, some mentoring thing? I don’t know. But really, I couldn’t be involved in the cruel part.”
For those watching Comic Relief tonight, watch out for his part in a long comedy skit and for the video premiere of True Faith – a reworking of New Order‘s song, with all the proceeds of the CD and downloads going to the charity!
You can find the song on iTunes or buy the CD from Amazon.
