Simon Cowell: Leaving Idol Or Chasing Dollars?

Despite telling the Daily Mirror that American Idol would “more likely to go” if he was to quit one of the three talent programs he currently appears on (the UK’s X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, as well as a record and TV production companies fill out his schedule), Simon Cowell may just want his contract sweetened. He clarified his position in a statement yesterday.

Right now, the only certainty is that I’m still on ‘Idol,’ still love doing it, and still have a year under contract. So, while I am looking at all options for the future, I haven’t made any decisions.

His options, as we see it: making a shit-ton of money in England or making several shit-tons of money by suffering through a transatlantic commute. As long as those shit-tons of money are here, Simon will probably continue taking them—jet lag be damned.

Ironically, if he did decide to bolt, Fox would have to replace the once anonymous record exec with an A-list celebrity to maintain the show’s luster. The even bitchier Quentin Tarantino, maybe?

[Photo: Getty Images]