Fox’s “X Factor” introduced new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato to the media Monday, and the message was clear: This year, gosh darnit, we’re having fun.
Spears and Lovato didn’t say that themselves. They mostly talked with great tact about how happy they are to be on the show.
“I can’t believe the opportunity,” said Lovato, who said she always adored head judge and show mastermind Simon Cowell.
“For me, this is a chance to give back and help young talent realize their dreams,” said Spears.
Okay. But the early trailer reel showed Spears telling one particular young talent that he or she really seemed to have no talent at all.
In case anyone misses that there’s incoming attitude, Spears’ introductory promotional shot has her wielding a batlike object and smashing a pane of glass.
Tabloid fans will remember her similar move a couple of years back in a less scripted situation, after she shaved off her hair.
It is now long and blond again.
Lovato, meanwhile, is shown in the trailer talking to a contestant. Cowell interrupts her and she tells him to be quiet until she has finished.
Don’t mind him, she tells the contestant. “He’s old and impatient.”
Several live exchanges between Lovato and Cowell Monday also suggested that it will be a running motif for her to play the age card.
The 52-year-old Cowell joked at one point that he’s in his 30s. The 19-year-old Lovato shot back, “a hundred and thirties.”
Cowell clearly didn’t mind these kind of exchanges, and he seemed to relish the fact that in early auditions, Lovato and Spears have both been tough judges.
“They’re harder to please than [fourth judge] L.A. [Reid] and me,” he said.
“Britney’s quite mean.”
“Honest,” said Lovato.
One of the criticisms of last year’s “X Factor,” which didn’t reach the ratings Cowell had hoped, was that judges Nicole Scherzinger and particularly Paula Abdul were too nice.
They were subsequently sacked, replaced by Spears and Lovato.
Cowell praised last year’s team, but says that “even though they did a great job, we felt we needed a change.”
Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly was blunt in his appreciation of the new kids.
“People will be surprised at how feisty Britney is,” Reilly says. “And Demi took on Simon on day one. She’s a spitfire.”
On the subject of hosts, which “X Factor” doesn’t have since Steve Jones’ deal was not renewed, Cowell said he’d like “a boy and a girl.”
Ideally, he said, “It would be someone who hasn’t been a host before.”
He said candidates are being interviewed now and he expects an announcement by “the middle of August.”
The second season starts Sept. 13.
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