Simon Cowell is best known for his ability to crush the dreams of semi-talented singers as the tight t-shirted Judge of American Idol and the UK’s X-Factor. However, it’s his charitable work for Haiti that has him being considered for knighthood.
The Queens Honours List, to be released December 31, is said to offer a knighthood to Cowell, rather than a lesser honour of Member of the Order of the British Empire or Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Cowell’s name was put forward last year but former Prime Minster Gordon Brown for his work in the British Music industry but as Knighthood is reserved for people who make a global impact, Cowell didn’t make the 2009 Queen’s Honours List.
This year, after the Earthquake in Haiti, Brown personally called Cowell to put together We Are the World/Band-Aid style super group to release a charity song for the Haitian relief efforts.
Cowell organized the like of Rod Stewart, Westlife, Take That, Mariah Carey and a slew of others to remake REM’s “Everybody Hurts”. REM agreed to waive all royalties and Brown waved any Value Added Tax on the song. Cowell’s group sold 453,000 copies in the first week and over 600,000 in all.
The work for Haiti is obviously great but there might be another reason to suggest Cowell will be honored with Knighthood. Cowell is reported to have paid in excess of £21.7 million in taxes last year, it seems Cowell isn’t just a cash cow for television networks, he’s a government stimulus package all on his own.
Despite his jackass exterior, it’s a nice award for a genuinely good man. He’ll join the likes of Sir Elton, Sir Mick and Sir Paul among other British entertainers earning Knighthood.
Now if we can find a bookie willing to give odds on whether Simon Cowell will critique the Queen’s Knighting. “I’ve seen better Knighting at a children’s chess tournament.”
