And the battle of the Simons begins. Simon Cowell of the “X-Factor” finally breaks his silence on the reported lawsuit filed by “American Idol” creator, Simon Fuller.

And the words of the British mogul sliced Fuller’s claims, albeit unsurprisingly. Cowell certainly has strong words for Fuller.

It will be recalled that “Idol” creator Simon Fuller filed a lawsuit lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 20, asserting that his namesake, Simon Cowell of the “X-Factor” owed him an ‘executive producer credit’ from the British reality show, the “X-Factor” created by Simon Cowell.

The lawsuit which comes in millions of dollars of remuneration if Cowell allows it, claims that Fuller has not been credited as executive producer of “X-Factor” and that Cowell failed to pay him the corresponding fees, in millions.

Cowell said in his first statement after the legal case came out, that he is in fact astonished by the claim.

Why?

"I'm surprised this has happened," Cowell was quoted as telling The Hollywood Reporter by the Billboard.com in an interview. "Because you can't give someone an executive producer's title if they didn't executive produce the show."

But that is not the case, argued Fuller in his lawsuit.

As indicated in the legal documents submitted to the LA Superior Court, Fuller maintained that he negotiated a “hefty executive producer fee” plus credit on Britain’s “X-Factor”.

The negotiation, explained Billboard.com, came as part of the settlement Fuller and Cowell apparently, entered into on a separate “2004 copy-right-infringement” lawsuit filed against Cowell when he created “X-Factor”. Fuller argued then that Britain’s “X-Factor” has “blatantly ripped-off” the successful format that has been used by U.S. “American Idol”

Cowell is not a defendant in the suit filed by Fuller. And the former “Idol” judge emphasized that there was never any negotiation or any deal asking for credit and fee that was ever associated with his own “X-Factor”.

Cowell reiterated, Fuller has nothing to do with the “X-Factor”.

"It's like me saying I want to be executive producer on 'The Voice' or 'Project Runway'," Cowell quipped.

Cowell underscored that he has got no clue why Fuller felt the need to sue.

"Genuinely on this one I haven't got a clue," Cowell told THR. "It's not part of our settlement agreement, it never was. So I was as surprised as anyone."

There you have it. Let’s see how this battle between the Simons will end.

Also READ:
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