Not everyone had to wait until tonight to see the X Factor 2011 premiere in the USA and they’re letting us know what they thought of Simon’s decision to replace Cheryl Cole with Nicole Scherzinger as the fourth judge.

Cheryl was one of the very first rumored judges to be slated to join Simon as she was originally on the X Factor UK version with him. Then for whatever reason, lots of rumors exist, Cheryl Cole was cut after the first week and replaced with Scherzinger. Not a good decision, says NY Times, LA Times, and Chicago Tribune.

NY Times finds Nicole to be a “downgrade” from Cheryl and lacking in contributions:

In the premiere [Cole] just kind of disappears midshow, without much explanation, and suddenly Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls is in her chair. It’s a downgrade. Ms. Cole showed glimmers of being interesting; in two seasons as a judge on “The Sing-Off” on NBC, Ms. Scherzinger was a pretty face but, judicially speaking, not much more than a seat warmer.”

LA Times preferred Cheryl to Nicole:

When the show opens, in L.A. for open auditions, the fourth judge is Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, but by the time they move to Seattle, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls has taken her place. Cowell has said he replaced Cole because she seemed “bewildered,” but on a first impression, she is much more interesting than Scherzinger… in early scenes [Scherzinger] seems more interested in tearing up and out-glamming “Idol’s” Jennifer Lopez than bringing much to the commentary.

Chicago Tribune compares Nicole to Kara:

[Simon] told Piers Morgan that Cole had seemed “bewildered” in the role, although Scherzinger doesn’t come off as an obvious improvement in the early going. She’s more earnest like Kara DioGuardi than lovable like Jennifer Lopez.”

I had been pretty excited about Simon bringing over Cole as she earned lots of rave reviews in the UK. Now instead we’ll get someone who has only earned “meh” reviews in her previous role as a singing competition judge. No clue what Simon was thinking on that one. Maybe Nicole’s dozens of fans made a convincing argument.

Source: Cheryl Online

Ready for some more pre-season X Factor 2011 promotional videos? Hope so, because here it comes!

X Factor held its USA premiere last Thursday and showed the first episode to a full theater audience. That would be a very cool way to watch anything, so why not the X Factor USA premiere too?

Check out the video below and see what you think of the audience’s reaction.

Source: The X Factor USA official site

Oh, Simon. Welcome back.

Simon Cowell sat down with Jay Leno to discuss the upcoming premiere of X Factor and all about the other judges he’d be sharing the screen with. Simon says LA Reid is just as difficult to work with as he is, Nicole is crazy but doesn’t know it, and he even mentions he “snogged” Paula. Watch the interview video below.

I’m glad to hear Simon say he and LA were there to protect the pretty girls from Paula and Nicole’s dismissals. Should be fun to watch this battle of the sexes play out when X Factor 2011 starts tomorrow!

After just sharing the news that Cheryl Cole would still be part of the X Factor premiere episode there’s been word that she might be back to join the show again. If true, Cole wouldn’t be behind the judges’ table like she used to but instead may have a chance on stage and with the X Factor 2011 contestants.

Simon Cowell’s offered Cheryl a chance to perform on the US X Factor and even be a special guest mentor – and she’s seriously tempted.

The star, who’s already recorded a segment for the US X Factor to explain why she left the show, knows it’d be 
a huge opportunity for her to crack the States.

Shortly after Cheryl arrived in the US, Simon, 51, called her with an offer to perform her debut US single on one of the live shows, in addition to mentoring the contestants alongside him 
for a week.

If true, Cheryl Cole would likely be Simon Cowell’s at-home mentoring partner during the judges’ homes phase where they each work with their team of performers. She’d join the rumored ranks of Rihanna in this role.

I’m not sure if I believe all of this news. I know I’d have a hard time agreeing to come back and perform on a show that kicked me to the curb and left me without a job on either side of the Atlantic. Then again I’m notoriously stubborn while Cole may be more interested in promoting her singing career here than holding on to old grudges.

Source: NOW Magazine

Cheryl Cole might not have lasted long on X Factor USA, but at least she’ll be in the premiere after all. It was widely speculated that Cole, who was replaced by Nicole Scherzinger after just a few days, would be wiped from the X Factor audience’s memory through clever editing, but that appears not to be the case.

Simon Cowell has confirmed that Cheryl, his former UK co-host, will be in the first hour of the show before being replaced in the second hour. What’s uncertain is just how the show will present this decision. Initial rumors had it that Cheryl didn’t get along well with the other judges while others said she was difficult to understand with her accent. I’m wondering if Simon will make a big deal out of it like he’s making some tough decision and bringing the hammer down or if it’ll be a quiet replacement.

In just a few more days we’ll have all those answers, but until then, speculate away.

Source: Entertainment Wise