Earlier this month, legendary crooner Engelbert Humperdinck's let word out through his camp about his interest in taking the Simon Cowell-vacated seat on "American Idol."
We might have been a little skeptical. But after we wrote about it, the outpouring from Humperdinck's worldwide fanbase made it clear we should take this candidacy seriously.
So, in the interest of fair play, we gave the 74-year-old crooner of such hits as "Release Me" a forum to lay out his platform for the spot. Humperdinck took time off from his active stage shows and release of his new I-Tunes single "Tell Me Where It Hurts" to tell PopcornBiz why he should judge "American Idol."
PB: Who knew you even watched the show?
Humperdinck: I watch it on a regular basis. It's a very good show.
PB: Favorite contestant of all time?
Humperdinck: Who would that be? What is that girl's name? The one that won it a couple of years back. I watched it this year and the ones that finished it, the girl and the guy, they were great talents. Their names escape me.
PB: How crucial is musical experience for judges?
Humperdinck: Absolutely all the way. To be a performer and sitting in that seat is a big plus. I can only go by the way I started and my career has taken me all over the world. I've sold over 150 million units of music. I learned how to take the hard knocks, the rejection, the heartache. And you get a lot of that on the show. You have to take rejection and have the nerve to come back and do it again.
PB: So you'd be a killer judge?
Humperdinck: You bring your own personality to the seat. Your judgment, whether harsh or positive -- you have to be correct. If you try to smooth it out and not hurt them, you're not helping them. They have to take the hard knocks.
PB: You sound a lot like Simon.
Humperdinck: No one can take Simon's place. He was an individual in that chair. He knew what he was talking about. The man has got talent, the ability to judge. Even if it hurts.
PB: Simon likes tight T-shirts, can you pull that look off?
Humperdinck: I would dress my way. It might include (tight T-shirts). I'm not going to be a stiff shirt. I'm going to dress in a modern fashion.
PB: Randy Jackson always ends sentences with 'dawg.' Can you roll with that?
Humperdinck: There are moments when I use it. But I don't say the Lord my God's name in vain. Not even for a show. But if it was something like god-given talent...
PB: No, not God, I said dog or 'dawg.'
Humperdinck: I'm an individual, I don't steal lines from other people.
PB: Should young performers change their name to something memorable like yours?
Humperdinck: It's always a good move, because sometimes a name doesn't roll of your tongue. You need a name that stands out.
