(Extra)

Simon Cowell is speaking out about his recent decisions to fire Nicole Scherzinger and pal Paula Abdul from “The X Factor.”

After the show’s first season was largely maligned by critics and failed to live up to ratings expectations, Cowell and his team quickly decided a reboot was in order for the upcoming second season.

Of Abdul he says, “I would’ve liked to have kept her. She was very gracious and I said that to her. She understands it’s business; it’s never personal.”

But while Abdul may have taken the news in stride, Scherzinger wasn’t as receptive.

VIDEO BELOW

“I don’t think she’s mad. I think she’s disappointed,” Cowell explains in an interview scheduled to air on “Extra” Wednesday.

But the former “American Idol” judge actually places some of the blame on himself as well, admitting “X Factor” didn’t live up to his own hype.

RELATED – Steve Jones Axed From “X Factor”

“It’s only because I opened my big mouth and said we were going to get 20 million [viewers],” he says. “If I hadn’t said that, everybody would be saying the show was a huge success.”

As for who will come on board to help improve the show, Cowell admits he’d love to have Mariah Carey as a judge, but knows the mom of infant twins can’t make the commitment.

Katy Perry would be “fun,” he says, while Madonna would be “great” – and “expensive.”

But don’t expect to see the mogul shelling out $100 million a year to snag Beyonce, as some outlets have claimed.

“I have no idea where this rumor came from,” Cowell says, adding, “It’s complete nonsense.”

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(Extra)

Maria Menounos is a good sport.

And probably a little cold.

An avid New England Patriots fan, Menounos made a bet with “Extra” colleague AJ Calloway before Sunday’s Super Bowl that she would co-host the show in a New York Giants-themed bikini if her team lost.

We all know what happened next.

And so, on a chilly Monday in the Big Apple, surrounded by rival fans celebrating her team’s defeat, Menounos stripped down as Calloway cackled.

Our guess is that Menounos doesn’t wager for a while.

Check out the video below!

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(GettyImages)

Kim Kardashian, who filed for divorce a week ago, jetted off to Minnesota to meet with Kris Humphries on Sunday because “she really needed to talk to him,” explains Kris Jenner.

She adds, “Whatever decisions Kim is making right now, she’s a very smart girl and she’s gonna do the right thing.”

Speaking to Extra, Jenner tries to give insight into her daughter’s earlier mindset.

“Kim is a hopeless romantic. So she wants the fairy tale. She wanted to get married and have babies and raise a family and the white picket fence and all that comes with that,” says Jenner. “She’s a really good person with a huge heart.”

Even Jenner notes Kim’s 72 days of marriage was “not how I expected things to happen, for sure.”

Right now, the famous momager feels, “[Kim] needs to do what she’s doing, and cry and figure it out.”

“She’s just trying to follow her heart, and she’s going to be okay,” says Jenner, who dropped that Kim will publicly speak about what went wrong when the “dust settles.”

Check out the video below, and share your thoughts about what Kris Jenner said about Kim and her current condition.

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(GettyImages)

(GettyImages)

“Sorry, ladies: All the Jonas brothers are now taken,” begins a piece in the often unapologetically inaccurate Star.

According to the tabloid, not only is Kevin married to Danielle Deleasa, and Nick is dating Australian singer Delta Goodrem, but Joe Jonas is now “heating up with Extra‘s Renee Bargh.”

The mag even says they had “an intimate dinner” at an L.A. restaurant on August 11.

But are things really “heating up” between Joe and Renee?

Once again, Star‘s dish is cold.

The Australian-born Bargh is a simply a friend of Goodrem’s, and is “not dating Joe,” a Jonas insider assures Gossip Cop.

“It’s untrue,” adds our impeccable source.

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(GettyImages.com)

(GettyImages)

The TV show “Extra” notes under a “New Couple Alert!” headline that the “latest rumor in the Hollywood dating mill pairs actress Renee Zellweger with ‘Glee’ guest star John Stamos.”

Basing its piece off an Us Weekly story, “Extra” says the Oscar winner and the “Full House” star were spotted together at Disneyland on Monday and were, according to one account, “having a great time laughing and dancing as they walked from one ride to another.”

So, are the two stars now seeing each other?

Nope.

A source close to Stamos confirms to Gossip Cop, “They are just friends.”

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(Extra)

Last week, actress Sarah Shahi lashed out at Paris Hilton on Twitter, accusing the socialite of almost hitting her with her car and calling Hilton a “dumb bitch.”

Today, Hilton responded (VIDEO below).

Speaking to “Extra,” she claims Shahi is 100% mistaken.

“I was so shocked when I read that,” says Hilton. “I wasn’t even driving that day. I just came back from Vegas with my boyfriend – and we were home relaxing. I hadn’t even been in the car that day.”

So what explains Shahi’s allegation?

“There are a lot of Paris Hilton lookalikes, who do it for a living,” explains the reality star. “They’re always doing things and I’m getting blamed for it. So this could be another incident like that.”

So far, Shahi has yet to respond.

Who do you believe?

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(Extra)

“Extra” is promoting that it has Lindsay Lohan‘s “first and only interview” since leaving rehab, and that the actress “breaks her silence… about her days in treatment, her fears for the future – and offers a look inside her new life.”

The show touts its exclusive as ”a deeply personal and revealing conversation” with Lohan.

Lohan, however, tells Gossip Cop the interview will not have the bombshells one might be expecting.

Instead, the segment will focus largely on Lohan giving her mom, Dina, a gift of a kitchen makeover.

(Scratching head)

While we generally watch “Extra” because it’s one of the good entertainment shows, now we’ll definitely be tuning in to see whether the two-part interview is Lohan dishing about rehab – or where her mom stores dishes in her redesigned kitchen.

Will you also be watching?

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(GettyImages.com)

According to the National Enquirer (hold your laughter), Mario Lopez allegedly tried to cut a few corners with his (so-called) “blushing bride,” Courtney Mazza.

Lopez, whom the Enquirer this week also claims could appear on a nonexistent Eva Longoria reality series, is said to have tried to “mega-mooch” an engagement ring for his baby mama.

The mag claims the “Extra” host attempted to convince his TV boss to score a “freebie” diamond ring from the show’s advertiser Kay Jewelers.

In response, the executive supposedly told him, “Are you KIDDING!? Enough with the freebies! This is a ring you’re giving to a woman you’re going to marry – not to mention she’s the mother of your child! Step up and PAY for it, Mario! This is a very personal item – not something you barter for!”

But this story is as phony as that “quote.”

An “Extra” employee tells Gossip Cop the mooching rumor is “totally false” and mentions that Kay Jewelers isn’t even an advertiser with the program.

Oh, and Lopez and Mazza aren’t engaged.

Other than getting every single part of the story wrong, however, the Enquirer did a great job.

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(GettyImages.com)

(GettyImages.com)

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Simon Cowell may not be a wedding planner, but he has some ideas about potential entertainment for Kate Middleton‘s royal nuptials to Prince William.

“Susan Boyle [would be] perfect,” the talent competition titan tells “Extra.”

He added that Boyle could sing “I Dreamed A Dream,” the song she performed on “Britain’s Got Talent” before soaring to superstardom.

Cowell said he didn’t expect to be invited to the April 29, 2011 wedding, but gets along well with the royal family.

“I’m actually friends with Prince Harry,” says Cowell. “Well, I wouldn’t say friends, but he’s come down to the show ["The X Factor"]. He and I get along very well. He’s a very, very nice guy. I like him a lot.”

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(GettyImages.com)

New rumors link Kim Kardashian to Gabriel Aubry, Halle Berry‘s ex-boyfriend.

The pair set next to each other at the Los Angeles Lakers game on Sunday night, and their friendly behavior prompted many observers to speculate that they’ve begun a romance.

Last night, “Access Hollywood” claimed Kardashian had the “look of a woman who’s smitten” with Aubry, whom Berry dumped earlier this year.

But the jury’s still out on this one.

While People.com quotes a source as saying the two have “been dating a little bit,” Kardashian herself is playing down their closeness, telling Mario Lopez of “Extra” that she and Aubry are “just friends.” And her mom, Kris Jenner, said as much to George Lopez, when the talk show host brought up the rumor. “They’re not dating,” clarified Jenner. “They’re just friends.”

We’ll keep an eye on the pretty pair.

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(HollywoodLife.com)

“EXCLUSIVE! OH NO BFFs — Jennifer Aniston Says She’s Done With TV For Good!” HollywoodLife breathlessly declares.

The site reports, “An insider tells us that Jen is dunzo with TV,” and then quotes that so-called “insider” as saying, “Jen wants to stay in movies.”

HollywoodLife then goes on to claim, “Although she recently told Extra that she’d ‘do anything’ for BFF Courteney Cox including – when pushed – appear on her show, Cougar Town, the source tells us that isn’t the truth and she was simply being nice for the purpose of the interview.”

Where should Gossip Cop start? With HollywoodLife essentially calling Aniston a liar and a bad friend?

Nah, we’ll get to that in a moment.

Let’s start with HollywoodLife stating, “Jennifer Aniston says she’s done with TV.”

Uh… Aniston NEVER said that.

Never ever.

Then, HollywoodLife takes something that Aniston DID say – that she would “do anything” for her best friend Courteney Cox – and claims, “that isn’t the truth.”

Actually, the only thing that isn’t the truth is HollywoodLife’s completely fabricated story.

A rep for Aniston tells Gossip Cop, “Jennifer said many times… that she would love to do [“Cougar Town”] if Courteney wanted her to.” The rep added that HollywoodLife is “wrong again.”

We couldn’t have said it any better.

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(GettyImages.com)

Mario Lopez is set to star in his own VH1 reality series, according to a report.

The show will follow Lopez and girlfriend Courtney Mazza as they prepare for the arrival of their first child, claims The Hollywood Reporter.

Lopez handles hosting duties on “Extra” and “America’s Best Dance Crew.” The still untitled VH1 project aims to show the couple adjusting to their new parental roles.

“Our audience has grown up with Mario. They have watched him go from a kid in a fictional high school to a man who has succeeded in many different facets in the TV business,” said Jeff Olde, executive VP of Original Programming and Production at VH1.

“This new series fits perfectly with VH1’s programming because Mario’s upcoming life changes reflect the same family milestones that many of our viewers are experiencing for the first time.”

VH1 reportedly ordered eight episodes of the show, set to premiere this fall.

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(GettyImages.com)

Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi are getting back together.

Sort of.

The broken-up “Bachelor” couple will reunite for an appearance on “The Bachelorette” on July 5.

“America was there and stood with me at the birth of our relationship, and I think I owe it to them and to myself and Vienna to let everybody be there at the end of it,” says Pavelka.

“Hopefully, it’s gonna be some closure for me,” he tells “Extra.”

Will you be watching?

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(GettyImages.com)

According to the British edition of OK!, “Simon Cowell wants Victoria Beckham on the judging panel of his new US reality TV show based on The X Factor.”

At first Gossip Cop thought the article’s author left out the words, “Does Not,” but then we read on. 

The piece claims, “Reality TV guru Simon Cowell was so impressed with Victoria Beckham’s guest appearance on American Idol that he wants her as a permanent judge on his US version of The X Factor.”

He does?!

And a so-called “source” says, “She was incredibly flattered, not to be mention surprised. Victoria told Simon she needs time to think about it as she is so busy with her fashion right now.”

Here’s what’s not OK!: If anyone would be “surprised,” it would be Cowell because he 100 percent does NOT want Beckham on the new, American “X Factor.” Nor did he ever ask her to be a judge.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Cowell told Extra, “I never approached her. Never have, never will.”

Anyone “surprised?”

Be sure to follow @GossipCop on Twitter for updates, and visit GossipCop.com for the MOST accurate celebrity reporting!

(GettyImages.com)

Mario Lopez, the host of “Extra” and a one-time “Dancing with the Stars” contestant, will once again be the master of ceremonies at the Miss America pageant when it takes place live on January 30 at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

This will be the third time Lopez hosts. He was the pageant’s master of ceremonies in 2007 and 2009.

The upcoming coming pageant will feature contestants from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and, for the first time in 50 years, Puerto Rico. And as usual, contestants for Miss America will compete in four categories trying to impress the judges with their interview, talent, and in swimsuits and evening gowns.

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(PerezHilton.com)

Gossip Cop gives credit where it’s “due.”

Yesterday Perez Hilton reported “Real Housewives of New York” star Bethenny Frankel was pregnant.

Frankel, who recently announced her engagement to Jason Hoppy, denied the rumor while jokingly Tweeting that she “was preggers w perez hilton’s 9 blue haired babies.” Her rep told our good friends at Extra baby talk was “not true.”

Well, it turns out Perez was right. Frankel confirms to People today she is indeed pregnant.

The blogger’s track record with baby bump buzz isn’t very good – see his recent gaffes with Halle Berry and Anna Paquin. But his sources were correct when it came to Frankel.

As for the “reality” star, we’ll just suggest that in the future she take a cue from “real” stars, who would sooner give a “no comment” than outright lie.

Gossip Cop wishes the couple and their future child well.

(GettyImages.com)

Michael Jackson‘s ex-wife Deborah Rowe is seeking $490,000 from a Florida woman named Rebecca White. Rowe sued White in July for allegedly defaming her in an interview with Extra, having claimed that the mother of Jackson’s two oldest children, Prince and Paris, didn’t want custody of the King of Pop’s kids, and instead was just interested in money from the Jackson family.

White never responded to the suit, and so Rowe is now seeking a default judgment.

But how did Rowe get to that nearly $500,000 figure? Rowe’s lawyers estimated that White was paid $100,000 for the interview; that Rowe spent $45,000 for medical and legal fees, and should be awarded $100,000 for emotional distress, and $245,000 in punitive damages.

A hearing for Rowe’s petition for a default judgment is slated for November.

Under an agreement Rowe made with the late singer’s mom, Katherine Jackson, Rowe has some visitation rights with the kids, and reportedly no money was exchanged as part of the deal.

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