Simon Cowell responds to Kevin Spacey's Andrew Lloyd Webber comments
Simon Cowell has attacked Kevin Spacey over the Oscar-winning actor's claim that the BBC was wrong to promote West End shows by Lord Lloyd-Webber, comparing his view to "Russia in the Sixties".
Mr Spacey, the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre, said recently that BBC1 talent shows such as How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, Any Dream Will Do and I'd Do Anything were creating unfair competition.
Simon Cowell has attacked Kevin Spacey for his Andrew Lloyd-Webber comments
Cowell has attacked Kevin Spacey
Over the last two years, BBC1 has cast stars in two Lord Lloyd-Webber shows - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Sound of Music - both of which went on to be big commercial hits.
Mr Spacey criticised the shows for distorting the theatre market in favour of musicals instead of straight plays.
"I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical - where's our 13-week programme?" said Mr Spacey, adding that he had complained personally to BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons.
But Mr Cowell, whose ITV1 shows make him arch rival to Lord Lloyd-Webber, defended the BBC's right to do the shows and compared Mr Spacey's view with Soviet-style planning.
"It sounds like Russia in the Sixties, that mentality," said Mr Cowell. "I don't think that applies to the modern world."
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, he said: "What the BBC does is very good for the West End because it reminds millions of people what the West End is all about – they're going to sell a lot of tickets off the back of that."
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Mr Spacey, the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre, said recently that BBC1 talent shows such as How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, Any Dream Will Do and I'd Do Anything were creating unfair competition.
Simon Cowell has attacked Kevin Spacey for his Andrew Lloyd-Webber comments
Cowell has attacked Kevin Spacey
Over the last two years, BBC1 has cast stars in two Lord Lloyd-Webber shows - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Sound of Music - both of which went on to be big commercial hits.
Mr Spacey criticised the shows for distorting the theatre market in favour of musicals instead of straight plays.
"I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical - where's our 13-week programme?" said Mr Spacey, adding that he had complained personally to BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons.
But Mr Cowell, whose ITV1 shows make him arch rival to Lord Lloyd-Webber, defended the BBC's right to do the shows and compared Mr Spacey's view with Soviet-style planning.
"It sounds like Russia in the Sixties, that mentality," said Mr Cowell. "I don't think that applies to the modern world."
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, he said: "What the BBC does is very good for the West End because it reminds millions of people what the West End is all about – they're going to sell a lot of tickets off the back of that."
continue..
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