Who’s The Meaner ‘X Factor’ Judge: L.A. Reid or Simon Cowell?

Simon Cowell may have met his match in fellow X Factor judge L.A. Reid!

According to Perez Hilton, at auditions on Sunday in L.A., Simon gave the audience the OK to express their opinions about those auditioning, saying:

“The idea is we’re trying to find a superstar…And you’re our fifth judge. Basically you’re here to tell us who you like. You can be as badly behaved as you want, actually. The whole reason for doing this is I trust you guys for being able to judge this process. There’s $5 million at stake.”

Apparently Simon opened a can of worms with by green-lighting open criticism. Things got heated and there was plenty of booing going on.

Here’s what L.A. had to say to a woman who was not liked by the audience:

“When was the last time you performed? Eighteen years ago? Whatever made you stop then, you should’ve stuck with that decision.”

That was way harsh, L.A.!

Here’s Simon’s less intense critique:

“It’s very brave, and I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but you’re someone who should be singing at home.”

Is it just me, or was Simon’s feedback almost… NICE? At least compared to L.A.’s it was! But then again, this is the same L.A. Reid that the singer P!nk previously sung about in her song “Don’t Let Me Get Me” off her 2001 album M!ssundaztood:

“L.A. told me,

‘You’ll be a pop star.

All you have to change

Is everything you are.'”

Who do you think the meaner judge is: L.A. or Simon?

Will you be watching X Factor?