Simon Cowell, the iconic judge of ‘America’s Got Talent,’ has a 9-year-old son, Eric, who recently sat in the audience for the show’s season 18 qualifier round. While Simon is undeniably proud of Eric’s talents, he fervently hopes that his son will never take the stage as a contestant. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Simon Cowell shares his reasons and reveals why Eric’s presence in the audience means so much to him.
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Simon Cowell’s musical prodigy
Simon Cowell, at the age of 63, beams with pride as he speaks about Eric’s musical talents. “He’s a good drummer,” Cowell proudly states. Grateful that it’s drums and not the violin, Cowell adds, “Thank God it wasn’t violin, it was drums. And he’s really good. I mean, he’s in time. He’s in rhythm. I keep saying to him, ‘If you’re good, never come on the show.'”
When asked about the possibility of performing together with Eric, Cowell envisions himself taking a backstage role. “Oh God,” he groans, “I dread to think… I would be, I actually don’t have any performing talent whatsoever, so it would have to be him. I would just stand in the wings.”
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Eric as the barometer
Simon Cowell cherishes the moments when Eric and his friends get excited in the live show’s audience. Eric has been attending the performances since a very young age, and according to Cowell, he’s a great indicator of the show’s success. “He’s a great barometer,” Cowell shares. “I look over to look at him, ‘Is he having a good time?’ And he was having a really good time when he was up in his seat, excited. (It)Â is the best thing, because with kids, it’s all unfiltered.”
This isn’t the first time Simon has praised Eric’s burgeoning talent. In August, he revealed to Entertainment Tonight that the 9-year-old aspires to be a drummer in a rock band. “He’s now decided he’s going to audition for Britain’s Got Talent,” Simon said at the time. “I think he wants to be in a rock band. He loves Green Day.”
Simon Cowell humorously reflects on the challenge he might face if Eric auditions for ‘Britain’s Got Talent’: “That’s going to be total torture,” Cowell joked. “I mean, of all the things I’ve ever done, this will probably be the hardest, because he does play drums. [He’s] going to drum and sing! I went, ‘Oh God, no.'”
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