Simon in Playboy

no, not the foldout, thank heavens.

in playboy's just-out february ish, cowell's interview is terrific. very entertaining. very funny. and he admits bob dylan "bores me to tears." lance corp. cowell may not have heard the handful of truly great dylan albums, but we like simon all the same. or maybe he has heard the handful of really good ones.

anyway, the t-shirted music mogul, who's turned put-downs of silly wannabe performers into a cottage industry on "idol" and its UK equivalent "the X factor," says he'd rather hear kelly clarkson than the "blonde on blonde" bard anytime.

"If I had 10 dylans in the final of 'AI,' we would not be getting 30 million viewers a week. I don't believe the bob dylans of this world would make 'AI' a better show. i've never bought a dylan record. a singing poet? it just bores me to tears."

simon - we dig ya. AI fans who are over 18 and can get their hands on the new playboy, read this interview!