Simon Cowell snubs President

• Bang Showbiz
• 25 March 2009

Simon Cowell's Obama snub

Simon Cowell rejected a dinner invitation from US President Barack Obama because he was too busy

Simon Cowell has snubbed US President Barack Obama.

The music mogul rejected a dinner invitation from Obama because he was too busy with his TV commitments.

Simon, 49, told US talk show host Jay Leno: "He wanted to have dinner and our diaries didn't quite match. We just didn't quite connect."

A shocked Jay replied: "And what were you doing - whitening your teeth? Fixing your hair?"

Obama has previously likened his new job to being a contestant on one of Simon's TV talent shows - which include 'American Idol' and 'The X Factor' in the UK.

He said: "I do think in Washington it's a little bit like 'American Idol'. But everybody is Simon Cowell. Everybody's got an opinion."

Simon has since invited the US leader to appear one of his shows.

Speaking to a UK radio station he said: "We're trying to get Obama to do a show at the moment. He was talking about how everyone in Washington is a critic, like me. I'm not sure if it's a compliment or not."