Celebrity News

Cowell’s DJ hunt shot down

Simon Cowell’s talent-competition show to find the next world-class DJ has been scrapped, and sources tell us it’s because the former “American Idol” judge fought Will and Jada Pinkett
Smith’s company for top billing on the show’s credits.

Cowell announced in January that his production company Syco would produce an “American Idol”-type show for DJs with Will and Jada’s production company Overbrook Entertainment, as well as Sony Pictures Television.

But a rep for Syco confirmed to Page Six yesterday: “Syco and Overbrook decided not to proceed together on a DJ-competition show.”

We’re told production stalled because Cowell wanted top billing in producer credits. The Smiths and Overbrook Entertainment fought back, and lawyers were even brought in to haggle.

“It’s not happening anymore because of Simon,” a source told us.

Another source added, “There were some deal points that couldn’t be worked out, and Sony and Overbrook walked away.”

That source, however, said the differences weren’t over production credits.

Electronic dance music has become mainstream, with DJs like Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Kaskade, David Guetta and Tiësto becoming household names and earning millions of dollars annually spinning at nightclubs and concerts.

Capitalizing on the popularity of dance music, Syco, which also produces “The X Factor,” “America’s Got Talent” and “Britain’s Got Talent,” was to produce an international TV show that “will capture the incredible rise of the DJ phenomena,” according to a statement by the production companies in January.

“We have been working on this show for over a year, and we wanted to partner with the right people,” Cowell said at the time, adding, “DJs are the new rock stars; it feels like the right time to make this show.”

Pinkett Smith said then: “This show will comb the world to find a new breed of talent.”

A rep for Overbrook declined to comment.