Madonna‘a brother, Christopher Ciccone, is not giving up on his quest to take Simon Cowell‘s seat as a judge on Fox’s hit “American Idol.”
Ciccone at various times during his 25-year career has served as his sister’s assistant, backup dancer, stylist and artistic director. He launched a Facebook page — “Christopher Ciccone for American Idol! — in January, though it’s so far drawn only 602 members. Still, he’s not giving up.
“I think I can bring a particular kind of credibility to the show. I’d be the only person sitting at the table who actually created a pop star from the beginning, and helped keep her there for 20 years,” he tells Page Six. “I know what it takes to make it.”
Ciccone isn’t worried about his competitors for the Cowell seat — who are rumored to include Howard Stern, Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine, Warner Music CEO Lyor Cohen and former Sony Music boss Tommy Mottola. “I think Howard is a great guy, but it’s difficult to see him sitting there, with the demographic he brings to the table,” Ciccone says. “And I know producers are talking to Perez [Hilton], although he’s probably the only person who doesn’t realize how irrelevant he is.”
Ciccone says that he hasn’t yet talked to Madonna about his quest, but, “I’m sure she’d be supportive,” he says. “Though I can’t imagine what she’s doing on ‘The Marriage Ref’ [Jerry Seinfeld’s new NBC show, on which Madonna was a recent panelist] giving advice to married couples. I guess it’s kind of ironic. Everyone has their experiences regarding marriage — hers are maybe what not to do,” he laughed.
Ciccone also thinks he’d fit in with the current judges — even new addition Ellen DeGeneres, with whom Cowell has privately feuded. “I like Ellen,” he says. “She’s got the regular-folks appeal. I really love the show. It’s become part of the American dream.”