The sharp-tongued 'AGT' judge was working in the music industry for two decades when he struck it big on television.

How much money does Simon Cowell make as a judge on America's Got Talent? Given how Simon is currently a judge on America's Got Talent, we'll start with how much he currently make

However, a 21-year-old Carrie Underwood found herself driving to St. Louis three years later to audition for a show called American Idol. Finding herself among the top competitors each week, notoriously prickly judge Simon Cowell made a bold assessment after Underwood’s performance of Heart’s “Alone.”

The 'America's Got Talent' judge says Cowell's son Eric is already his dad's mini-me Howie Mandel spoke with PEOPLE at the Epic Universe Celestial Carpet and shared that his friend Simon Cowell's son Eric is already following in his dad's footsteps Mandel says Cowell will often think about whether his son would like an act before saying "yes" or "no" on 'America's Got Talent' Cowell shares his son with fiancée Lauren Silverman Simon Cowell's son might have his future career all worked out.

The American Idol reboot premiered in March 2018 on ABC. Ryan Seacrest continued his role as the show’s host, with a new group of judges. Maddie Poppe won the season, with her then-boyfriend Caleb Lee Hutchinson as the runner-up.

In 2003, just a year after "American Idol" hit airwaves, Simon Cowell appeared on the talk show "Top Gear" and revealed the worst car to show up with on a date.