Simon Money Bags

Oh, so guess what? Simon Cowell gets paid the most on the set of American Idol.

Yeah, we’re not surprised either.

Former AI executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told an Australian newspaper that Cowell owes his salary to brilliant negotiating, never signing a contract for more than 12 months.

The result? The British Bad Boy earns $36 million a year, out-earning Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson by quite the margin.

Lythgoe – who is now working on So You Think You Can dance – says Cowell gets more because he brings more viewers to their TV sets, and while his co-judges may be a touch jealous, Cowell is “worth every penny he’s paid” of his almost $22,000 a minute rate.

That’s a nice chunk of change!

[Image via WENN.]