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Simon Cowell Contemplated Suicide as a Teen

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Simon Cowell by Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage.com
American Idol judge Simon Cowell reveals to Parade.com that he thought about taking his own life as a teenager.

Cowell said he hated strict rules in school and had difficulty finding activities that kept him interested.

"I was always bored. I didn't like the rules and I didn't like discipline," he said. "So when someone said to me, 'These are the best days of your life,' I actually thought about jumping off a bridge. I was like, 'If it gets any worse than this, I'm done,' because I hated school and I hated my life." — J.R. Whalen


Posted by The Idol Chatters
May 9, 2008 12:39 PM
I can't help but like Simon. He tells it how it is....He makes American Idol watchable. I'm glad he stuck around. I don't regularly watch AI, but I catch it for him only.
Posted by Jam fan
May 10, 2008 10:48 AM
This was very brave of Simon to admit publicly, and hopefully just talking about such things will help young people who do not always see the possibilities in life. Many young people feel the same way as Simon did, and just knowing that someone as talented and successful as Mr. Cowell went through it, and came out the other side -- it gives hope to other young people.
Posted by acoustic622
May 10, 2008 8:20 PM
It's definitely brave of Simon to admit that publicly. Many teenagers and even young adults go through feelings like that. I, too, think when people like Mr. Cowell come out and talk about their troubled times, helps those who are going through those times. It lets them know that there is hope. I adore Mr. Cowell and have the utmost respect for him.
Posted by kardolfin
May 11, 2008 1:45 AM
Does anyone really think high school was the best time of their life? I thought high school was truely horrible. College was much better.
Posted by Master Moron
May 11, 2008 6:13 PM
People should NEVER tell teenagers that "this is the best time" of their lives! A lot of teenagers (even popular ones) are struggling with figuring out who they are, what they want, what they look like, what life has to offer, peer pressure, and all sorts of other issues. Even if (and it's a pretty big "if") the teenage years truly are the best time in someone's life, full of youth and joy and good looks, how depressing is it to think that it's all downhill after 19?? Wow, so they've got another 60 years to live, and each year is just going to get worse. That's totally untrue, and actually not typical at all. Most people enjoy life more in their 20's, 30's and beyond than they ever did in highschool.
Posted by findmebaby.com
May 11, 2008 8:05 PM
When you think about the teen suicide rate, and how easy it is for teens to feel depressed and hopeless, kind of makes you feel bad about all of the hateful things people are making up about David Archuleta on all of these online message boards just because they want someone else to win that stupid show...
Posted by smancy15
May 12, 2008 12:42 AM
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