Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell has lashed out at Lou Reed for allegedly refusing permission for Scottish singer Susan Boyle to perform his Perfect Day anthem - branding the decision "pathetic".

Boyle was left crushed and with a "heavy heart" after she was barred from covering the song on America's Got Talent during rehearsals for the show last week (08Sep10).

A representative for Reed later insisted the former Velvet Underground frontman had nothing to do with the move to stop Boyle singing his song, blaming it on a licensing glitch in the American market.

But music mogul Cowell, who discovered Boyle on his Britain's Got Talent TV contest, refuses to believe Reed's excuse.

During an interview with BBC Radio 2, he says, "This is so petty, so pathetic. Loads of people have covered this song. This is a fantastic version. He's now saying, 'If I'd have known, I'd have given permission.' Well Lou, if you're listening, 'Do we have permission to put the song on next week?'"

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