2002 flashback: Simon Cowell goes for the quips in Atlanta

"Not good enough, " Cowell said to one would-be idol. "Nothing unique, " he said to another. "There isn't a chance in hell you can ever have a career as a singer, " he said to a third.

Cowell even included insults with the thumbs ups he gave to two contestants.

"Get rid of that shirt, " he told Mitchell Asa, a New Yorker who wore a see-through black shirt.

"You were singing well, but I was beginning to doze off, " he told Chicagoan Tiffany Wysinger.

Cowell and fellow judge Randy Jackson were expected to dismiss more than 100 auditioners on Thursday and Friday, keeping about 20 for a trip to Los Angeles for the new show, set to start in January.

The audition, held at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, was marred by technical problems, delays and two major absences.

Judge Paula Abdul, the one-time pop star, was MIA with a prior commitment on another network. Another judge --- hip-hop singer and DJ Angie Martinez --- quit a week into the auditions.

During a break, Cowell gave the AJC a few minutes for a few silly questions.

AJC: What is the most annoying thing that Americans do that Brits generally don't?

Cowell: Hug.

AJC: If you were on "Survivor: Thailand" with Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman, who would you vote off first and why?

Cowell: I would change the rules and vote them all off.

AJC: You called the Detroit talent "dreadful." What adjective would you use to describe Atlanta talent so far this time around?

Cowell: Underperforming. I've only seen seven or eight so far, though.

AJC: During auditions so far, have you seen any Justin [Guarini], Kelly [Clarkson] or Tamyra [Gray] copycats?

Cowell: No. But we are getting a lot of people who are over-singing, thinking they can sing like Kelly [the winner from the first show].

AJC: Do you think Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty" video is truly dirty?

Cowell: No. She tries to be dirty, but she's not.

AJC: Anna Nicole Smith and Ozzy Osbourne in a Jell-O wrestling match. Who wins and why?

Cowell: I think Ozzy would throw the towel in. I would.

AJC: CBS' "Star Search" is holding open auditions downtown at the Hyatt Regency right now. Do you think this is just a coincidence?

Cowell: If they are, it's stupid, because we're going to get the best talent on the show. They're going to get the leftovers.

AJC: Are you tone-deaf?

Cowell: Yes. Totally.

AJC: What's the greatest perk about being known as "Evil Simon" on "American Idol"?

Cowell: You don't have to pretend to be nice to people.

AJC: What did you think of these questions?

Cowell: Dreadful.