Posted by Maura Johnston on 03/16/2011 at 4:36 PM News

The Popdust Files: enrique iglesias, the x factor

Deadline.com is reporting that Enrique Iglesias is in the running to be on the American version of Simon Cowell’s singing competition The X Factor—although he’s being asked to host the show, not judge it, as other members of his pop-star fraternity have done in the past. (The judging panel hasn’t been announced yet, but Popdust has a few ideas for its makeup.) One thing’s for sure: If Enrique does host, he’ll be able to tell all the contestants how to clean up their filthiest songs for pop-radio consumption!

Cowell, meanwhile, told MTV that viewers shouldn’t expect an American Idol clone, which makes sense given that Fox is airing both shows and probably wouldn’t be so keen on hosting cannibalization:

“Well, I would say that I’m not gonna compare it to ‘Idol,’ ” Cowell said. “It’s started from scratch. It’s a show that, first of all, has to be relevant; it has to appeal to younger viewers as well as older viewers. It should be representative of what’s happening on the charts at the moment, but in a nutshell you can be 12 years old, you can be 50 years old, you can be in a group and the rules are off, basically.”

But I bet the rule that says “Anyone singing ‘Pants On The Ground’ will be removed from the premises” is still in effect! If you feel like testing out that hypothesis, X Factor auditions begin their cross-country trek on March 27 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles. Other dates:
April 7: Miami (Bank United Center)
April 14: Newark (Prudential Center)
April 20: Seattle (Key Arena)
April 27: Chicago (Sears Centre Arena)
TBA: Dallas (TBA)