Just when some people are saying that American Idol should shake things up a bit comes this bit of news from one of the judges: they might lower the age for contestants.

Right now the youngest a performer can be on the show is 16 (fan favorite David Archuleta is 17) and the highest limit is 30, which is really old in pop music terms I guess. But judge Simon Cowell tells Extra that the FOX show might drop the lowest age from 16 to 14. Then, if that works out well, the plan is to eventually have contestants audition directly from their mother's womb. That would be fantastic television, having fetuses go up against 25 year-olds.

Cowell also suggests that potential contestants, especially the girls, cry a lot more to get sympathy and get more votes from viewers. FOX should get ready for some phone calls from the L.A. chapter of NOW.

[via TV Tattle]

I'm trying to think back in my mental Rolodex to the season of American Idol that featured Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks. I know that Simon Cowell wasn't too big on Hicks, but didn't he at some point praise McPhee and her singing?

That seems to have been forgotten by Cowell. He tells ExtraTV.com that he "didn't care much for Katharine McPhee. I don't think she was a credible recording artist. Katharine will end up on Broadway!"