War of the Simons: Fuller Lawyer Says Cowell 'Does Not Understand' 'X Factor' Lawsuit

Menternational/Redferns/Getty Images American Idol creator Simon Fuller's attorney is responding to criticism by Simon Cowell of Fuller's lawsuit over the U.S. version of The X Factor. In an interview with THR published on Wednesday, Cowell, who appeared as a judge on Idol for nine seasons before quitting to launch X Factor in the U.S, said Fuller has no right to demand an executive producer credit and fee on the Cowell-produced singing competition, set to launch in September. EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Behind the Scenes of THR's X Factor Cover Shoot "It's like me saying I want to be executive producer on The Voice or Project Runway," Cowell said. But Dale Kinsella, Fuller's lead lawyer in the multi-million dollar lawsuit against Fox and producer Fremantle, believes Cowell should keep his legal opinions to himself. PHOTOS: An 'American Idol' to 'X Factor' Timeline "Mr. Cowell would be better served reading scripts than legal pleadings and documents he clearly does not understand," Kinsella tells us. PHOTOS: 'The X Factor': First Look at Simon Cowell's New Judging Tea Of course, the feud between the two Simons goes back years. Fuller sued Cowell shortly after X Factor first appeared on British television in 2004, leading to the settlement that Fuller now claims granted him the right to a rich fee and credit on the U.S. X Factor. Email: Matthew.Belloni@thr.com Twitter: @THRMattBelloni Simon Cowell International American Idol Simon Fuller The X Factor