American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe might have to print some new business cards after he receives a special honour at the 39th Annual International Emmy Awards Ceremony.
"I've been nominated [six times] for an Emmy for American Idol ... and haven't won any of them," Lythgoe said. "I've even got printed on my business card ‘multi-Emmy loser' so it's going to be wonderful to actually accept one."
Lythgoe, 62, who returned as Idol's executive producer last season, will be presented the honorary International Emmy Founders Award in recognition of his work as "a major reality show innovator" as well as for "his amazingly deep commitment to dance around the world," said Bruce L. Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
He attributes American Idol's eventual success to Rupert Murdoch's decision to leave its British production team alone and not try to Americanise the show.
"I think Americans sugarcoated all the critiques that they would do on shows like this," said Lythgoe, who earned the nickname Nasty Nigel for his caustic remarks as a judge on the British show Popstars. ''With bringing Simon Cowell out here we knew we wanted this new honesty.
"When we first came here, we had people waiting with baseball bats ready to take Simon out. The second year he'd get booed and there would be a smattering of applause. The third year he was getting applause and cheers."
The presentation to Lythgoe, who also produces and helps judge So You Think You Can Dance?, will be a main event at the awards ceremony, hosted again by former Beverly Hills 90210 star Jason Priestley.
"I've been nominated [six times] for an Emmy for American Idol ... and haven't won any of them," Lythgoe said. "I've even got printed on my business card ‘multi-Emmy loser' so it's going to be wonderful to actually accept one."
Lythgoe, 62, who returned as Idol's executive producer last season, will be presented the honorary International Emmy Founders Award in recognition of his work as "a major reality show innovator" as well as for "his amazingly deep commitment to dance around the world," said Bruce L. Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
He attributes American Idol's eventual success to Rupert Murdoch's decision to leave its British production team alone and not try to Americanise the show.
"I think Americans sugarcoated all the critiques that they would do on shows like this," said Lythgoe, who earned the nickname Nasty Nigel for his caustic remarks as a judge on the British show Popstars. ''With bringing Simon Cowell out here we knew we wanted this new honesty.
"When we first came here, we had people waiting with baseball bats ready to take Simon out. The second year he'd get booed and there would be a smattering of applause. The third year he was getting applause and cheers."
The presentation to Lythgoe, who also produces and helps judge So You Think You Can Dance?, will be a main event at the awards ceremony, hosted again by former Beverly Hills 90210 star Jason Priestley.
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