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Louis Walsh, 47, was born in County Mayo. At the age of 15,
he promoted his first band, Time Machine, and later worked for the Royal
Blues Showband and for Dublin-based artist management firm, Tommy Hayden
Enterprises. Louis went on to promote Boyzone, Samantha Mumba and
Eurovision winner Johnny Logan. He has been a judge on the RTE series
You’re a Star and ITV1 show Popstars: The Rivals. He also managed the
winners, Girls Aloud.
Louis is single and lives in
Dublin.
From Saturday, September 4, he is one of the judges on new
ITV1 series, The X Factor. Together with Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne,
they compete with one another to find the UK’s newest singing
sensation.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FIRST ACT AS RULER?
“I
would absolutely ban cigarettes worldwide. It’s a dreadful habit. Anyone I
caught smoking or selling cigarettes would be put in jail. You cannot
smoke in Ireland now in restaurants or bars and it’s a better place. It
should be brought in in the UK as well.”
WHO WOULD BE YOUR
MOST TRUSTED ADVISER?
“I’d probably pick God. He’s helped me all
the way. At least He knows I’ll be honest with Him.”
WHO
WOULD YOU BANISH?
“Lots of people. I’d get rid of all these young
pop pretenders. Music chep cigarettes has to be from the soul, it has to
be about learning your craft. I don’t want these people to think they can
just walk into a television show and become a star. It doesn’t happen like
that. You have to be good. I’d banish them all.”
WOULD YOU
BE A DICTATOR OR A BENEVOLENT LEADER?
“I would be both. I think you
have to be both to be in control, but I would listen. I wouldn’t always
agree, but I would listen.”
WHO WOULD YOU SINGLE OUT FOR A
KNIGHTHOOD AND WHY?
“If he didn’t already have one, Elton John. I
think he deserves a damehood as well. He’s such a good role model for
anyone in music. He’s still touring, he’s still being creative and he’s
made about 40 albums, unlike George Michael who hasn’t done many. Elton is
a real star.”
WHO WOULD YOU SEND TO THE TOWER OR PUT IN THE
STOCKS?
“Simon Cowell. Immediately. I would leave him there and let
him sweat it out for a while. Then he’d find out who his real friends
are.”
WHICH LAW WOULD YOU ABOLISH?
“I wouldn’t make
drink as accessible as it is. I think all drugs should be made hard to
get. I’m boring in that I don’t take any drugs at all. I think it is the
curse of the new generation. I’d also ban Big Brother and its contestants.
It’s awful.”
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