Devoted to show business and the entertainment industry

American Idol judge, Simon Cowell, announced on Monday that he is opening auditions starting next month for a new TV talent contest that he is bringing to Fox rival NBC.

The show which will be called "America's Got Talent" Cowell insists, will not compete directly with the "Idol."

Although it will not compete with "Idol" it does bring others connected with it into the picture. For example "Idol" producer Ken Warwick along with FreemantleMedia, which is one of the studios behind the hit, are involved with the development of the new series.

One major difference in the new series that it will include performers from a variety of entertainment disciplines - singers, dancers, comics, magicians and trapeze artists. It sounds like a new version of the Ed Sullivan show.

Cowell commented that "We felt the time was right to open up the boundaries, and say to all of America, regardless of your age, whether you're 2, whether you're 100, regardless of what you believe your talent is -- juggling, magic, singing -- this is the show you can enter, it's as simple as that."
 
The eventual winner who will be voted on by viewers will take home a cool $1 million.

Open-call auditions will be start in Los Angeles on April 6 with others at a later date in New York, Chicago and Atlanta.

One other difference is that not only solo acts, but group acts will be allowed to enter and perform as well.

While the celebrity judges have yet to be named, it will be similar to "Idol" in that regard as it will entail a three-member panel, Cowell insists that he will not be one of them.