Dressing Down...

Daily Mirror: Whitney Houston gives Simon Cowell a dressing down over use of 'new' song
By 3am's Clemmie Moodie and Danielle Lawler 20/10/2009

Simon Cowell is rarely lost for words – but then it’s not often he gets an ear-bashing from Whitney Houston.

The pop superstar left TV’s Mr Nasty quaking like a naughty schoolboy after Saturday’s X Factor.

We hear Simon has nicknamed her “lip” – and now we know why.

It seems Whitney, who performed her comeback single Million Dollar Bill on the ITV1 talent show, was none too happy with Simon’s choice of song for one of his contestants.

He gave Danyl Johnson her song I Didn’t Know My Own Strength to sing – before she’d even had a chance to perform it live herself.

Turns out Whitney, 46, was saving the brand new power ballad to premiere on her upcoming tour. D’oh!

Still, it didn’t stop Simon, 50, waiting outside her dressing room in the hope that she would have her picture taken with him, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue.

As she came outside and eyed him up and down, Whitney told Simon: “You look guilty.” We hear he just blushed and didn’t know which where to look. Bless!

Then she planted a kiss on his cheek and he was soon smiling like a kid in a sweet shop. He then presented her with a set of Jo Malone scented goodies and Whitney, whose new album I look To You is out this week, was over the moon.

Our spy reveals: “You’d never guess that anyone could leave Simon speechless – he usually has contestants quivering in their boots. But he got a taste of his own medicine with Whitney.

“They had a lot of playful chemistry and got on like a house on fire.”

Simon himself gushed: “Whitney was a total superstar. I loved having her on the show. I hope she comes back every year.”

If she does, hopefully her dress will behave itself – it sprang open onstage. She joked: “I sang the hell out of my dress.. I’m just glad everything else stayed intact!”

Whitney also revealed a soft spot for contestant Rachel Adedeji. Watching from the wings as Rachel sang for survival, she declared: “That girl better not get voted out. She can sing.”

Whitney then headed back to her hotel, unfortunately missing the impromptu party in Cheryl Cole’s dressing room.

Girls Aloud bandmates Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and Sarah Harding broke out the champagne to celebrate Cheryl’s incredible performance of solo single Fight For This Love.

We hear: “Cheryl was on a high and the girls wanted to help her celebrate. Even Simon and Dannii popped in. It really gave Cheryl a lift.”