'Idol's' Cowell denies V.T. insensitivity

Early today, the 'Idol' team went into overdrive to try and quiet online chatter that Simon Cowell dismissed Chris Richardson's words of support for those mourning the Virginia Tech shootings.

Newsday's Steve Snyder wrote of the on air specifics:

As the "Idol" cameras cut back to Cowell, the grumpy judge could be seen looking away and rolling his eyes, leading bloggers to take to their keyboards within hours late Tuesday night, decrying what they saw as an insensitive gesture that dismissed the pain being felt by Virginia Tech students.

By early Wednesday morning, Cowell was being interviewed by fellow "Idol" personality Ryan Seacrest, in an interview that was scheduled to air on E! News at 7 p.m. Wednesday night, distancing himself from the controversy and what he said was a misunderstanding.

"I couldn't hear what Chris had said," Cowell reportedly said in the interview. "My rolling of my eyes was to what he had said previously, that singing nasally is a form of singing...I've never heard so much rubbish."

To read the full story, go here.

And look for a possible explanation tonight.