[ElProximo]

Simon may be going through some kind of love/paternal instinct phase lately because he not only got softer but now he seems to fawn (is that the word?) over young ladies and to the point it's blinding him.
Then again, the other more likely explanation is that he had cash money blinders and could only see a money-machine pop teen (tween) recording star.

Anyways, the good news is that he seems to have realized he is risking his own career as the trusty (if unlovable) harsh reality-check tell-it-like-it-is critic.