Now it’s just embarrassing.
Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor” returned to record-low numbers Wednesday night, snaring only 6.1 million viewers for its third-season premiere on Fox.
That’s the lowest viewership number in the show’s history and represents a nearly 30 percent dropoff from the show’s Season Two premiere (8.5 million viewers).
It also throws cold water, at least for now, on the additions of Kelly Rowland and Mexican recording star Paulina Rubio to “The X Factor” judges panel (joining Cowell and Demi Lovato).
Adding to the show’s woes was that it was down nearly 40 percent from last season’s opener in the all-important adults 18-49 demo — and it wasn’t exactly facing tough timeslot competition, with NBC’s “Million Dollar Quiz,” hosted by Ryan Seacrest, continuing to stagger (5.2 million viewers) from 8 to 9 p.m.
Last season, with Cowell and Lovato judging along with LA Reid and Britney Spears, “The X Factor” averaged around 9 million viewers — down from the 12 million viewers it averaged in its first season and far short of the 20 million viewers Cowell was shooting for when the show first launched in the fall of 2011.