'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell has denied being disrespectful to the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre.
The music mogul has defended himself after he was caught on camera rolling his eyes and raising his eyebrows when one of the 'American Idol' contestants paid tribute to the victims.
Chris Richardson, who hails from Virginia, said after his performance on the show: "My hearts and prayers go out to Virginia Tech. I have a lot of friends over there... be strong."
Cowell later said that he didn't even hear the dedication and was making the gestures while referring to the singer's performance.
Cowell said: "I may not be the nicest person in the world, but I would never, ever, ever disrespect those families or those victims. And I felt it was important to set the record straight."
Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said: "This is a sad time for everyone, so it is especially disheartening that a quick camera cutaway could have been misinterpreted."
