X-Factor

Demi Lovato used her "X Factor" pulpit to take not one, but two shots at Justin Bieber during auditions this week ... and there was no mistaking her intentions ... she's no fan of Biebs.

It all went down Wednesday on the campus of USC when Demi took exception to the attitude one contestant was giving off. Sources on set say when it was Demi's turn to give her opinion on the 22-year-old wannabe, she said that the industry already has too many artists with bad attitudes and then commented, "We don't need another little punk running the streets."

Lovato's next shot was less subtle ... when a young man auditioned with Bieber’s own song, “As Long As You Love Me.” We're told the audience loved his performance and so did the judges, but during her critique, Demi remarked, "Well finally someone can sing the song the way it was meant to be sung.”

"The X Factor" is upping the sexy factor -- TMZ has learned Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio are signing on to be judges for next season.

Sources connected to FOX tell TMZ the pair are in final negotiations to join the show ... with only minor details left to be hammered out before they sign on.

We're told the deals will be done in the next few days, possibly as early as tomorrow.

Rowland and Rubio would be replacing Britney Spears and L.A. Reid ... and joining returning judges Demi Lovato and (of course) Simon Cowell.

Khloe Kardashian has been eliminated from "X Factor."

Fox released a statement moments ago, claiming Khloe will NOT be returning as a host for Season 3 ... but Mario Lopez will.

The network didn't give a reason for chopping Khloe, but said, "We really enjoyed working with her and wish her all the best in her future endeavors." Translation: Sayonara sucker!

We think they screwed up by making her read a teleprompter -- it was a total "deer-in-the-headlights" experience watching her struggle through the shows.

He went from Smokey Robinson to Smokey and the Bandit in less than 30 minutes -- a contestant on "X Factor" stole a car after his audition and went on a crazy chase before he was subdued.

Orrion Wilson from Florida -- of course -- was plum out of money after his audition near New Orleans. He didn't have enough for bus fare, so he went to a gas station ... lying in wait ... until a chump left his car running and went inside for cigarettes or something. Wilson took off in the car and led cops on a 75-mph chase, which ended with the rusty trusty "pit maneuver."

Wilson told authorities he did well in the audition and expected to return for round 2 in NYC, but needed some wheels to get there.

Wilson is still in custody.

Khloe Kardashian did not go the way of Paula Abdul ... and Nicole Scherzinger ... and Cheryl Cole ... and Steve Jones ... and has NOT been 86'd from "X Factor" ... this according to Kim Kardashian.

Rumors have been swirling all week long ... that "X Factor" honchos didn't feel Khloe was a good fit for the show and won't be bringing her back as a co-host next season.

But last night at LAX, Kim told us, "A lot of people say a lot of incorrect things on the daily."

When we asked what really did happen, Kim said, "Probably nothing."

Our "X Factor" sources tell us ... no decision on Khloe's fate has been decided at this point ... but exec. producer Simon Cowell is definitely thinking about staffing for next season.

Britney Spears just released a statement confirming the story TMZ first reported ... that she's leaving "X Factor" and will go back to making music ... but Spears notes it was a "very difficult decision."

"I had an incredible time doing the show and I love the other judges and I am so proud of my teens but it's time for me to get back in the studio," Spears said.

She continues, "Watching them all do their thing up on that stage every week made me miss performing so much! I can't wait to get back out there and do what I love most."

Demi Lovato is rich and famous, and can afford to live just about anywhere she wants ... but we've learned she's been living in a fairly spartan sober living facility for more than a year.

It's actually pretty awesome ... Demi does not want to fall back into the grip of addiction, where she found herself back in 2010, when she admitted she had problems with anorexia, bulimia and cutting.

After going to rehab, the 20-year-old seemed better, but ultimately felt she needed the support and guidance from counselors and other addicts who understood her situation.

Sources tell us ... shortly after her inpatient rehab, she moved into a facility in the L.A. area. It's interesting ... considering she also owns a very nice home in L.A..

We're told during the entire season of "X Factor" Demi felt it was best to come home to the facility, where she wouldn't lose her way.

As for how long she'll stay there ... it's undetermined.

In a town with a lot of stars who never figure it out, it's pretty amazing when you see someone as young as her make such good decisions.

Britney Spears will NOT be a judge on "X Factor" next season -- and it's entirely her doing ... TMZ has learned.

We have unimpeachable sources who tell us Britney loves the show but wants to focus on her music ... which she is doing right now. Britney is in the studio recording her 8th album, with some help from Will.i.am and producer Hit-Boy, the brains behind Kanye and Jay-Z's "N****s in Paris."

One of our sources tells us ... "Britney loves Simon, she likes Demi Lovato but her thing is music."

We're told after she completes the album, Britney is seriously considering going on tour again.

Walking away from $15 mil ...Yeah, she's that rich.

Demi Lovato took a page out of Britney Spears' down-home playbook, and spent Christmas day stuffing her face in an unexpected, but awesome, place -- the International House of Pancakes!

Demi hit up an IHOP in Texas with her family for dinner on Tuesday, and the 'X Factor' judge's ruling was -- AWESOME! She tweeted ... "Literally the best Christmas I've ever had."

The only person more excited than Demi about the meal -- a rep for IHOP who tells TMZ, "We are thrilled that Ms. Lovato came to IHOP for her Christmas Dinner and we look forward to her visiting us throughout the year."

Simon Cowell has TWENTY THOUSAND reasons to cry over Thursday night's "X Factor" results show -- and it's all thanks to a rich-person bet he made with L.A. Reid.

TMZ has learned ... Simon and L.A. made a wager at the beginning of the season ... and if either judge had a contestant win the whole shebang ... the losing judge would cough up $20k.

So when L.A.'s contestant Tate Stevens took home the crown ... he grew just a tiny bit richer than he already is. And since Simon's no sore loser, we're told he plans on cutting the check ASAP.

Simon Cowell -- who normally says exactly what's on his mind -- was holding back BIG TIME on the subject of LeAnn Rimes last night ... 'cause while he insisted the singer was sober, he DEFINITELY couldn't say it with a straight face.

Simon was outside Mixology at The Grove in L.A. last night, when we asked about LeAnn's bizarre duet with Carly Rose Sonenclar on "X Factor" this week ... the one that left people thinking she was hammered.

Simon told us he thought the performance was "interesting" ... and he didn't believe LeAnn was on drugs or alcohol at the time. Buuut ... the giant poop-eating grin on his face makes it hard to believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.

Still, Simon says ... LeAnn is welcome back to the show any time she wants.

Carly Rose Sonenclar's family is royally pissed off at LeAnn Rimes for -- as they put it -- trashing their daughter's "X Factor" performance Wednesday night.

Sources connected with the family tell us ... the 13-year-old girl's mother is livid that Rimes would dare say Carly Rose was "nervous and had trouble hitting the right notes" when she sang "How Do I Live."

As you know ... Carly Rose did a duet of the song with Rimes on the show. People on social media went crazy after the performance, claiming Rimes was drunk.

TMZ broke the story ... Rimes insists she was sober, but says if things were awkward, it was only because, "I was trying to help this 13-year-old girl who was having some trouble with the song." Rimes later claimed she never gave a quote, but we can tell you ... her rep specifically gave us the quote and told us we could use it.

Someone in LeAnn Rimes' camp is LYING ... because the singer is now saying she never gave a statement to TMZ about her controversial performance on "X Factor."

Here's the deal -- after reports surfaced that LeAnn may have been wasted during her performance with 13-year-old Carly Rose Sonenclar, we called Rimes' rep for comment.

The rep gave us a quote that we were told we could put on TMZ.com and attribute to LeAnn Rimes. We were told LeAnn was NOT impaired and if there was any awkwardness it was only because "I was trying to help this 13-year-old girl who was having some trouble with the song."

But moments ago, Rimes posted a message on her Twitter page saying she has NOT given the media a quote -- noting, "It's a shame that gossip and lies are overshadowing the performance of Carly."

She added, "It was an amazing opportunity to share this experience with Carly and I know I'll be watching for her to win tonight."

LeAnn Rimes tells TMZ ... she was NOT drunk when she performed on "X Factor" Wednesday night, contrary to LOTS of speculation.

LeAnn says she was in no way impaired, and any awkwardness was because "I was trying to help this 13-year-old girl who was having some trouble with the song."

LeAnn believes Carly Rose Sonenclar was very nervous and had difficulty with some of the notes and she was doing her best to help her get through it.

LeAnn's lawyer, Larry Stein, who spoke with LeAnn a few minutes ago, tells TMZ "LeAnn was not performing the way she would normally perform, because she was on stage with a young girl."

LeAnn says she does not understand why people believe she was drunk. Stein has a theory: "There have been a lot of untrue things said by others and it feeds into this sort of thing."

At one point, LeAnn clutched Carly Rose, arguably to maintain her balance.

Cheryl Cole says she signed a VERY lucrative deal to be a judge on "X Factor" back in 2011 ... and even though producers fired her ass before Season 1 ever got off the ground, she wants her money ... more than $2 MILLION ... this according to a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ.

Cole -- a British pop star -- says she signed a "Pay or Play" contract with Blue Orbit Productions that guaranteed her $1.8 million for Season 1 ... and $2 million for Season 2 ... even if she never appeared on the show.

Cole says producers also agreed to pay her a $100k wardrobe allowance for each season, $25k for a stylist, $15k-per-month for lodging in L.A. and $2,500 per month for general living expenses.

As TMZ previously reported, Cole got the chop before Season 1 aired ... because producers believed the American audience wouldn't understand her super-Britishy accent. She was replaced by Nicole Scherzinger ... who was also fired and replaced by Britney Spears.

According to the lawsuit, Cole says producers did pay her the $1.8 mil for Season 1 ... but stiffed her on the $2 mil for season 2, as well as all of the bonus money for expenses.

Cole is demanding more than $2.3 million in damages.