SIMON COWELL DEFENDS 'SPICE GIRLS'

Everyone loves to hate Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell had a furious row with Louis Walsh after the Irish music mogul branded the Spice Girls "ugly" and "overrated".'X Factor' judge Simon is desperate for the reformed band to appear on the hit British talent show, but fears the girls will refuse after fellow judge Louis' recent comments.Simon is now begging the group - Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Mel C, Geri Halliwell and Mel B - to forgive Louis. A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Simon was furious with Louis for slaughtering the Spice Girls. He really wants them to do a masterclass on one of the live shows and now fears Louis has blown it. He gave him a b******ing and told him to keep his mouth shut."The girls haven't said yes or no yet. Simon is going to have to do a lot more grovelling to make it happen."In a recent interview, Louis ruthlessly claimed the group are "well past their sell-by date".Louis, who formerly managed British band Girls Aloud, raged: "The Spice Girls are very lucky and very overrated. They're only reuniting because they have nothing else to do. One's just the wife of a soccer star and the others are not on the radar. They're well past their sell-by date."None of them can sing and their music is not half as good as Girls Aloud's. Girls Aloud are also better looking."The Spice Girls appealed to little girls. It wasn't good music. Those girls are just not talented - one-trick ponies."