I’ve always found Sir Simon Cowell’s comments to be harsh, but most of the time they sting, ahem, ring true. This time, however, I think the brutish Brit’s gone a tad too far. It was five years ago, actually, that Simon spoke the words that would change a young woman’s life — and body — forever.

During an audition for the “U.K’s largest talent search,” according to its Web site, known as X Factor, Cowell told then 18-year-old Katrina Lee, “I just wish I could put your voice in another body.”

Apparently the young girl just wasn’t pretty enough for Mr. Cowell’s tastes. Blonde, green eyes, a well proportioned face and body… What’s so wrong with that? I mean, the girl was certainly no Susan Boyle, and no offense to Ms. Boyle, I’m just saying. (What was the worst Simon said to Boyle, again?)

Lee was so upset by Cowell’s comment that she took action. And I’m not talking putting on a little more rouge here, a couple strokes of eyeliner there or eating a few less candy bars, serious. I’m talking about endangering her own life serious.

Simon said, and Ms. Katrina Lee did, exactly what he asked. She and changed her entire body.

As reported by Mail Online, in addition to the bout of anorexia she suffered from immediately after the audition took place because she was so emotionally distraught over Cowell’s crushing words, the now 23-year-old Lee had laser surgery on her face, liposuction, dental work and hired a personal trainer to lose weight so she could again try out for the show this year. She also went from bleach blonde to bright red.

This time ’round, Cowell told Lee she was a “good-looking girl.” (I personally think she looked better before.)

All that cutting, shaping an shifting to get rewarded with a comment like that? Not worth it to me. I wanted to see flowers and a sincere apology, though Mail Online did report that Cowell seemed “surprised” at the affect he had on the young girl.

Oh boo-hoo.

I guess that’s really all we can expect out of Britain’s premiere crass comment slinger.

In case it hasn’t hit you like a bulldozer by now, the point I’m trying to make here is how sad it is the magnitude of power the media, essentially, have on our lives. A single comment from the oh-so-perfect Mr. Simon Cowell meant dangerous and drastic surgery for one young woman, a desperate attempt at looking “better” in his eyes.

It just appears to me that we’re so absorbed with this one commonly accepted realm of beauty that we’re stuck on it and we have to constantly push ourselves in that direction, especially women. It’s disgusting, revolting and overall disappointing in my very grounded opinion. Not to mention, who cares about Simon Cowell’s perspective on beauty? Has anyone taken a look at the women he’s dated? C’mon. Honestly!

To me, this story is plain embarrassing to me. Our country, their country, whatever people or peoples feel this way should be ashamed. No person should have to change their face to fit someone else’s perception of beauty. And certainly not Simon Cowell’s.