Simon Cowell doesn’t understand the fascination with the latest social networking sensation sweeping the web.

The American Idol judge says he’s baffled by the sudden popularity of Twitter.com.

“It’s like phoning someone randomly, who’s number you don’t have, and talking to them. ‘Hi, it’s Simon, I went out with my family this weekend’,” he said.

After being read a Twitter message from Idol host Ryan Seacrest, which said “spent weekend with my fam,” he replied: “What’s sad is that he’s having to use the Twitter language like he’s 17. ‘My fam’ – how difficult is it to add on an ‘ily’?”