The Demi Lovato X factor was there for all to see as the feisty young star came out the better of a verbal ding dong with her boss Simon Cowell on Conan O'Brien's chat show. The Sun reports that the duo were there to promote the new series of X Factor, which has just kicked off out in the States, and Lovato brought exactly the same outspoken energy that she's been displaying so far on the program to the chat show couch.

Joking to O'Brien, Lovato quipped "We're trying to reach a younger demographic, and I don't feel we're going to accomplish that when he's showing more cleavage than Britney [Spears] and I are." Cowell, who has recently seen revelations come out in public that suggested he'd told UK X Factor bosses to re-hire Dannii Minogue "for her t*ts", suggested that Lovato and third judge Britney Spears could show more cleavage. However, he was fought down by the 20 year-old who also joked that normally Simon "could braid his chest hair".

Lovato also called Cowell an "a**hole" during the broadcast and, feeling picked on, the beleaguered music mogul turned to O'Brien and pleaded: "Tell her to stop picking on me, please." There was no one on his side in front of the cameras though, with the talk show host replying sarcastically: "Don't pick on him! He's a kind man who's NEVER insulted anyone!" Poor Simon.