If you saw Wednesday night's American Idol show or read the fan boards afterward, you'll know that Fantasia Barrino’s electric performance had everyone talking – everyone that is, but Idol judge Simon Cowell.

The former winner took the stage to belt out her new single “Bore Me,” and her screech-hollering, rump-shaking performance was like nothing Idol had ever seen before. But the most shocking part was when the camera tore itself briefly away from Fantasia and captured a stunned and speechless Simon Cowell caught completely off his guard by what was happening before his eyes.

Ordinarily on Idol, Simon sits at the ready with an egomaniacal smirk on his face and a bucket full o’ criticism for anyone who dares cross his stage. While Fantasia, who’d already taken her judge tongue–lashings and come out a winner, would not have been scrutinized for her guest appearance on the show, Simon’s “What the f***?!” expression still managed to speak louder than even his harshest contestant-criticisms.

Now, almost a week after cameras froze "the face" that will go down in Idol history, Simon has recovered from his stupor and regained use of his barbed vocal chords. On today’s airing of the Ellen Degeneres Show, he had a few things to say about being caught off-guard on camera – and not surprisingly, about Fantasia’s performance.

"What was so weird about it was there was no sort of introduction or ending," he explained. "It just sort of exploded in front of us, and then she ran off, And that’s why we were all like [stunned expression] ‘What was that?’”

To be fair, Simon did give Fantasia props for her talent, but chalked up his rough criticism of her performance to a mismarketing of her image. “I love Fantasia, but I had no idea what was going on that night,” he said, blaming everything from the song to her hair to her backup singers for the terri/horri-fic performance.

Just like we waffled on Fanasia's Idol spectacle, we’re not entirely sure what to make of this reaction from Simon. While still cutting up Barrino in the interview, the sour-faced Idol bad cop actually managed to come off pretty…nice.

“I think you’re a great guy, but sometimes you’re mean,” Ellen said in her size-up of Simon. And that pretty much sums it up for us.

If you missed Fantasia’s performance, check it out here, and check out the Ellen clip on PerezHilton.

What do you think? Simon Cowell – misunderstood or just an a**hole?