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\"PHOTO:
Rich Fury/Getty Images
PHOTO: Kelly Clarkson speaks onstage during a ceremony honoring Simon Cowell with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Aug. 22, 2018, in Hollywood, Calif.
>

She also praised Simon for what she believes is his true talent: \"Finding authentic people that have a raw talent and are really themselves and that's all that they really know how to be.\"

As for Simon's legendary \"meanness,\" Clarkson said she truly appreciated it.

\"The best friend you could ever have is someone being honest with you, even if they don't agree,\" she told the crowd. \"Now, granted, I was one of the ones you were never mean to -- I'm still waiting!\"

Other stars Cowell helped launch through competition shows were also on hand, including Adam Lambert, Katharine McPhee, One Direction's Louis Tomlinson, Leona Lewis, Fifth Harmony's Ally Brooke, Grace VanderWaal and Cowell's fellow judges from \"America's Got Talent.\"

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