Marilyn Manson Will Mentor Talent Show Contestants On Austria’s “The X Factor”

Just when you think you’ve seen everything, Marilyn Manson goes and turns himself into a mascara and liner-clad incarnation of Simon Cowell.

Live from The WTF Files comes the announcement that the controversial goth-rocker — whose murderous lyrics and stage antics terrorized clean-cut Americans (and everyone else with full use of their hearing) for much of the mid-’90s — is set to mentor singing wannabees on Austria’s version of the UK talent show The X Factor.

Today, the shock rocker’s more famous for his stormy romances with actress Evan Rachel Wood and ex-wife Dita Von Teese than the songs that once made him one of the most loathed men in music — but apparently Manson’s still quite the star in the small European country.

Who knew?

The “Beautiful People” singer will be appearing as a guest tutor on the program Helden Von Morgen (Translation: Tomorrow’s Heroes), which follows the same format as wildly popular X Factor, later this month.

Manson follows in the footsteps of Kim Wilde and Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & The Gang, who have also coached contestants on the talent show.