In the 2000s, Simon Cowell became known for barking out insults to reality singing contenders on American Idol. But way back in the 1980s, he was known for a different sort of barking altogether.

Think that the show’s toughest judge will still have room for rebuke after this video goes viral? You can’t see his face, but from his voice you can tell that this ill-suited grown man is actually polished Simon Cowell, delivering an utterly horrific performance as Wonderdog in 1982 on a show called Top of the Pops.