Despite having four more years left on her contract, the lackluster performance of Ellen DeGeneres, and producers’ clear intent to reinvent the judging panel, means the talk show host is a goner.
Ellen joins Simon Cowell at the exit door, and could very well be joined by Kara DioGuardi as exec producer Nigel Lythgoe re-joins the 19 Entertainment behemoth. (Ellen says leaving the show was her idea, and new reports that producers booked Jennifer Lopez to replace her appear to confirm her account.)
Many expect Fox to announce to new panel of judges at Monday’s Television Critics Association presentation, where we may learn Jessica Simpson (Update: Or J. Lo!) and Chris Issak are taking over, with Randy Jackson remaining. Which means no Elton John or Justin Timberlake, as the entertainment press hopedspeculated.
Remember when Ellen, before she appeared on the show, said she knew what it takes by being “in the business long enough”? Looks like she’ll have to make do with Grayson Chance.
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christopher di spirito
Ellen was awful on Idol.
Bring back Paula Adbul. Paula brought the crazy and she was above fucking a contestant providing he was young, hung and full of cum.
In any event, this next season will likely be Idol’s last. The series has ran its course.
DillonS
The show has indeed runs its course.
As for Ellen, I love her. But not as a judge on the show.
Devon
Good, she should really just stick to her own show. She made a horrible judge.
Hopefully they dump Randy’s useless ass too and just bring in new judges.
DR
She wasn’t any good on the show. She doesn’t have what it takes to critique week after week and help the contestants develop. She’s a wonderful talk show host and generally pretty funny, and that’s what she needs to stick to.
menlo
Love Ellen and wish her the best, but really, one show at a time is enough. She seemed tired and out of her element on Idol. That said, I don’t really think they can save the show no matter what hosts they bring in. Once the “magic” is gone, it’s almost impossible to recreate it.
tylertime
LAST COMIC STANDING is a better fir for her. Never understood why she was on IDOL.
Enron
This show is definitely going down the toilet. I think the last decent Idol was Jordin Sparks. Everything after that has been forgettable. Have you heard any of the winners since 2008 on mainstream radio? Jessica Simpson would probably make a good replacement, especially with her goofiness. I just don’t know how Chris Isaak is really gonna fill Simon’s shoes, especially in the attitude department, Elton John certainly would do an amazing job. You need a British male on the show to tell it like it is. You need a sympathizer, I think Jessica can do that, you need someone in between, that’s Randy.
Randy doesn’t seem to have any alternative options thats why he is holding on and milking it for all its got left.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Already talk of Nigel jetting Ellen because she is Gay……Get mixed vibes from Nigel ’bout the Gays. Some of his comments on SYTYCD were pretty hard on (no pun intended) the two Gay dancers 2 seasons ago……But is clearly backing Billy Bell who is showing just how much middle America hates the Gays by being dumped in the bottom each and every week despite every judge stating he is clearly one of the best dancers ever on the show. I definatley agree how talented he is and it sucks that he is clearly getting dumped because he is Gay……Imagine that, people having problems with a dancer who happens to be Gay……..
And I definatley agree…….Ellen was out of her element, but they could have done much worse…….Rumors abound that they are jetting everyone even Randy………
But Jessica Simpson??? Please no……… Agree with Christopher Di spirito, bring back the crazy with Paula and then get another cranky Brit. No one will know the difference……………..
David
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS:
“get another cranky Brit”
How about Anne Robinson from “Weakest Link?”
She’s cranky for sure…. and I loved her bitchy condescending quotes.
ForeverGay
Unfortunately, I had a feeling this would happen. The people at American Idol were hostile toward her from the start because she is gay and they were uncomfortable about it. The same thing happened with Rosie O’Donnell on “The View”, Jeff Ranieri on “Morning Joe” and I suspect will happen with Sarah Gilbert on “The Talk.”
REVEMUPMAN
Who watches American Idol anymore anyway?
Jeffree
The show has run its course. Ellen, as much as I love her, didn’t add much. As TylerTime said she would be better on Last Comic Standing, or she & Ms Wanda Sykes could create their own show showcasing comics.
@PlaysWell: Nigel is a homophobe, Bruno is well, one of us. Billy Bell is a great dancer.
@David: Anne Robinson would be a hoot. Great idea! Her humor didn’t play well with American audiences, but I thought she was “spot on”.
Bring back Paula!
Ash
@David: I LOVE your idea! She was fantastic on The Weakest Link and she would certainly be the best replacement for Simon. Somebody tell the producers at American Idol!!!
Even though they won’t listen and instead they will go hire another big name or a wannabe Simon Cowell. I think the show is very much done without Paula and Cowell.
bluenosedive
I am the biggest Ellen fan out there. I love her show, watched almost every episode. She is one of the funniest women ever! But a judge? I tried watching her the first time she was one, but could only take 5 minutes. She seemed out of her zone. She’s too nice to be criticizing people. I’m just glad she ended it before it really hurt her image.
Now she can go back to being the Ellen we all love ^_^
Lee
Ellen was the best part of the show. She is what made me laugh.
Kyle
I’m so glad Ellen got off this sinking ship. Not because she wasn’t great, because Ellen has a sense of comfort and ease with EVERYTHING she does but because, as many others expressed, American Idol is done…over. Everything amazing has it’s time and then it needs to be done with, otherwise, it just drags and right now, American Idol is dragging, picking HORRIBLE winners and the only people watching I imagine are bumkin “country” folks who vote for the most plain right wing looking contestant with next to nothing talent.
WalkderDC
Here’s an idea, while their at it, get rid of Kara and Randy, and start from scratch. The show is done if people have to listen to one more year of Randy going “Yo Dog…it was aiiight” and Kara telling somebody “You need to feel the moment, and you did, and the singing is less important than having the song come from your heart”
Ugh, dump all of them.
No shock though that Nigel would dump Ellen, he’s come off fairly homophobic on So You Think You Can Dance.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Latest rumor: Jennifer Lopez………
Ash
@WalkderDC: Well, there are rumors that Kara is being replaced with Steven Tyler. Who knows if it’s true, but I can definitely see them scrapping them all…and I agree with you, that it’s probably for the best.
THERE ARE MORE JUST LIKE ME
I have an idea. Get rid of all of the judges, pick any ten contestants randomly, let each of them pick a chain, bat, or knife, and whoever is still breathing by the end of the last commercial break is the new American Idol! That’s pretty much the way I can see how to generate any interest in this ghastly show. It’s nothing more than a commercial for Coca-Cola and Ford and even the dimmest bulbs out there have figured that out. I mean seriously, can you name this year’s winner? Yeah, me neither. Pull the plug already!
DR
Latest rumor: Randy, Steve Tyler, and JLo.
Bitter Old Queen
While on the subject of judges DO NOT call that 800 number advertised on the Judge Piro show. It is a lure to get your home or cell phone numbers for telemarketers to pester the shit out of you.
That bitch is a fraud (Piro).
Ellen, don’t worry honey. I thought you were wrong from the start because you are not a phony. J-Lo will fit in perfectly. Remember her? The one who divorced her husband blaming him for her failed TV special? And they expect her to judge fairly younger women (who will make her wilt with their talent)?
I tell you. I hope this is the last season for that silly ass show. But then as long as there are young queens to fuel shit like that I have a long wait.
axos
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: I have mixed feelings about Nigel altogether – I always believed he was gay, I was surprised when I found out he’s married.
He’s very uneasy about gay participants at SYTYCD, he looks so embarrassed. About the two gay dancers, I think what they did wrong was performing identically dressed, that did look odd, like they were twins instead of counterparts. They should have adopted two distinctly different personas, like a hiphoper and Fred Astaire, or good versus evil – something. I don’t know it it would have put Nigel at ease, but it would have made much more sense artistically.
As for Ellen I think she’s just too nice to like to judge people.
Bubba
Ellen sucked, like the whole show.