Nicki Minaj has been without a doubt the most divisive judge to date in American Idol’s 12 year history. (With the possible exception of Simon Cowell)
In an interview this week, Nicki said “I know everybody’s just going to hate me.”
I don’t know about “hate”, but Nicki’s outspoken manner and often seemingly inappropriate remarks has definitely triggered vigorous debate and strong opinions, for and against, from American Idol viewers.
“I didn’t realize that maybe I am a bit strange”, she said, referring to her on-air proposal to Top 8 contestant, Kree Harrison. “I’m just surprised at the way people react to things that I see as very normal”.
A classic Nicki comment occurred Wednesday night when the 3 remaining guys in the Top 8, Burnell, Devin and Lazaro sang “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch”. After their group performance, fraught with the sort of problems last seen during the group round of Hollywood Week, she shouted out that she was going to “pretend she didn’t see or hear that” and told them all to “Get off the stage!”
In response to Angie’s performance of “Shop Around” Nicki said rather harshly, “don’t try to give us another side, we didn’t ask for another side!”
When a camera cut away to Smokey Robinson, who was observing from the audience, his expression left little doubt that even he had been taken aback by Nicki’s cutting remark.
Nicki’s habit of bestowing Nicknames on all of the contestants has become one of her most talked about flamboyant traits. On Wednesday we heard Kree Harrison re-dubbed “Kreedom”. Lazaro garnered two tonite with the familiar “Ricky Ricardo” and a newer one, “Fonzie”. Janelle was “Little Marshmallow” and lastly, Burnell became “Sexy Doctor”. Oh yeah, she also asked mentor, Smokey Robinson, if he would be her “Sugar Daddy”.
Seeming to confirm what most fans already suspect, when Nicki was asked in the interview if there was any chance one of the 3 remaining guys could win American Idol Season 12, her response was “No, absolutely not”. Okay then. I guess we have our answer to that lingering question.
While Nicki has been criticized for her language, her hair, and her tardiness, it hasn’t diminished her complete confidence in herself and her comments on the American Idol judges’ panel. When asked what her worst idol moment has been Nicki responded, “I don’t have a worst idol moment. I’ve been spectacular”.
Sources: TVGuide.com, American Idol Fox Network
Nicki’s harshness is not random. Her strong remarks are always trigerred by something wrong. As they say, truth hurts… Just my opinion.
I agree with you very much Josh
You can be harsh but Nicki is in a league all by herself. There should be some guidlelines when Nicki is giving her opinion. Look at Randy when he doesnt like it he just wasnt feeling it tonight dog, or it wasnt your best. Maybe Nicki should point out their good performances and soften her tone just a bit.. I know they have to be harsh but nicki is too much..
But why should she be nice and soften her comments? Why do we assume that these contestants are ‘entitled’ to kid gloves of some sort? Nobody is going to be nice to them once the competition ends and they’re in the music industry – which is one of the most cutthroat and ruthless.
I absolutely agree. Look I’m a professional singer & actress & it’s brutal out there, but I love it. I had to develop a thick skin & learn what to take away from criticism-whether tackful or not. If you can’t handle it, get out of this business. You have to be a strong person or ppl are gonna eat you alive. These kids are getting 1 ways tickets to a career. They are getting to do in months what most ppl in the biz take years to do. They need to develop a thick skin. She is a silly person (& I do agree on the sexual comments not being appropriate), but cut through the silly & she actually has good critiques. She’s honest just like Simon was. She has to be the new Simon cuz most of the time Randy doesn’t say much, Mariah talks in circles (She starts off saying good stuff but rambles & doesn’t know how to end) & Keith is smart but too nice sometimes.
You are stupid… idiot
She is often right, but rarely well spoken.
if she is one next season, I for one will not watch American Idol. I have watched AL for the past 12 seasons, have always been a really big fan but no more. Nicki is rude and uninformed. I can’t stand her.
I Can Hardly Take Her, She Is Rude
Well she dont have many fans and she’s lost the few she had, you cant make a carrerr with everybody hating her,.
yep
Yes.. She only has 16 million followers on twitter…
I actually LIKE Nicki, when I didn’t before she was on Idol this year. I think she is the only judge that is 100% honest with the contestants, and doesn’t sugar-coat things. She has never said anything nearly as harsh as Simon, so I don’t get why everyone says she is rude. I don’t like her comments about the contestants’ looks and sexiness, because I don’t think that should really factor into whether they are a good SINGER. But I really enjoy her antics and think Idol would be a complete snooze-fest this year without her. The remarks she made to the boys last night were merited, and she was being quite generous to tell them to “get off the stage”. I took it as her saying that they are good singers, so she didn’t even want to critique that mess, because they KNEW they messed up, especially Lazaro.
Maybe she was more disgusted that Burnell threw Lazaro under the bus and Devin started to back it up and run him over again. To her credit, Nicki signaled to him to stop, but probably too late to salvage the moment.
I wont be suprised if Burnell or Devin go home tonight. I know it’s a competition but if you are singing in a group, if a person forgets thier line.. you should try and help to make sure the performance wasnt a total flop. I do agree with Nicki when she said she felt like she was back at hollywood week and they turned on each other. Now if it’s your solo performance , then all bets are off and you risk a chance of going home.. just my opinion
My husband loves this show, but says he will not watch next year if Nicki is a judge.
Yes, Definitely. Burnell and Devin should have helped him out for the sake of the performance. Kree and Janelle were a perfect example. The big difference being Janelle had the sense to pick up the lyric and was obviously totally in sync with Kree because it was hardly noticeable. And thats the difference between someone who can sing a little and someone who is the total package.
Completely disagree. She is rude. and makes very inappropriate comments for this show. Snooze fest NOT. The singers are really good this year, especially the girls. I watch it for the singers not for the performance of the judges. It’s not about the judges. Why is Nicki the only one who didn’t stand for Devin tonight? All the judges except her and the audience was standing and yelling save. The poles were voting save. What is her problem?
Crap season Niki needs to go zero class!
I agree
what is there to love????????
Nicki has no respect for American Idol,her fellow judges or the contestants.Nicki is there for Nicki and that’s it. There is a big difference in giving constructive,honest criticism and just being a bully to gain attention. This has been a big issue with me and American Idol over the last few years,Judges bullying the contestants just to gain votes for there favorites,This ritual has trained the viewers on the art of being a bully. Hating on people seems to have become Americas favorite pastime and this is the very reason why many viewers are tuning into The Voice and tuning AI out
Nicki shouldn’t be compared to Simon Cowell who was genuinely honest and sometimes blunt and crass however, he always made a point and had a good ear. Nicki is just cruel, obnoxious, arrogant, and has no class at all. She has away of taking the focus of the contestants and putting it on her. It is all about her and that is just wrong!
I totally agree at least Simon was likeable, I wish they would vote her off!!!!!!!
I think that Devin should have been saved tonight. I thought he did a great job with the song he sang. My opinion is that Nicki Minaj is the one who blew it for him. All the judges stood up for him when he finished singing but her. The crowd was screaming save. The pole at the bottom of the screen said that he should have been saved. Nicki i believe was the reason. So upset about this. He is much better than a few of the ones who were put thru. This is so messed up.
OMG niki is something, she gets on my nerves. She needs to be voted off the show. She is not very intelligent and people laugh at her and look at her, like she is a joke, and very narcissistic, which means she is all about herself.
I don’t think Nicki is the nicest person when it comes to her choice of words, but honestly? There hasn’t been very many opinions of hers that I’ve disagreed with. More often than not, I hear her saying things I’m thinking and would never have the courage to say. It’s the main reason I hate to love her, because her opinions are nice. Besides, why should the judges be nice to the contestants anyway? I love Mariah Carey and her music, but her constant niceness and putting a positive spin even on the worst of performances is just…annoying.
Nicki is worse then Simon, at least he was likeable, She is horrible, Who was the one who put her in the show, She should be voted off!!!!!!
I don’t hate Nicki, simply because she tells it like it is, and leaves all the Mariah Carey “bullshit” to Mariah. They should bring Jimmy in as a judge and eliminate Randy or Mariah. Randy has been there too long and I am soooo tired of the “yo dude”, “this one is in it to win it” and let’s not forget “it was pitchy dude” Bring in some new talent please and leave the divas at home!!!
BTW, if Randy, Mariah are there on the next season, I will not be watching anymore. I think The Voice, X Factor will be on my “watch list”
She is very rude, as are her mannerisms. It was very mean of her not to stand when the other 3 judges stood after the last guy was eliminated. I thought that showed such lack of respect for him.
Who selected Nicki to be a judge ? Because of her the quality of the show went down , she is horrible, abrupt, stupid and wild looking , not a presence for the stage any how. I have sympathy for the other judges who have to put up with her. Hope this is the first and the last season for her .
The only feeling of dislike I had for Nicki was when she and Mariah had that blowup during the auditions (I think). I didn’t see what happened and should not have based my thoughts on something I did not see. I don’t hate Nicki. There needs to be a judge who will give comments other than sugar-coated nothings. She could lose the nicknames and comments about costumes, but she often says what the others won’t say. Hate is a very strong word. I won’t use it about Nicki. She is just being who she is, and I think Idol knew who she was when they hired her.