Whoa, this is big news, but not surprising at all. Ellen DeGeneres will not be returning to the Judges’ Panel for American Idol 2011! Ellen released a statement saying she had decided to not return, or was FOX just nice enough to let her say that?
“A couple months ago, I let Fox and the `American Idol’ producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” DeGeneres said in a statement. The comedian-talk show host said she realized that while she “loved discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings.”
Ellen will not fulfill her two-year contract. Also worth noting is that FOX has yet to announce if they’ll even renew Kara’s contract.
So there are now two empty spots at the table and I’m hoping only one of those seats will be filled. Three judges was plenty, but that third new judge will have to be a powerhouse to bring up Kara and Randy. Who do you want it to be?
Update: J. Lo is one of the rumored replacements who is very, very close to signing a contract to become one of the new judges! I’m not sure how I feel about that just yet. She’s got the background, but do we really need a diva in the role?
Source: AP