This morning FOX held a press conference to discuss the upcoming 2013-2014 season which included Season 13 of American Idol. It was widely expected that we’d have confirmed the news that all four Idol judges on the current panel were given the boot. Executives were not ready to make that news official.
Instead we’ve learned, thanks to MJs, that FOX is looking at returning to the format of just three American Idol 2014 judges instead of four faces on the panel.
FOX chairman Kevin Reilly answered “likely” when asked about the return to three judges instead of four. Considering the millions FOX has paid out to each judge (Mariah earned $18 million while Nicki pulled in $12 million) there would be significant savings in that move alone.
We’d welcome this change as the fewer talking heads in the early was a preferred style over what happened with Kara was added way back when.
There was no discussion if Ryan Seacrest is leaving American Idol, but considering his two-year contract renewal runs through the 2014 season there was little need for this topic to be raised.
What do you think of the potential for a return to three American Idol judges for 2014? Will you miss the larger panel?
I still believe they should keep Keith.
It’s more important to me that they keep Idol and carefully choose the judges. Evidently, they have not decided about keeping Keith or Nicki, but Randy and Mariah are gone according to the information out there. A three-judge panel would be fine with me. I don’t care if they use the old Olympic system of putting down numbers on cards and skipping the critique. We’d still know what they thought of the performance without all the arguing, put downs, and over- or under-praise.
giselle, I totally agree. All new carefully picked judges will be an improvement. I liked Keith Urban but they can get rid of Nicki. I really believe that a lot of people turned off because of her. What a shame!!! Oh well at least we are going to have another season of Idol.
When you think about it…Idol contestants, won or lost, have made a mark on the music business/and or acting. I love The Voice and the other shows but I never hear about the winners or losers much after the show has ended. JMHO
Totally agree, Phyllis. By the next season, I can’t remember most of the contestants on the other shows from the previous season, or who won. The names of most of the Idol contestants stay with me. Idol has to be doing something right!
Please DO NOT bring Nikki back.
Who? Keith?!
keep keith and get two more new ones or bring back steven tyler he was great. get rid of nicky she was the troulbe maker on it
Well I think Idol needs to be taken off the air Why because I like the voice it’s much better then Idol. Idol has gone down hill since Paula and Simon left it’s just not as good. I no longer watch it. I say do away with Idol all together. The Voice Is got better ratings then Idol has face it Idol is a has been.
The Voice is boring and extremely noisy show. But that’s just my opinion. I hate looking at the Voice.
It’s not that boring, but it is too noisy. They put too much emphasis on performance, so that the singing part sometimes turns into screaming contests.
Keith, Harry Connick Jr. and Kara Dioguardi.
I liked the suggestion of a producer and executive to join Keith. It would be more balanced feedback. Harry Connick would be a breath of fresh air, though!
es una lastima que Mariah carey y keith se vayan me parecen muy profesionales en sus comentarios y eso ayuda mucho a los muchachos.
Will absolutely not miss the four panel judging! Going back to three judges, (hopefully two guys and a girl) as it worked well in the past. The most important thing too, is to make sure the judges are widely admired by all age groups and it sure doesn’t hurt if at least one of the guy judges is good looking and the girl is classy but beautiful and accomplished. I’ve always felt Michael Buble fits the bill, great personality, classy, and comedic. all in one package. IMO
Michael Buble is an awesome suggestion!
This is potentially better than the shrink-wannabe Connick Jr. One night of his mentoring was enough to screw up three idol contestants, i.e. Kree, Angie and Amber.
He kind of did, didnt he?
You so right about that Connick Jr. is a screw up.
I don’t really agree. If it screwed them up, it was because what he said ran counter to the screwy advice they had received up to that point by the judges.
Yes!!!! great idea
3 judges would go a long way to solving their problems!
Keep @IdolKU !
YES to 3 judges. Replace them all with new blood. preferable with expert music knowledge and experience too.
I say Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and some sort of rock singer/musician like Jon Bon Jovi, Bono, Gene Simmons etc.
Bono as long as the a hole don’t wear them BOZO glasses
The three judge panel was always better and I will not miss a four judge panel. I think Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Buble and maybe Cher or some one that is well known, with a good personality, who can sing, would be great for the show. No more fighting and no prima donnas! I still feel that Keith Urban was a really good judge and that Mariah would also have been a good judge if Nicki M. was not trying to sabotage Mariah whenever she had the chance, which was almost all the time! Also, Changes need to be made next season. Instead of judges, there should be mentors, Like on The Voice. There are no fights and everyone gets along on that show. I watch The Voice on Monday and Tuesday nights and then on Wednesday and Thursday nights I watch American Idol and there is a big difference in both shows. A lot of changes are needed on AI. I have been watching AI since Kelly Clarkson won so I know that both shows are different, but this show will thrive if the right changes are made.
keep Randy Jackson, add Keith rban? Or some other singer and some one from the music industry IE: producer…
Niki was always really she has been my favorite Judge on Idol period!!!!! I have really grown to like here very much!!!!!! Stay Niki Stay! I would love to see Alicia Keys as a judge and Harry Connick Jr
Kree would be perfect, she rocks!
Keith Urban. He was great. So nice. And he made good comments about their vibrato and other things. If he is able to come back year he is a very good Judge. And certainly not too hard on the eyes. He also was very calm through a lot of the hysteria going on around him. I read somewhere that Ryan Seacrest has already signed through 2014.
Keith Urban, Robin Thicke, Cheryl Crowe and Gladys KNight would be excellent choices in my opinion.
Keith yes, i like him, Nicky hope never to see her again.
Keith Urban should stay as he was calm through all the chaos and gave the contestants great feedback. Kelly Clarkson would be a great judge as she has gone through the process and gave good feedback when she was a mentor. Michael Buble would also be a good judge. Just my opinion. 😀
Keith was the best judge. Normal, handsome and fun. He was real and intelligent. PLEASE PLEASE go back to 3 judges!! 4 is way too many opinions to listen to. I had to fast forward through Maria because she was so slow to get her point out.
glad Nikki is gone oh my god her voice drove me nuts i muted her when she spoke
I think they should keep nicki minaj shes pretty much why I watched American idol last year they should get rid of Mariah keith and randy they should get like Bruno mars and taylor swift or somebody good
taylor swift BARF BARF BARF BARF BARF she does not need to be on there no dogs in the building
I like to have more fun and craziness on American Idol! The judge should be wacko type personalities – give the show some spark and wildness to their reality judging.
No more high paid former has beens!
Clay Aiken would be a perfect choice for one of the judges….he is classy, smart & funny…..NOT an in-your-face guy….
I quit watching because of Nikki. She just made it so annoying to watch, and she was so disrespectful to Mariah. Totally uncalled for and unprofessional.
Keith was okay, and I’d like to see him return. He was caught in the middle of the divas too much. I think a whole new approach toward judging should take place. They should have a tally sheet with pre-selected items so that they address things more objectively and constructively. The emphasis is too much on themselves and on things other than singing–this is a singing competition, as Simon used to say (though he got off track often himself). I don’t like how the judges pick some to chide and some to praise; give a fair assessment–good and bad–for everyone, but do it in a way that still uplifts the individual. These are young people whose lives are ahead of them.
Keep Keith, use Jimmy as a producer/judge, add a music exec as a judge, and have a rotating mentor/judge panel such as Harry Connick, Michael Buble, Jennifer Hudson, and Kelly Clarkson. By having a rotating panel, it would likely prevent people judging on presuppositions; they need someone who has not seen them so closely every week in order to remain objective.
Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, and Neil Patrick Harris would be my choices. If there is a 4th seat, I would add Steven Tyler, Harry Connick, Cher, or Pink.
Jb Selena and Daughtry would be the best lineup