Ellen DeGeneres to join American Idol judge panel

The daytime Emmy-winning talk show host will be filling in the seat vacated last month by Paula Abdul. Abdul announced her decision to leave Idol after eight years following unsuccessful contract negotiations.

DeGeneres will join judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi once the audition rounds are over.

The 51-year-old DeGeneres made the announcement during a taping of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” last Wednesday, eliciting a standing ovation from the audience.
“Hopefully I’m the people’s point of view, because I’m just like you,” DeGeneres told the audience.

“I sit at home and I watch it … I’m looking at it as a person who’s going to buy the music, who’s going to relate to that person.”

There have been some mixed feelings among fans and the media since DeGeneres was declared the new judge. Her predecessor Abdul wishes her the best of luck, and show creator Simon Fuller, along with judges Jackson and DioGuardi, are excited for her position in the fourth seat, according to “E! News.”

Erin Stahl ’11, a fan of American Idol, still plans on watching the show, hoping that DeGeneres will add a fresh, new perspective to Idol.

“I’m all for having Ellen as the new American Idol judge. It’s hard to compare her to Paula since they are such different people, but I think that Ellen has the potential to add some comic relief to the show,” Stahl said.

Stephanie Clapp ’10, a self-professed huge fan of DeGeneres, agrees with Stahl. When she heard that Abdul was leaving the show, she was skeptical about continuing to watch it.

“I was so excited to hear that Paula’s replacement would be Ellen, because I think Ellen will bring a lot of comic relief to the show in ways that Paula did, even though it was unintentional!” Clapp said.

However, like many Idol fans, Clapp questions DeGeneres’s accuracy of a judge since she does not have any formal music experience.

An Idol insider told E!, “It’s going to be a little strange having someone with zero music industry/vocal expertise giving advice to contestants.”

Fox is aware of its dangerous decision to replace Abdul, a former ’90s pop star with a non-singing, albeit sometimes dancing, comedian. But the funny and likable DeGeneres has a huge following and brings entertainment with her wherever she goes, so Fox isn’t too worried for Idol’s next season.

DeGeneres is not new to hosting gigs; she has hosted the Oscars, the Emmys, and was a guest judge on “So You Think You Can Dance?” last season.

The ninth season of American Idol premieres Jan. 2010 on Fox. The auditions will feature appearances by guest judges Victoria Beckham, Kristin Chenoweth, Mary J. Blige, Katy Perry, Neil Patrick Harris, Joe Jonas, Shania Twain and Avril Lavigne, according to the show’s official Web site.