Image Credit: Sylvain Gaboury/PR Photos; A. Gilbert/PR Photos; Janet Mayer/PR Photos; Sylvain Gaboury/PR Photos; Janet Mayer/PR PhotosNo news is good news, as the old adage goes. And therefore it must be good news in the world of American Idol. Indeed, Fox chairman Peter Rice offered little in the way of breaking information about who’ll be sitting at the judging panel when the network’s ratings juggernaut begins season 10 callback auditions in September (which will air, of course, in January 2011). “No one has signed a deal on either side of the camera who wasn’t on the show last year,” said Rice. (Read my colleague Lynette Rice’s full report here.) While that statement could very well be interpreted as “we’re 99 percent done with judges’ contracts, but we’re gonna drag this news out for another week or two of free publicity,” I like to think of the glass as half in need of a scientific poll! Since I’ve already yammered on in the past week about J.Lo, Elton, Mr. Connick, and the woman who did terrible things to “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” I’m gonna put a lid on it for now and simply ask for your votes. Please use the PopWatch poll liberally, yet thoughtfully. Thank you. [Realted: For all my Idol-related news and commentary, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak.]
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Please, not J-Low. Anyone but her. Also, not Jessica Simpson. They are BOTH has-beens.
In some aspects she would be perfect…in the game for a respectable length from a completely “how to play the game” perspective. It’s ot just about the voice but the package,and how it’s packaged. She could offer a lot of relevant insight I think.
Steven Tyler would rock the show!!! He is amazing!!!
I agree. He rocks. Aerosmith forever.
I can’t believe Tyler would go on this stupid show! I’m in shock. He is way too great for this show.
That’s what I was thinking. wtf is Tyler doing? He’s a cool rock star with true talent. This show is too fake and lousy.
J-Lo and Jessica are has beens, huh? And what, prey tell, do you think the state of Paula Abdul’s career was when idol debuted? When you think of it that way, J-Lo is perfect.
JLo was a GREAT mentor a few seasons ago. I have no doubt she would be an excellent judge as well. She had good, solid, real-world advice, not just boring phrases written for her.
AGREED. She actually took the time to help those kids fix what was off with their respective performances.
She was a much better mentor than I expected, but mentoring is very different from judging. I don’t know if should could be any different from Ellen who really couldn’t give negative feedback.
Plus, she’s Jenny from the block. She knows what it’s like to come from nothing to be successful.
J-Lo will be awesome as a judge, shes no Ellen shes not a nicey nice person, she will have no problem telling someone that they are not good, just as much as she woulddnt have a problem telling someone they are amazing! This is a woman that came from nothing with not much talent and made herself one of the biggest latino pop stars ever, she aint gunna be apush over! Jessica Simpson wont have a clue how to say someone is bad she’ll be like the American cheryl Cole fall for every sob story and let the hot guys through! Elton John Hmmmmmm not sure cant see him being tough though!
Bret Michaels would be great!
I think JLow would be good because she had to breakbarriers.
Yeah, but so was Paula Abdul when she started….
J-Lo and Jessica Simpson are “has- beens”?
Question: What was Paula Abdul when AI started?
Answer: A one-time pop start with no recording contract at the time and no hits in more than a decade. Or put another way – a stone cold, washed-up has-been
Yeah, cause Paula Abdul was very cool and popular at the time of American Idol 10 years ago. She was a has been but it ended up working out for everyone.
Katy Perry was by far the best guest judge last year.. good solid critiques and easy to look at.
I agree with your reasons, but I think Shania was better.
I agree!!
None of them. Honestly.
Please, no burnt out rockers. No Bret, no Steven Tyler and not even Elton. Music has changed a lot since they made their bones. Get someone current.
Music has also changed, in many, many ways, for the worst. Current doesn’t necessarily mean good. There are very few ARTISTS on the market today, at least ones easily recognizable by the zillions of tone-deaf tweens that watch the show.
Yes, current sounds good.
How about Ke$ha, Miley, etc? All so current
Instead of choosing a new judge can we vote for it’s cancellation?
Sue Sylvester
YES
Genius:)
HhhhaaaHHHHHHH
For the win!
Fail.
How about Kara, J.Lo, Harry Connick, and an occasional 4th chair for rotating former contestants? Seriously, the contestants are what this show is about anyways. I would love to see Kelly, Carrie, Fantasia, Chris, Kris, etc offer their two cents at the table.
Oh I like the ” rotating former contestants” idea. Very astute.
I think they would work better as mentors. Kelly for Billboard Hits Week, Carrie for Country Week, Daughtry for Rock Week, Fantasia for R&B Week, etc…
That’s a pretty short and not very promising list. Kenny Edmonds, Jon Bon Jovi, Brian may, Cher and Gene Simmons would be better candidates.
I’ve been thinking Gene Simmons for ages, just not in conjunction with Simon because they would have clashed, with swords. I think he’d be great and he wouldn’t waste words.
Gilbert Gottfried. That might actually make the show worth watching.
You’re joking… right???? That’s the one person who would guarantee I’d never watch Idol again.
why bother…idol should just be over.
Actually, I still love it as much as I ever did. If you consider the zillions of dollars in revenue and the #1 ratings spot, then no. It shouldn’t be over.
I really would like to see Diddy up there. He wouldnt be afraid the tell people that they are bad and he is very opinionated which is great for Idol
Except he’d grap the ‘phone and start singing it the way HE thinks it shoulda been sung LOL
Diddy has the same problem as Jamie Foxx and Kara. It’s all about them. Kenny babyface Edmonds would be better than Diddy.
Jennifer Lopez was a terrific mentor and would make a good judge if she can keep it real. But I voted for Elton John, who will be honest to a fault, and say the most outrageous things! Elton John would make Simon Cowell look like Paula Abdul.
Linda Perry or Diane Warren
How about not having any judges and using that time to let the contestants actually perform whole songs?
You that might work better and let america choose who we want to listen to.
JC Chasez. Yes, he was in a boyband, but the cat can sing! And he’s the most fair, most encouraging, and most articulate judge on America’s Best Dance Crew (even though a parrot could win that title when going up against Lil’ Mama). He’d bring a lot of younger energy to the show and some great critiques.
Here are just a few suggestions: Shania Twain, Neil Patrick Harris, Steven Lillywhite, Ken “Babyface” Edmonds, Diane Warren, P Diddy, Billy Joel, Ben Folds, Linda Perry, Lance Bass, Kristin Chenoweth, and George Michael.
NPH… FTW!
Great suggestions darclyte! Just wondering, what happened to the Chris Isaak rumors? I think he would have been perfect. A straight talker with a wry sense of humer and UBER talented. Plus he’s hot in a fugly sort of way.
Billy Joel? That is a good idea, I hadn’t thought of him, but I bet he would be good. And I have always wanted Shania. But if they really want a “new” face maybe they should take Steven Tyler – his face is always changing.
why does it have to be a name…why cant it be people we have never heard of….like when the show started with Simon and Randy…I think thats the best way to go
I’d like for them to search high and low and find someone named “cancellation.”
You can cancel them yourself using your remote. What’s the problem? Can’t stay away?