American Idol: Ellen's the 4th Judge!
Yes, THE Ellen. As in, DeGeneres. Fox approached the dancing comedienne and talk show host -- who can often be seen bustin' a move at the beginning of her show or during Visa commercials -- and the self-proclaimed HUGE fan of American Idol, though shocked by the offer, tap danced her way into the 4th judge's chair, recently vacated by Paula Abdul.
Instead of a one-episode stint, like guest judges Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Shania Twain, DeGeneres was offered the permanent gig. "They didn't even ask me to be a guest judge," DeGeneres said on buddy Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show.
"I could not be more excited to have Ellen join the American Idol family. Ellen has been a fan of the show for many years, and her love of music and understanding of the American public will bring a unique human touch to our judging panel. I can't wait for this next season to begin," gushes Idol exec producer Simon Fuller, according to US Magazine.
But the newest addition to the team tells E! Online, "I hope Paula is OK with it. I don't want anybody to think that I took Paula's job away... Paula was a huge part of the show. I think that she's kind of part of the American Idol family, that's how I felt." And some fans are grumbling about her lack of singing and music industry experience. DeGeneres still has a lot to bring to the table: "First of all, I love music, period. I've always loved music. And I'm a huge fan of the show; I haven't missed a show since season one. I'm just a fan like everyone else. The people are the ones who choose the American Idol. It doesn't come down to a music expert ultimately."
One thing we can definitely count on though, she'll definitely bring the funny. What do you think about Ellen DeGeneres as the new permanent addition to Idol: Are you doin' a little happy dance at the news or are you ready to sing "bye, bye, bye"? ... opinionate in the comments!
Instead of a one-episode stint, like guest judges Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Shania Twain, DeGeneres was offered the permanent gig. "They didn't even ask me to be a guest judge," DeGeneres said on buddy Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show.
"I could not be more excited to have Ellen join the American Idol family. Ellen has been a fan of the show for many years, and her love of music and understanding of the American public will bring a unique human touch to our judging panel. I can't wait for this next season to begin," gushes Idol exec producer Simon Fuller, according to US Magazine.
But the newest addition to the team tells E! Online, "I hope Paula is OK with it. I don't want anybody to think that I took Paula's job away... Paula was a huge part of the show. I think that she's kind of part of the American Idol family, that's how I felt." And some fans are grumbling about her lack of singing and music industry experience. DeGeneres still has a lot to bring to the table: "First of all, I love music, period. I've always loved music. And I'm a huge fan of the show; I haven't missed a show since season one. I'm just a fan like everyone else. The people are the ones who choose the American Idol. It doesn't come down to a music expert ultimately."
One thing we can definitely count on though, she'll definitely bring the funny. What do you think about Ellen DeGeneres as the new permanent addition to Idol: Are you doin' a little happy dance at the news or are you ready to sing "bye, bye, bye"? ... opinionate in the comments!