“American Idol” supporters have resigned themselves to not having Simon Cowell as a judge anymore. It is unclear how die-hard enthusiasts will handle the latest exodus, however. Ellen DeGeneres told her adoring public that she is abandoning “AI”. Adding insult to injury, now Kara DioGuardi has been shown the door, reports the Los Angeles Times. That leaves Randy Jackson and vacant seats that may very well be filled by Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

‘American Idol’ has come on hard times

Clearly Fox, as well as Nigel Lythgoe and the “American Idol” production group, think there are nevertheless ratings to be squeezed from the aging yet still popular program. According to Deadline.com, Jennifer Lopez is slated to fill the Kara DioGuardi seat with additional magic once Season 10 starts. Interestingly, Lopez was a dancer like Paula Abdul. A return to Fox would reunite Lopez with the network that launched her dancing career on the early-1990s Wayans brothers’ sketch comedy show “In Living Color”.

‘AI’ viewer base has shrunk

Sure, “Idol” is still one of the nation’s more viewed programs, but a decrease in viewership has not gone unnoticed by the show’s producers. The Times writes how the “AI” team was close to giving Ellen DeGeneres the ax. Instead of firing her as they did DioGuardi, “Idol” producers allowed Ellen to walk out under her own power, so to speak. To her credit, Ellen didn’t dwell on sour grapes in her media statement- “A couple months ago, I let Fox and the ‘American Idol’ producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me”. This mirrors what large segments of the viewing audience were thinking, as Ellen vacillated between “deer in the headlights” and saying something nice to cover up the belief that she knows very little about music.

“We love Ellen and understand and support her decision to bow out of ‘Idol’,” said Fox Networks Group chairman Peter Rice.

The chemistry needed an adjustment

“American Idol” Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe knew that Kara, Simon and Randy didn’t click without Paula Abdul. Throwing Ellen DeGeneres in to be a “nice” judge didn’t improve the mix at all. Lythgoe’s personal choices following the failed experiment would are Usher, Elton John and good old Paula, but that isn’t really close to happening. J. Lo and Steven Tyler have probably the most buzz.

Steven Tyler’s ample lips are sealed

X17 Online apparently tracked down Steven Tyler outside the Sunset Marquis hotel in West Hollywood to ask for his take on “American Idol” judgeship rumors. Allegedly, Tyler would be made head judge, the role once played by Simon Cowell. Of course Tyler played his cards close to the vest. Nevertheless, he also did not deny that he could be a part of “American Idol’s” future.

More on this topic

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/07/kara-dioguardi-out-of-tune-with-american-idol.html

The Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/29/AR2010072905730.html

X17 Online

x17online.com/celebrities/steven_tyler/x17_xclusive_steven_tyler_tight_lipped_on_new_gig_as_idol_judge-07302010.php

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