Ellen DeGeneres is American Idol’s New Judge
Fox announced last Wednesday that comedienne and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will be replacing Paula Abdul as judge in season nine of American Idol.
“I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol. I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote,” Ellen said on her Emmy winning talk show. “Hopefully, I’m the people’s point of view because I’m just like you. I sit at home and I watch it, and I don’t have that technical … I’m not looking at it in a critical way from the producer’s mind. I’m looking at it as a person who is going to buy the music and is going to relate to that person,” she also added.
Ellen will join Simon, Randy and Kara in the semifinal rounds of Idol. A succession of guest judges will then join before her during the tryout rounds. Among them are former Spice Girls Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry and Shania Twain.
The ninth season of American Idol premieres January 2010.
