Ellen Degeneres is the New American Idol Judge

Is it an Ellen Degeneres stunt or is she really going to be the new American Idol Judge? MSNBC news commentator Willie Geist announced this morning on his news show, "Way Too Early" that Ellen had announced on her show that she was going to be the new American Idol Judge. I spilled my morning coffee as I did a second take and listened to the rest of her announcement. Wow! Now that's a shocker!

Questions come to mind? Why would the successful Degeneres who appears to have a full time job with her daytime talk show take on another full time night job?

DeGeneres told her talk show audience during the taping of an episode scheduled to air Thursday that she had been "dying to tell everyone" and that she had just been given the go ahead to make the announcement. She quipped that she would have "a day job and a night job." "The times we're living in,we're all doing that."

Well not many of us are doing that, becoming a judge on the most popular reality talent show on television.

During the auditions for the new season of American Idol which airs in January we will see a variety of guest judges in various cities around the country including some famous music names, Mary J. Blige, Neil Patrick Harris, Shania Twain and Joe Jonas. DeGeneres will join the show after the show's tryout rounds.

Ellen believes that she will offer the ordinary people's point of view because she will not be looking at it from the critical music producer's mind but from the consumer's opinion and that she will relate to the contestants as "people". Judging from the buzz on the internet yesterday, the fans of American Idol have varying opinions about her representing them as a judge on the popular talent show.

Some of them were of the opinion that her comic relief judging would just be laughable and not useful. They lamented her lack of music training or music ability, stating that she's a comedian not a singer.

But others expressed the opinon that her judging would add some needed levity to the sometimes intense competition. Posters on the American Idol. com forums said they were pleased with the selection.

Andy Dehnart, a reality television blogger praised the decision as a real boost for the aging Idol show and that it would prompt more viewers to tune in as DeGeneres appears during the semifinal rounds.

Paula Abdul, one of the original judges of American Idol who retired last month, has told TV Guide that she'd like to host a talk show. Hmmm...maybe she and DeGeneres could just change places. Degeneres to the Idol seat and Abdul to the talk show seat.

American Idol executive producer and Fremantle Media North America CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz defended her choice of DeGeneres. "Beyond her incredible sense of humor and love of music, she brings with her an immense warmth and compassion that is almost palpable. She is one of America's foremost entertainers, and we cannot wait to have her join our team."

This Ellen DeGeneres announcement of her new role on American Idol may just work for the show that has suffered some tough criticism this past year with charges of cheating and fixing the results. She brings an honest fresh face to the Idol show. And for this fan of DeGeneres I just might tune into American Idol and become a viewer myself.

Resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/09/ellen-degeneres-joining-a_n_281466.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090910/ap_on_en_tv/us_tv_american_idol_degeneres