Simon Cowells's Replacement Choice: Bret Michaels

There has been a whole lot of talk about who could possibly fill the seat of Simon Cowell. Known for his raw and brutally honest feedback when judging Idol contestants, he exited the position calling this his last season on the show. The daunting task of finding a worthy candidate is under way, and producers of the show have yet to name his successor. No doubt, most will agree that he will be a hard person to replace.

Here Comes the Judge

Tampabay.com reports 47-year old Bret Michaels may be in the running to occupy seat number four come show time this fall. Bret is the recent winner of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. During his time on the popular reality show, Michaels suffered a series of health issues: an emergency appendectomy, a brain hemorrhage, and reported mild strokes. He showed up for the grand finale night to rock with Casey James, wearing his famous bandana. Together, they sang "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." See video here.

Although producers haven't officially offered Micahaels the job, he says he will make a great Idol judge. According to People, in a conversation with the press, Cowell suggested his name as a possible replacement. Simon, naming his own replacement? So fast? Apparently, Michaels has the top judge's approval and it sounds like a deal to me.

Michaels is quoted by People as saying, "I was honored that Simon said that."

So, does Michaels have what it takes to be a judge?

I'll say he does. Bret was the lead singer for the heavy metal group Poison and has 23 years in the music biz. If selected, Michaels promises to be truthful and honest. And here's more-- he will advise each contestant on their potential ability for success in the music industry and what they need to do to improve their chances. (Maybe he's been paying attention to the fans. And especially the Idols, who complained they were totally confused at times by the feedback).

Perhaps it will be a breath of fresh air. I have always believed you should have at least one judge on the panel who has had a successful career as a singer. They can relate to the long hard hours of rehearsal, vocal issues, touring, recording, and everything else that goes with the job.

So, what do you think? Is Bret Michaels a good choice to replace Simon Cowell? Let us know. Leave your comments below.

Here are a few newsworthy items.

Lee at Disney

Lee DeWyze joined the ranks of all the super bowl quarterbacks and athletes after a successful run. Where do they go? Disney World. Yep, Lee spent the Memorial Day Weekend in the Sunshine State.

'Tried and True"

Clay Aiken has a new release out. I saw the promos on TV for his album, "Tried and True." He takes a stab at the standards, in the style of Andy Williams, (I just love "Moon River," from Breakfast at Tiffany's), Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. For a live promo, click here.

To hear "Unchained Melody," one of the tracks on the new album, click here.

Twitter Session

Our Season 9 American Idols reunite at the "If I Can Dream" house. Check it out. Click here.

The idols hit the road soon for their summer tour that will make stops in 51 cities, nationwide. For tickets, go to livenation.com, or just click here. July 2 is the first official beginning of the tour, in Milwaukee.

Back soon with more Idol news. Chao!

Sources

People.com, Youtube.com, tampabay.com, usatoday.com