Mariah Carey to guest judge Idol in April

Her new CD, E=MC2, drops on April 15. The next day, Mariah Carey will guest judge on American Idol. Let the hype machine begin. What I'm trying to figure out is in what capacity Mariah can be a judge when by my accounts April 16th is a Wednesday, thus making it a "Results Show." Perhaps she can judge the way in which Ryan makes us wait until "after the break."

Maybe, though, she will also act as a guest mentor that week. Wouldn't it be sickly perverse of American Idol to have that weeks theme be Mariah Carey, considering that the judges always talk about how you should pretty much never try and take on a Mariah Carey song. All night long they can slam the Idols for their song selections and for taking on an artist like Mariah. "But we didn't have a choice," they'll cry. "You were all terrible," Simon will tell them. "Maybe you'll do better next week with the Whitney Houston theme."