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Is Chris Isaak Replacing Simon Cowell on 'American Idol'?
by Catherine Lawson, posted Jul 21st 2010 7:45AM
The race to be the next Simon Cowell on 'American Idol' is heating up, and singer Chris Isaak is reportedly one of the front-runners. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox is determined to replace Cowell with a well-known music industry figure, and that Isaak has met with the network twice.Auditions for the tenth season of the smash hit show have already started with Cowell's fellow judges -- Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres and Randy Jackson -- still on board. Speculation's been rife as to who will replace Cowell since he announced he was leaving the show, and Fox execs are reported to have met with a number of celebrities to discuss the job.
Names previously linked with the vacant seat at judges' table include Sean Combs and Quincy Jones, former judge Paula Abdul and, as a surprise late entry, Cowell's fellow Brit, Piers Morgan. Even Donald Trump threw his hat into the ring but may be too busy with his duties on 'The Apprentice' franchise for NBC.
Now all eyes are on Isaak after Peter Rice, new entertainment chairman at Fox, said that he expects the new judge to be out on the auditions roadshow in early September.
Since it debuted in 2002 'American Idol' has consistently been one of the top shows on U.S. television, and a large part of its success has been attributed to Cowell. However, ratings have been falling in recent years and it's believed that hiring a new judge will be just one of a slew of changes in the upcoming season. The age limit for contenders has already been lowered from 16 to 15.
Cowell's now concentrating on bringing his rival talent show, 'The X Factor,' to the U.S. following its huge success in the U.K. He's also seeking judges, which puts him on a collision course with 'Idol' executive producer Simon Fuller who could be chasing the same talent, but for an earlier start date.
Rocker Bret Michaels lobbied for the 'Idol' job, telling Joy Behar, "I would love to do it, I would really bring it to the table," but sources close to the show say he's out of the running. Crooner Harry Connick, Jr. has also recently been linked with the role.
Although Chris Isaak's still best-known for his 1989 mega-hit 'Wicked Game,' over the years he's quietly notched up a long roster of appearances in TV shows and movies and has been a frequent talk-show guest. He also starred in 'The Chris Isaak Show,' which ran for three seasons on Showtime, and hosts 'The Chris Isaak Hour' on The Biography Channel.
The tenth season of 'American Idol' is due to premiere on Fox in January 2011.
'The X Factor' is slated to debut on Fox in September 2011.
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