THEY'RE ALL COMING BACK
'The Jeff Probst Show' Has Been Canceled
Ellen DeGeneres Quits 'American Idol'
by Joel Keller, posted Jul 29th 2010 9:10PM
There had been speculation running around the press tour crowd that, not only will FOX announce who was going to take the place of Simon Cowell on 'American Idol' when the network presents on August 2, but that there would be more than one name announced.Why? Because Simon wasn't the only one leaving. Ellen DeGeneres has also decided to leave the show, sending a statement confirming the rumors that had been swirling for a while.
"A couple months ago, I let Fox and the 'American Idol' producers know that this didn't feel like the right fit for me," she said in the statement. "I told them I wouldn't leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. "
She also acknowledged the weakness that everyone saw from her last season: her inability to give criticism. "I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on 'Idol' and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be."
Maybe she had to go through a season to figure that out, but you have to wonder why she even signed on to the gig if she knew that critiquing wasn't in her nature. She was a judge, not a coach; she didn't need to be as harsh as Simon, but she did need to tell the contestants where they stood. Even Paula Abdul, while couching her criticisms in mystical, run-infused gobbledygook, took a critical stance when she needed to.
So this leaves two spots open. But with Kara DioGuardi's contract up, rumblings that Randy Jackson wants to leave, and the rumored desire of returning producer Nigel Lythgoe to clean house, Fox may be presenting an entirely new judging panel on Monday. Stay tuned.
29 Comments