shocker

There is big news in the world of television tonight. Multiple Emmy winner and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has joined American Idol as a judge. She will essentially be the permanent replacement for Paula Abdul, so if any of you were holding out hope that Paula was standing by to resume her post, forget about it.

The bigger story here is that a star of Ellen's stature, someone who has high visibility and is beloved by the public, has decided to become a member of America's number one rated prime time show.

Ellen DeGeneres on American Idol as a guest star would be a rating boost, so it's safe to say that her weekly presence will ensure that Idol's numbers will continue to be top of the chart.