Following the lead of outgoing judge Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres has quit her job on the panel of American Idol.

The chat show host and comedienne joined the show just one year ago as a replacement for Paula Abdul but seemed to always struggle with giving the hopefuls honest, if sometimes critical, feedback. By the end of the season she was the light entertainment person who joked about bananas and Snooki from Jersey Shore.

The comedian announced on her website last night that she would be stepping down adding that she didn’t think she was the “right fit”.

“A couple months ago, I let Fox and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me. 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,” she wrote.

“It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realised 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.”

Idol creator and executive producer Simon Fuller added: “I loved Ellen’s passion for the artists and her nurturing skills. She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly.”

The show’s executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said: “We will miss Ellen, she has been the consummate professional throughout her time on the show, and she’ll always be part of the American Idol family.”

Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment at Fox, said: “It was a joy to work with Ellen. She brought an incredible spirit to Idol and was a great new addition to the team.

“While we’re saddened by her decision, we are very appreciative that she gave us ample notice so that we could work through it together.”

It remains to be seen whether the producers will now bring in two replacement judges, to fill the seats of both Ellen and Simon or whether they will go back to the three judge format as it was before the days of Kara DioGuardi. Former executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has always been a vocal advocate of the three judge lineup and with him reportedly making a return to the show, perhaps he will just bring Paula Abdul back and continue as before.

View the original post Ellen DeGeneres quits American Idol 2011! on Unreality TV

It feels like American Idol only finished yesterday (we know it was actually last month sometime) but already the judges have been talking about next year’s season of the show. Ellen DeGeneres has revealed how her judging style will change next year and Kara DioGuardi has been talking about who she wants to replace Simon Cowell.

Ellen DeGeneres joined the panel as a newbie for the 2010, but says she has now found her feet as a judge and plans to be tougher on the contestants next year. Admitting that she was ‘too soft’ on hopefuls like Casey James, Mike Lynch and Aaron Kelly, Ellen told USA Today:

“Your first year anywhere is going to be tough, because you’re trying to figure out what your role is.”

“I think next year my role will be to be exactly who I am, sometimes funny and sometimes serious, and I think I’ll probably learn to be a little harder on people without being rude. But I think it was a fine line for me to walk this year.”

“It’s always been Simon’s show. There’s a whole dynamic there. You want to be respectful, and it was his last year, and so a lot was going on that needed to happen. “I think next year will be a different year. No one can replace Simon, just like I wasn’t replacing Paula.”

Speaking about who she would like to see joining them in 2011, Kara DioGuardi told The New York Times:

“I’ve voiced who I think would be pretty good. They know that I thought Harry Connick [Jr.] did a really good job. He really helped those contestants and he obviously cared a lot – he sat and did all those arrangements. He’s funny, Ellen [DeGeneres] and Harry are close friends, so that would be a good chemistry.”

It might seem very early to be discussing replacements for the 2011 season, but realistically show bosses only have another 3 months before the audition process kicks off once more. Are you looking forward to a non Cowell Idol? Leave your comments below.

View the original post American Idol 2011: Ellen DeGeneres will be tougher & Kara DioGuardi wants Harry Connick, Jr on Unreality TV

American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres has admitted that her dad is a huge fan of eliminated contestant Siobhan Magnus.

Siobhan appeared on Ellen’s chat show yesterday and Ellen gave her a message from her father. She said:

“Well I was talking to my dad on the way here and he knew you were going to be on and he told me to tell you that he was a huge fan and was really sad when you left. I know a lot of people thought you would be in the final three. I was surprised and I’m sure you were surprised!’

Siobhan also chatted to Ellen about her final dinner with the remaining contestants and how she is finding being out of the show. Check out the video below, which also includes Siobhan’s fantastic rendition of ‘House Of The Rising Sun.’

View the original post American Idol 2010: Ellen DeGeneres’ dad LOVES Siobhan Magnus! (VIDEO) on Unreality TV

American Idol sources have suggested that new judge Ellen DeGeneres is struggling to cope with her hectic schedule and may be heading for a mental breakdown.

Along with judging on the singing juggernaut that is Idol, Ellen hosts her own primetime chat show ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’ Insiders suggest that playing an integral part of two such successful TV shows, is taking it’s toll on the funny woman.

“We fear she’s headed for a total breakdown,” a source told the National Enquirer.

“When she strips away her TV makeup, you can see the stress in her face. She looks gaunt and pale. We’re afraid she has cracked under the pressure.”

Ellen is also said to struggling to cope with the rising tension between her and outgoing judge, Simon Cowell.

“Simon was pretty welcoming when Ellen first signed on, but now she’s become his whipping post for anything that’s not working on the show,” said the pal.

“It’s really eating her up inside.”

“She’s running herself ragged,” the source added. “She tries to eat right, exercise and take vitamins, but we’re worried her health is suffering and the nice life she’s created with Portia is in jeopardy.

“You can see the stress building in her. She’s no always her bouncy, vibrant self. She’s snippy with people, is more easily distracted and needs a few more minutes of makeup to deal with the bags under her eyes.

“She’s spreading herself so thin, it seems like a recipe for disaster.”

Do you like Ellen on American Idol? Have you seen any signs of tension between her and Simon? Leave your comments below.

View the original post American Idol 2010: Is Ellen DeGeneres heading for a mental breakdown? on Unreality TV

American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres has topped a list of the most inspiring gay icons.

The 52 year old was named in Out magazine’s annual Power 50 rundown.

Other stars in the top ten include How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris (5) and American Idol star Adam Lambert (7).

Chat show host Ellen made her homosexuality public on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1997.

View the original post American Idol: Ellen DeGeneres is most inspiring gay icon on Unreality TV

Outgoing American idol contestant Didi Benami appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres show this week and revealed why she wasn’t comfortable with how she was portrayed on the TV talent show.

Whilst on the chat show Didi gave an amazing rendition of ‘Terrified’, which was co-written by American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. After she sang she told Ellen that she didn’t enjoy the times on Idol when she was questioned about her former roommate and best friend who died a few years ago.

She said:

“I felt like there was this whole sympathy vote going on to and I wanted to be fair at all times to everybody.”

“I didn’t want people to vote for me because they felt bad. You know what I mean? I wanted the to vote because it was a good performance and got the message through the song. Like I conveyed that through singing the song. Which was over dramatic according to Simon. It was supposed to be that way … It was a dramatic time in my life and that’s what I was trying to convey through that song not through a conversation after the song.”

Check out the clip below and let us know if you thought Didi deserved to be eliminated and did you think she struck a chord with her above comments?

View the original post American Idol 2010: Didi Benami didn’t want a sympathy vote (VIDEO) on Unreality TV

American Idol star Kellie Pickler has revealed that she hasn’t been watching the current season of the show, but admits to being a huge fan of new judge Ellen DeGeneres.

The 23-year-old country singer finished in sixth place in season five of the show.

Speaking to MTV News Pickler said:

“I’ve not seen the show, but I love Ellen. She’s like my favourite person in the world. I’m sure she’s doing great,” she said.

“I have not been able to watch it religiously, because I’m on the road a lot. So I don’t really get to follow any television show, but I do love the show.”

View the original post American Idol 2010: Kellie Pickler loves Ellen DeGeneres on Unreality TV

American Idol reject Paige Miles has admitted that Ellen DeGeneres is her favourite Idol judge.

Speaking on The Late Show with David Letterman show Paige said:

I really loved Ellen [DeGeneres], she brought a really nice dynamic to the panel. She made us all feel very comfortable, she smiled a lot at us so we weren’t always terrified to sing up there.

On tonight’s live show the final 10 contestants will be mentored by star Usher and will get to choose from a list of 50 R&B tracks. It is a shame then that Paige picked R&B as her vocal specialty during her interview with Letterman, maybe if she’d gotten through to this week’s show she could have really shone!

View the original post American Idol 2010: Paige Miles likes Ellen DeGeneres best! on Unreality TV

American Idol presenter Ryan Seacrest has been singing the praises of show judges Ellen Degeneres and Simon Cowell.

In an interview Oprah Winfrey yesterday Seacrest claimed that despite recent rows, he and Simon Cowell are close friends.

“He’s a terrific individual who’s one of the sweetest guys that you’re ever going to meet in the business,” Seacrest said. “He’s got a really big heart, he’s generous and he’s been a great friend of mine.”

On new judge Ellen DeGenere’s addition to the panel he revealed that he has been pals with her for years and added:

“Ellen Degeneres is a wonderful human being, so I’m happy to see her do it. The chemistry [on the show] will continue to be fantastic.”

View the original post American Idol 2010: Ryan Seacrest praises ‘sweet’ Simon Cowell & ‘wonderful’ Ellen DeGeneres on Unreality TV

American Idol judges Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres have reportedly clashed, after Simon revealed that he was considering hiring Paula Abdul as a judge for his new X Factor series.

The chatshow host reportedly angered Cowell after she confronted him, saying that appointing Paula as a judge would undermine future seasons of American Idol.

“Ellen told Simon she was worried about him saying he wanted to bring Paula to his new show — bitching that if he did that, it would cut the legs out from under Idol,” a source told the National Enquirer.

However Simon was having none of it and the source added: “In his snooty manner, Simon told Ellen that if there ever comes a day when anything she has to say about his business dealings might be relevant, he will ask for her opinion.”

Ohhhhhh catfight!

View the original post American Idol 2010: Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres clash over Paula Abdul on Unreality TV