Kara DioGuardi
gets the 'Idol' boot
Her exit now leaves three judge slots to fill
By Bill Cromwell
Sep 7, 2010
Fox has finally confirmed what everyone has suspected for months: Judge Kara DioGuardi will not be returning to "American Idol," freeing up a third spot on the panel just days before auditions in front of the judges for season 10 are supposed to begin.
DioGuardi's exit had been rumored for several months, with speculation heating up a few weeks ago when the network declined to say whether she'd be back during its Television Critics Association summer tour session.
On Friday Fox released a statement from DioGuardi, a successful songwriter who was on the show just two years, making it sound like she was leaving of her own accord.
"I felt like I won the lottery when I joined 'American Idol' two years ago, but I feel like now is the best time to leave 'Idol,'" read the statement. "I look forward to my next challenge, and want to thank everyone who has supported me."
The audience never really warmed to DioGuardi, who was criticized for being too bland and lacking chemistry with the other judges.
But while her exit is not a surprise, it's still a serious issue for Fox, which has yet to fill the other two open seats on the judging panel after Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres stepped down earlier this summer.
Fox has a long wish list that at one point or another included Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Harry Connick Jr. and Jessica Simpson, if you believe the rumors.
Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler have been considered the frontrunners for the open spot, though Lopez reportedly hit a snag after she demanded too much in negotiations, and Fox has never confirmed reports that Tyler signed a contract.
Open auditions for the show began in July, but auditions in front of the judging panel begin this month. Randy Jackson is now the lone returning judge on the longtime No. 1 show.
|
|
|
