Will "Idol" Fans Accept Ellen?

(CBS/ AP)  Ellen DeGeneres is in. Paula Abdul's out. All but certainly. So what's next for "American Idol"?

Ratings have been slipping -- down eight percent from season seven. Could DeGeneres be the spark the show needs?

Bradley Jacobs, senior editor of Us Weekly magazine, said on "The Early Show" Thursday DeGeneres could be just what the doctor ordered for "Idol."

"I think (choosing DeGeneres is) probably going to pay off. And they have been playing with 'Idol' for years now," he said. "... They've been tweaking the format. Fox has been trying to keep it fresh."

(Will Ellen do a good job? You can cast your vote by clicking here.)

Jacobs added DeGeneres' funny personality is great television.

"You want to be with Ellen, you want to sit on the couch next to Ellen. ... Ellen brings a warmth. She has a lovely persona. And I think that is somewhat of what she has in common with Paula and that's what people kind of appreciated watching."

However, unlike with Abdul, Jacobs said, more people will be watching to laugh with the host, rather than at her. Abdul was known for her on-camera antics, particularly with caustic fellow judge Simon Cowell.

Jacobs said DeGeneres has been up front with her lack of technical musical background, but he said she'll represent the people watching the show.

Photos: "Idol" Season 8 Finale
Photos: "Idol" Season 8 Contestants
Photos: Ellen DeGeneres

However, will the people accept her on the show that's become a cultural phenomenon, largely fueled by its hosts' personalities?

Fans took to the Internet after Wednesday's announcement to express either pleasant surprise or total shock that DeGeneres was picked to replace Paula Abdul.

"I mean, really? Ellen DeGeneres?" wrote popular "Idol" blogger MJ Santilli at mjsbigblog.com. "She guest judged 'So You Think You Can Dance' last season, and her critiques were comic relief. So is she going to be a real judge or some kind of joke? She's a comedian, not a singer or a musician. I'm kinda flummoxed here."

Others on the Internet, including posters on the AmericanIdol.com forums, said they were pleased that DeGeneres, who admittedly has no formal music experience, just a passion for tunes, would join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi on "Idol."

Andy Dehnart, a reality television blogger at realityblurred.com, praised the "somewhat random" decision. He called it a 90-degree turn that would give the aging singing contest new life and may prompt more viewers to tune in when DeGeneres first appears during the semifinal rounds, which tend to be the snooziest part of the season.

"Hopefully, I'm the people's point of view because I'm just like you," DeGeneres said on her syndicated talk show Thursday. "I sit at home and I watch it, and I don't have that technical ... I'm not looking at it in a critical way from the producer's mind. I'm looking at it as a person who is going to buy the music and is going to relate to that person."

DeGeneres' hiring as the show's fourth judge all but seals the departure of Abdul, the original third judge who announced she was quitting amid a contract dispute in July.

Abdul had served as judge alongside Cowell and Jackson since the show's debut in 2002. Producers shook up the franchise last season by adding songwriter DioGuardi as a fourth judge.

[calchick]

Ellen is a polorizing figure I don't think that she is a good choice for a family friendly show.

[ckelley55]

How much are they paying her to do this show? Anybody heard? Poor Paula.............

[ckelley55]

I can't believe that AMerican Idol did this. I can't stand Ellen G. She is not funny at all. She will not help at all. I have already decided to quit watching A idol when Paula left. It will not be the same...Yes she was dingy but u always want to know what she was going to say. Also I don't think Simon or Degeneres will get along with her either. Don't like gays either....................

[erasmus111]

by saturn05 September 10, 2009 4:38 PM EDT
So Ellen can't judge if someone can sing or not. HMM! By the last seasons have shown, the other judges are pretty unkilled in this area. Does the Jennifer Hudson's name ring a bell???? Oh yeh, she didn't win on AI, but oh let's see, what did she win?????? An Oscar for a musical, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award, or yeh and a Grammy. So if the previous 3 judges were so good, and had so much pull, just maybe she would have won. But the judges picks have shown they have no talent in choosing talent. The other problem is the American public votes while they are stoned, otherwise Shanja or whatever his name was, would have never made it past show 1. Ellen is funny and will lighten up the often tense judges table which takes away from the purpose of the show.


Ellen being funny WILL take away the purpose of the show. We don't need a "comedy" act on a singing contest.

I didn't say that Ellen needed to be able to SING, but it would have been better if she had some experience in the music industry. Dancing just doesn't do it.

You are right about Jennifer Hudson, but the judges have had more success at judging who's talented than the public. The public has proved time and time again that they haven't a freakin' clue. There are only a few winners that have had any real success. We at least need the judges to be KNOWLEDGEABLE.

Ellen is very good at what she does, but that isn't what is needed on American Idol. She says she will be judging from the average person's point of view. We don't need another average person's point of view, because we are getting millions of the average person's point of view when they VOTE. We need a qualified person's point of view. And it's not the judges decision who wins anyways, it's the publics. That's why it ends up sucking bigtime, most of the time.

Soooooo, it didn't matter that Simon didn't like Hudson. He isn't the one that voted her off, the public did. It isn't often that the judges are wrong.

I like hearing what the KNOWLEDGEABLE judges have to say before the INCOMPETENT people vote and have their say.

[frankie2fing]

'Idols' fans need to get a life. The show is worthless...

[tater616]

Ellen DeGeneres is, without question, a terrible choice as a judge for American Idol. She is a so-so comedian at best and will doubtless
bombard the contestants, as well as the audience, with attempts to just be funny...she is NOT what this show is all about!

[frankie2fing]

Your right.. the show is about narcissitic, egotistical a wholes judging narcissitic, egotistical, greedy a wholes, hosted by an narcissitic, egotistical worthless piece of ****, and watched by stupid, ignorant and gullible dumba$$es.

[billpl-2009]

she's a womanizer

she'll be pulling for all the cute chicks

[Dolirious]

God created all of us! Rock on Ellen! You Rock and Your Show does Too!

Good choice A I

[dontknowitall]

All this time I was hoping they would pick Roseanne Barr. And hoping that maybe she would sing a duet with David Hasselhoff. Now there is talent.

[erasmus111]

Here's a great video to show his talent. Hahahaha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJQVlVHsFF8


A lot of people may not think David Hasselhoff has talent, but he has done pretty good for himself.

[poochie44]

Ellen will bring some fun to the show. Why not give her a shot and see how it goes? If you don't like it no one is making you watch.