TVSquad

Maybe they got tired of the criticism the current panel has been getting for their devolving into piles of cliche-ridden goo. Maybe it's a test run to see if they can find someone the audience can embrace so they can get rid of one of the other three judges. Maybe it's just because they wanted to have four judges from the beginning and it just took them a long time to get there.

Kara DioGuardi joining American Idol as a fourth judge is an interesting choice. As an award-winning songwriter and producer she definitely has the credentials to be involved as a judge on a singing competition. but the show almost never features original songs. You'd think that having a great songwriter on the panel would inspire the addition of a songwriting aspect to the show. I'd love to see the contestants challenged to write their own music, or in some cases bring some of the original music they've already created to the stage.

I know it probably wouldn't be fair because not all singers are songwriters. But many are, and with the addition of instruments this past season, the show is clearly trying to emphasize a greater focus on the musicality of the contestants. What could be pretty entertaining is seeing how she reacts to the original song competition nominees. Simon and the rest of the panel pretty consistently slam those into the ground, and rightfully so.

DioGuardi has written songs performed by Gwen Stefani, Hilary Duffy, Nicole Scherzinger, Pink, Avril Lavigne, the Jonas Brothers, Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus and Idol alumni including Katharine McPhee, Clay Aiken, Bo Bice and winners Taylor Hicks, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson ("Walk Away"). She'll certainly add to the girl power on the show and with such hip credits, she brings a current relevance to the panel. It'll be nice to see someone so entrenched in the music of this generation critiquing these young singers of this generation.

I think it's a good move by FOX. At 37, DioGuardi joins Jackson (52), Abdul (46) and Cowell (48) as the youngest judge on the panel. Going into the eighth season of any show, they always try to inject some youth. Of course, that's normally done by bringing in some annoyingly cute nephew or having a new baby, but this is Idol and I don't think any of us want to think of an Abdul-Jackson or Abdul-Cowell spawned baby running around.

But bringing in a pretty, younger judge who definitely knows about music that young people like is a great idea. The question to be faced now is how receptive audiences will be to the change. And how quickly they will start to call for Paula's ouster from the panel now that there is another woman there. If the cries don't start before the season even begins, then I figure it'll take one loopy comment from here and the web will explode with "why do they need her?"

Is this Simon flexing his newfound muscles on the show? Is he implementing our own Jane's master plan for shaking up American Idol? I think she's got some great ideas there! If Randy doesn't straighten up his act and get back to real criticism, I'd almost rather see him go than Paula. At least Paula's entertaining.