'American Idol' Rumors: Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler to Replace Ellen DeGeneres?

    by Gary Susman, posted Jul 30th 2010 11:10AM
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    Jennifer LopezEllen DeGeneres' abrupt resignation from 'American Idol' yesterday looks like only the beginning of a period of upheaval at the judges' table. By the time the dust settles, Kara DioGuardi may be gone as well -- and those three vacancies (the third coming from Simon Cowell's long-planned departure) may be filled by only two judges. And one of them will almost certainly be Jennifer Lopez.

    Confused? Here's a roundup of all the 'Idol' news that's broken over the last half-day or so since Ellen DeGeneres' announcement.

    • In the wake of rumors of various pop stars (Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Jessica Simpson) taking over one of the vacant judges' chairs, the one that seems to be true is J.Lo taking Ellen's spot. According to Deadline Hollywood, the negotiation has been going on quietly for a month, as the once indomitable triple-threat star (music, movies, TV) sought a platform where she could shore up her flagging popularity. The move would return her to the Fox network, where her career began 20 years ago as a Fly Girl dancer on Fox's sketch comedy show 'In Living Color.'

    • Us Weekly is confirming the hiring of J.Lo -- and the firing of DioGuardi. (TMZ also says it has talked to sources at 'Idol' that confirm DioGuardi's ouster.) All three news outlets say that Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is all but set to replace Cowell, but that no one is replacing DioGuardi, and that after the two-year experiment that saw her expand the judging panel to four seats, it will go back to three.

    •All these changes seem to be the result of the recent return of producer Nigel Lythgoe after a two-year absence. Back in April, before he was rehired, Lythgoe told Zap2It.com that, if he had his way, he'd replace the entire panel. For his dream table of judges, he'd have brought back Paula Abdul and added Elton John and Usher. Instead, it looks like he's getting Lopez and Tyler and keeping Randy Jackson.

    •Did Ellen quit or did Lythgoe push her? DeGeneres' statement yesterday acknowledged that 'Idol' wasn't the "right fit" for her because she had trouble criticizing contestants and because she was already so busy with her daytime talk show duties. It also said she was only sticking around long enough for the 'Idol' team to figure out how to remake the judges' panel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, she'd been saying (before yesterday) that she was willing to fulfill the terms of her multiyear contract. At the same time, the Reporter says, she was also telling friends that her comedy wasn't working on the show, and that Fox reality programming chief Mike Darnell had told her he thought her lack of chemistry with Jackson and DioGuardi was hurting the program. DeGeneres had reportedly clashed with Cowell as well, but yesterday, he issued a statement saying, "As I got to know Ellen, I grew to really, really like her. I have huge respect for her because she's always been in control of her own destiny." (Possible translation: I'm glad the show let DeGeneres save face by quitting instead of firing her.)

    Watch for further announcements and official confirmations on Monday, when Fox has its day before the nation's TV critics at the annual summer press tour.

    •Follow Gary Susman on Twitter @garysusman.

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