'12
I don’t even watch “American Idol,” but it feels like this has been a long, hard, strategically-timed road to find out which celebrities will be found on next season’s judging panel. Of course, we already know that this “Idol” business shall henceforth be known as “The Mariah Show” now that Carey is involved, and she was rumored to have pitched a fit when Nicki Minaj was supposedly “confirmed“ last month, but Nicki wasn’t really on board just yet. Then there was that awful story (probably put out by Katy Perry’s team) that Perry herself had turned down a $20 million offer to join the show, which is highly unlikely because Mariah herself is said to be receiving $12 million. As for Mariah, she tried to convinced the judges to hire Lenny Kravitz, but Lenny is far too cool for that sort of thing, right?
Well, Mariah can’t be thrilled at the last-minute announcement that Minaj really has signed on as a fellow judge, and so has Keith Urban! Hopefully, Keith will be sitting between the two ladies, or else this could get very, very ugly:
It’s official: Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban have joined Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson as judges on American Idol, FOX announced September 16.
In late August, an insider told Us Weekly that “Starships” rapper Minaj, 29, was “100% confirmed to judge American Idol,” while another source added there were “a few more slight things to sign off on” before the network would officially make an announcement.
Earlier this week, Urban, 44, quit The Voice in Australia, where he served as mentor during the show’s first season with “Kiss From a Rose” singer Seal, 49, Australian pop star Delta Goodrem, 27, and Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden, 33. “As much as I’d love to do it again, it’s clear that the recording and promoting of a new album, a tour and other commitments will keep me from being a part of the second season,” the country music superstar (married to Nicole Kidman, 45) explained.
Minaj and Urban join new judge Carey, 42, and veteran judge Jackson, 56, who will begin their search for the next American Idol in New York City.
“With the exciting addition of Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj, alongside Randy Jackson, American Idol’s star power has never been so great,” executive producer Simon Fuller tells Us in a statement. “For this we have to thank the ongoing commitment and belief of FOX and the dedication and focus of the Idol production team. We have all been together since the very beginning and we are focused on making Idol Season 12 the best ever.”
Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment at Fox Broadcasting Company, added, “Nicki’s an unbelievably captivating international phenomenon who has made an indelible mark on rap and pop. And Keith is another great addition to Idol — he’s one of the biggest stars in country music and I know that our fans and contestants will fall in love with him. With an unparalleled star like Mariah, fan-favorite Randy, chart-toppers like Nicki and Keith and our incomparable host Ryan [Seacrest], we’ve put together one of the most exciting judging panels around.”
[From Us Magazine]
Oh, and the mess has already started with Nicki presumably outdoing Mariah when they both arrived (already?) for the first day of “Idol” auditions in New York City. Wait, not so fast! You can see their photos here, and Mariah obviously looked pretty damn good in a relatively tasteful black suit while Minaj looked like her usual brand of technicolour mess. While I do forsee a few (likely on-air) bumps in the road for Mariah in terms of learning to deal with a female co-host (she wanted to be the only chick on the panel), I think eventually, Mariah will learn to ignore Nicki’s antics. Like I’ve said before, Mariah has quite the incentive (that huge salary) to learn how to deal with an annoying co-worker. She might even grow from the experience.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet
Written by Bedhead
Posted in American Idol, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj
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Ugh. I’m glad they kept Randy because this is an odd group of new judges.
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I really liked him on The Voice. He is a good judge.
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I’m for all of them with the exception of Nikki Minaj. I can’t believe they picked someone so dumb.
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Keith is such a sweetheart, I was swooning over him watching him on the Australian version of The Voice. Ahhh such a honey, does he really have to sit with Nicki Minaj?? Ugh…
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I really do hope people realize any ‘drama’ or ‘fights’ between the ladies were likely rehearsed and planned for the sake of getting people to tune in. I just…really hope folks aren’t that gullible.
The only person likely pissed is Jennifer Lopez. Idol hired the person she didn’t even want to perform again and had all the money to give to Nicki (and a separate account for makeup and wardrobe), Mariah, and Urban that they didn’t want to give to her.
The cynical part of me remembers the ‘blackout fears’ claim and can’t help but wonder whether Keith Urban was tacked on for that very reason. Can’t have an all black judging cast, oh noes.
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I haven’t watched this mess since before Paula left. I say this is the bitter end for Idol. I’ll be surprised if it makes it past this season.
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Yuk. This will end the show. Good riddance.
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ITA – this season should be the final nail in the coffin of a show that should have ended a few years ago. Does anyone even watch it now?
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All I can think when I read this is..Poor Keith
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+1 Poor guy for sure
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Freak out!
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nicki minaj is so disturbing and disgusting looking.
Her fake hair, fake hair color, fake eye color, fake skin color, fake body organs (?)
so so disturbing. What is it with her obsession over light hair color and light eye color?
She desperately wants to look more white. If it was just only hair color i wouldnt care but what is it with that constant fake blue contacts. tsk tsk tsk
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Well, I wear color contacts from time to time (a violet color), but it doesn’t have anything to do with my racial identity…
I certainly won’t defend the rest of her fashion choices (God no), but in this case, Maybe she just thinks the blue contacts are pretty? Or just goes with her rainbow obsession better.
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I like what you define as disturbing and wanting to look more white describes 90% of all races in Hollywood.
If extensions and plastic surgery freak you out Hollywood is the wrong place to look.
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Niki M is just so lame and tacky and untalented….I mean even Paula Abdul had a bit more talent.
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I could see Mariah being irked by Nikki’s antics & wardrobe taking attention away from her, let alone if they actually disagreed on judging.
Nikki is a hot mess…
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Please for the love of God cancel this mess!
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This season is going to be one hot mess… and one that I will pass on watching. Let Idol die already!
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I love Keith and his music, and he was great on The Voice, but I just don’t view this as a good career move for some reason. Something about American Idol + Keith doesn’t work for me (because I’m sure he really cares about what I think about his career…)
And Nicki Minaj is an abomination.
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Whoa. Did y’all see Minaj’s camel toe in those pictures?
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Nicki Minaj is ridiculous. I was hoping her 15 minutes would be up soon, but landing this Idol gig means she’s going to be around for a while. Tsk tsk.
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THIS!
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Me too! She is such a joke. I don’t watch a single talent “reality”/”contest” show, but if I did, it certainly wouldn’t be this one because of her. She needs to do something so scandalous she is excommunicated from the entire entertainment industry. Go away already!
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Amen to that! This freak show looks like the love child of Ronald McDonald and Aretha Franklin!!!
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What the HELL happened to Keith’s face? Can he possibly look any more like a girl? Holding that purse was prolly NOT a mistake.
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FOX’s president forgot to put in a few extra letters so I’ll do it for him: “Nicki’s an unbelievably cRaptivating international phenomenon who had made an undelible mark on cRap and poOp.”
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I agree min76 but I don’t think Nicki whatever her name is wants to be white; even that would require minimum thought and volition and she is just a talentless marketing gimmick nitwit. I don’t like looking at her why would I want to listen to her whiny drivel; Talent my rear, desperately trolling for ratings. Keith Urban doesn’t need this, does he?
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Look Mariah has talent in spades even if she is a little crazy. Keith Urban well I don’t know much about him other than he’s married to Nicole. As for Nicki. She is nothing but a talent-less hack. Having her on the show is for ratings only. If it had anything to do with talent she wouldn’t even have been considered. No one will remember her in five years. Well at least if good taste wins out.
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I hate Nicki Minaj so freakin much. She’s such a pathetic try hard and you can literally see the effort she exerts in being “zany” and “different.” Mariah looks younger and prettier than a girl who is half her age.
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Nicki Minaj will be 30 in December, it’s waaaaaaay past time to put away this busted Rainbow Brite horsesh*t.
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LOL
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I don’t know much about Minaj, can someone explain the hate to me?
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Lol, can anyone ever really explain hate?
Some people like her, some people don’t. People have different reasons for both. I think the people calling her untalented just feel she doesn’t meet their standards to qualify – for me…listened to her raps and the actual content. Know her past and origins. Seen a black woman accomplish more in 3 years than has happened anytime recently.
I think some people don’t like the clothes she wears or music she produces. But other people like that eccentric style, and especially in the black comment her style is usually shunned. I like that, as I said, as a black female she’s able to explore this direction while still rapping and singing.
Everyone just has their own view and opinion.
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She gave American the finger at the Superbowl, I say give it back to her by not watching Idol while she is on it!
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Poor Keith,can you imagine the nail marks that poor man is going to have after sitting between Nicki and Mariah.
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I like nicki. I love that many who hate on her like lady gaga who is just as ridiculous or more so. I like that nicki doesn’t take herself seriously. She has just as much talent as Britney or most other pop stars.
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