Badin graduation
Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Home > Blogs > Reality Bytes > Archives > 2010 > January > 12 > Entry
5 ideas for another new “American Idol” judge
So Simon Cowell has announced this ninth season of “American Idol,” premiering tonight (Jan. 12, 2010) at 8 p.m. EST on Fox, will be his last.
Cowell’s reason for leaving: To focus on “The X Factor,” another successful British singing competition with an American version set to debut—also on Fox—in 2011.
Or could it be that without Paula Abdul beside him at the judge’s table, there’s simply no reason to go on?
No matter the reason, it’s safe to say “Idol” just won’t be the same without Simon, whose brutal honesty was either loved or hated. It will be interesting to see what the 10th season of “Idol” will be like without Simon — that is if the show can go on without its biggest star.
Of course, no replacement judge has been named yet (after all, can we ever really replace Simon?). But let the speculation begin…
Because every competition-based show these days seems to have a token opinionated British guy (and “Idol” will now have a void in that area), we set that as our criteria.
All in good fun, here are some possible candidates:
Gordon Ramsay: Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” host and world-class chef from London has a fiery temper that could singlehandedly crush the dreams of every aspiring entertainer from coast to coast. If he can call aspiring chefs, “*!@&ing donkeys” and can even make grown-men cry, then we’re sure he can come up with some suitable insults for “American Idol” hopefuls. Heck, Ramsay may even make Simon look like a nice guy.
Ricky Gervais: The award-winning writer and comedian who created the original, British version of “The Office” will be hosting The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010 (NBC, 8 p.m.). We expect him to have a little fun at the expense of Hollywood’s best and brightest stars, so why not extend that philosophy to some 20-something Hollywood wannabes?
Sir Elton John: The English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist is one of the most successful performers of all time, so he’s certainly a qualified judge of music talent. He has even appeared as a guest judge on the program. One problem: he has been a vocal critic of “American Idol,” particularly related to the voting process, but maybe he’s had a change of heart. You never know …
Ozzy Osbourne: The “Prince of Darkness” has had a storied music career that has spanned five decades as both the frontman of metal band Black Sabbath and as a solo act. He also rose in popularity among the masses after his hit MTV reality show “The Osbournes.” The only problem: you won’t be able to understand a word he says. But maybe a little mystery could be a good thing.
Sharon Osbourne: OK, she’s doesn’t fit the criteria of token opinionated British guy, but she is British and she is extremely opinionated, so two out of three ain’t bad. The wife and manager of Ozzy Osbourne has gained fame in her own right from “The Osbournes, ” (a reality television show that followed her family’s daily life) and as a judge on the talent shows “The X Factor” (British version) and “America’s Got Talent.” Why not “Idol”?
Who do you think would be a good replacement for Simon Cowell? Will you watch “American Idol” without Simon?
Tweet
Comments
By Angie
January 25, 2010 1:20 PM | Link to this
I think the perfect person would be Gene Simmons. He would be funny yet hard nosed, a lot like Simon. He is also well known in the music industry and well respected.
By Get Ben Folds
January 13, 2010 8:08 AM | Link to this
Ben Folds was a great judge on the Singoff before Christmas. He nailed it almost all the time & was still constructive. It would be great to have an actual successful musician / performer who is able to provide more insightful comments than Paula or even Randy….don’t know if he would do it though.
By Get Ben Folds
January 13, 2010 8:07 AM | Link to this
Ben Folds was a great judge on the Singoff before Christmas. He nailed it almost all the time & was still constructive. It would be great to have an actual successful musician / performer who is able to provide more insightful comments than Paula or even Randy….don’t know if he would do it though.
By Get Ben Folds
January 13, 2010 8:06 AM | Link to this
Ben Folds was a great judge on the Singoff before Christmas. He nailed it almost all the time & was still constructive. It would be great to have an actual successful musician / performer who is able to provide more insightful comments than Paula or even Randy….don’t know if he would do it though.
By Olivia
January 12, 2010 11:47 AM | Link to this
i think that Sharon Osbourne would be an amazing replacement for Simon, i have never really watched American Idol but with Sharon in it i would.
By Olivia
January 12, 2010 11:46 AM | Link to this
i think that Sharon Osbourne would be an amazing replacement for Simon, i have never really watched American Idol but with Sharon in it i would.