Simon Cowell Won't Be Able to Shut Her Up

The true reality show is at the judges' table, after all

(NEWSER) - Paula Abdul “walked away from a multimillion-dollar salary, a gig that brought her out of obscurity”—but it’s American Idol that will smart the most from her departure, writes Jeanne McManus for the Washington Post. “She generally contributed absolutely nothing to the verdict of the talent that stood before her,” but she will be missed at “that dysfunctional, squabbling dinner table known as the panel of judges.” More»

List of 36 contestants revealed, some never seen in auditions

(NEWSER) - Warning to American Idol fans: If you don’t like spoilers, be careful what you search for. A list of the contestants who will perform on the new season has been leaked by fan sites, the New York Post reports. The list includes some surprise contestants whose auditions weren’t shown on TV. Among the lucky 36:

• Joanna Pacitti, once on a major label.
• Scott MacIntyre, 23, blind since birth, who attended Arizona State at age 14.

Injecting youth into talent show bound to boost 8th season

(NEWSER) - The addition of hit songwriter-producer Kara DioGuardi as a fourth judge on American Idol is a much better fix for flagging ratings than simply sending irrelevant judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson packing, writes Andy Dehnart for MSNBC. While guest judges in the past haven't had much effect, DioGuardi will bring youth and relevancy to an aging and increasingly pedestrian panel, he predicts. More»

Songwriter Kara DioGuardi to join Cowell and company

(NEWSER) - American Idol is getting a fourth judge this season, marking what the New York Post calls the biggest change TV’s top show has ever undergone. Songwriter Kara DioGuardi will join Simon, Paula, and Randy, in a move producers say they always intended. All of Idol’s international counterparts feature four judges. “Having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and viewers,” said the executive producer. More»

(NEWSER) - Susan Boyle, Britain’s Got Talent contestant and Internet sensation, has been the subject of one hot debate: Makeover or no makeover? The makeover process has already begun, Deadline reports—Boyle appeared recently in a trendy dress and leather jacket. “It wasn’t until I saw myself on TV that I realized how frumpy I was,” says Boyle, who also visited a hairdresser for advice. Elsewhere: More»