Paula Abdul Weighs in on Ellen DeGeneres

In a recent interview with Andy Cohen, American Idol judge Paula Abdul said she thought Ellen DeGeneres did “a good job” during her time judging the show.

Abdul left American Idol after eight seasons, which is when DeGeneres stepped in.

“Well, first of all, I was ready to leave, so I had already made peace with that. And I thought Ellen would be great, I really did,” Abdul said.

“Her perspective was a just a fan, a regular person in the audience watching, and I thought she did a good job.”


DeGeneres’ Thoughts on Being on Idol

Did DeGeneres think she did a good job as a judge, though? What does she have to say about her time on American Idol?

In 2015, according to Today, DeGeneres said her time on Idol was a huge mistake.

Speaking to Howard Stern on Sirius XM radio, she shared, “That’s one of the worst decisions I’ve made.”

“As a fan of the shows, it doesn’t matter that I sing or I know anything about pitch … I’m like everybody else at home, so I thought I’m gonna represent those people at home that have opinions,” DeGeneres said. “But then I just thought, like Howard says, I can’t break this person’s heart. Let somebody else do that.”

She added, “It didn’t feel like the right fit for me.”

Abdul, meanwhile, has moved on to judging another show. She will be critiquing the contestants on The Masked Dancer, which, coincidentally, will air on the same night as Idol— Wednesday.

Paula recently said of working as a judge on the same night as her friend and former co-judge, Randy Jackson, “It’s fantastic. I mean, we’re both doing shows that are thoroughly fun and joyful and exciting, and it’s like, you know, the two of us are back doing what we love to do.”


Who Will Judge This Season of ‘American Idol’?

In August 2020, Variety announced that the lineup for this season’s judges is the same as last season’s.

That means that Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Ritchie will be returning to the show, with host Ryan Seacrest.

In a statement to Variety, the president of ABC Entertainment Karey Burke shared, “‘American Idol’ has always been able to bring people together, entertain and inspire – and I am so proud of how this show continued to deliver joy and laughter into people’s homes during a time when we needed it the most. There is no one who we feel more confident about leading us into a new season of high notes than Luke, Katy, Lionel and the incomparable Ryan Seacrest.”

Showrunner and executive producer Trish Kinane added on, “Katy, Lionel and Luke are fun, astute and really know how to spot talent. Their chemistry is undeniable, and we are delighted that they, along with host Ryan Seacrest, are returning to find the next superstar and take ‘American Idol’ to new heights next season.”

American Idoli will return for a new season on February 14, 2021.

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