Simon Cowell to Be a Judge on X Factor

Simon Cowell won't speculate on who will be behind the judges' table on the American version of The X Factor, but he confirms there will be one familiar face on the panel – himself.

"Once the show goes into production, I become a judge," Cowell told reporters Monday. "Then I have to put my trust into the producers' hands, which is effectively how it works in the U.K. Yes, I am judging."

Before the show starts, Cowell will serve as executive producer and participate in the selection of the judging panel, which has been widely speculated about. Nicole Scherzinger, Rihanna, Jessica Simpson, Paula Abdul, Cheryl Cole, Katy Perry and Will Smith have all been rumored as possible judges on the show.

Cowell says feelers are out to certain possible judges, though he would not list their names. Asked about his former Idol pal Abdul, he said, "I'm a massive fan of Paula. We honestly haven't made our mind up yet … We're talking to a number of people. We hope to make an announcement in three to four weeks."

So, can viewers expect the same hard-nosed Simon Cowell they have come to expect from his years on American Idol? Or will he be a softer, gentler Simon on X Factor?

"I started to cringe over the years as I saw people being booked as the so-called 'mean' judge and being gratuitously rude for the sake of it. I had my own style and like to think I'm honest and wouldn't sugarcoat something to make myself popular," he said. "I am gong to try and be consistent, as I have been over the years … People know what to expect if I'm on the judging panel. I don't think things will change too much."

Cowell is excited about judging on this show since, unlike on Idol, it will involve working directly with contestants. "I wanted to make a show where I could help the competitors on a weekly basis and that's more interesting to me because I will have a lot more to do," he said.

On X-Factor" competitors will make home visits to the judges during the evaluation process and perform in front of live audiences of several thousand right from the start to see "who can handle the pressure," adds Cowell.

Plus, the stakes are high for the hopeful stars: The winner of X Factor will be awarded $5 million record deal, the largest guaranteed prize in TV history.

Cowell also says he's glad that audiences are still interested in talent competitions. "The good news is people are still excited about these shows – Idol, Dancing with the Stars, America's Got Talent – people, thank god, still like these shows and that gives me confidence for when we launch ours [in the fall]."

Jennifer Lopez & Steven Tyler a Hit on Idol

Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler's debut as American Idol judges has proved a hit with the critics.

Season 10 of the TV talent show got underway on Wednesday night with Tyler and Lopez replacing Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell on the hit show - and the two superstars wowed contestants and TV critics with their enthusiastic response to wannabes at auditions in New Jersey, which were taped last year.

The Los Angeles Times' Mary McNamara writes, "Moments into Wednesday night’s season premiere, it was gratifyingly clear that for the first time in a long time the fumblings and flailings of contestants fighting to find their feet on stage will not be mirrored by the judges' table.

"Not only are they great to look at, Lopez and Tyler are long-time stars who have nothing to gain, or lose, by being part of American Idol."

She adds, "Their natural confidence in front of the camera was such a blessed relief that it was hard to miss even the bracing ballistics of Simon Cowell."

New York Post critic Linda Stasi agreed, calling the duo's "instant chemistry" with existing judge Randy Jackson "so right, they couldn’t have created it in a lab".

She continues, "Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler are not and will never be Paula (Abdul, another former judge) and Simon. They didn’t do the brother/sister love/hate thing - and didn’t try to. And that was great. They did something completely different. They were themselves - two superstars fully engaged and absorbed. And not with themselves, but with the contestants. Perfect."

However, the show lost a few viewers - the premiere opened to the lowest ratings since season one.

New Judge Jennifer Lopez Feels 'Anxious' Before American Idol Eliminations

Jennifer Lopez is finding out just how hard it is to be an American Idol judge.

"I get very involved and attached to the kids, in the sense of their trajectory and watching them," Lopez, 41, said after Idol's Tuesday's Television Critics Association's press panel, in anticipation of having to eliminate 50 percent of the contestants during a taping later in the day.

"I feel really anxious about cutting half the kids today, I really do," the pop star added. "I'm really not looking forward to it. You want to pick the right ones and you want to see who's really going to make a great show, and at the same time, be great artists. But I feel like we have so many good ones that we're going to lose some good ones today. And that's what bothers me."

And like a lot people starting a new job, Lopez says she has work on her mind even when she's not at the "office." "I realize that when we went away before we did Hollywood Week, I was thinking about the kids so much before we went back for the [Las Vegas round]," Lopez said. "I was just like, 'Oh, my God, I hope that so-and-so does good, and I wish this one would just let go a little more ... ' You just get involved ... You hope that they do great."

But Lopez says her soft-heartedness doesn't mean she's already filling the shoes of former judges Paula Abdul and Ellen DeGeneres, who were both known for being encouraging and sympathetic to the show's singers.

"I can't really say I would be like any one judge," Lopez said. "I think that I have a combination of qualities that make me who I am and gives me a specific style of how I deal with the kids and how I dish out the truth – and also dish out the comfort. That's just part of who I am."

American Idol's 10th season premieres next Wednesday at 8:00 pm (ET) on FOX.

Midseason TV Premieres: When to Look for Paula Abdul, Matthew Perry, & the New Idol Judges

Now that we don’t have Outlaw, My Generation, or The Whole Truth to pick on anymore, there is a whole new batch of shows that are about to battle for your attention on the broadcast networks.

Will ABC’s new comedy starring Matthew Perry attract more viewers than Courteney Cox was luring with Cougar Town? Will David E. Kelley bring his A-game to Harry’s Law on NBC? Will the new judges — and new timeslot — boost ratings for American Idol?

Here are the start dates for new and returning shows on the Big Four. (The CW has yet to announce any changes to its midseason lineup.)

Jan. 3
The Bachelor (season premiere, ABC)

Jan. 4
V (season premiere, ABC)
Live to Dance (series premiere, CBS)
The Biggest Loser: Couples (season premiere, NBC)

Jan. 6
Wipeout (season premiere, ABC)

Jan. 9
The Cape (series premiere, NBC)
Bob’s Burgers (series premiere, Fox)

Jan. 12
Off the Map (series premiere, ABC)

Jan. 17
Harry’s Law (series premiere, NBC)

Jan. 19
American Idol (season premiere, Fox)

Jan. 20
Parks and Recreation (season premiere, NBC)
Perfect Couples (series premiere, NBC)

Feb. 7
The Chicago Code (series premiere, Fox)

Feb. 8
Mixed Signals (series premiere, Fox)

Feb. 9
Mr. Sunshine (series premiere, ABC)

Feb. 16
Survivor (season premiere, CBS)

Feb. 28
The Event (show returns from hiatus, NBC)

March 6
Celebrity Apprentice (season premiere, NBC)

March 16
The Marriage Ref (season premiere, NBC)
America’s Next Great Restaurant (series premiere, NBC)

March 29
Body of Proof (series premiere, ABC)

April 6
Breaking In (series premiere, Fox)

April 12
Happy Endings (series premiere, ABC)

Descriptions for new shows:

The Chicago Code (formerly Ride-Along) is a new police drama from creator Shawn Ryan that stars Jason Clark (Brotherhood) and Jennifer Beals (Lie to Me).

Bob’s Burgers is a new animated comedy about a man, his family, and a burger joint.

Mixed Signals is a relationship comedy that stars David Denman (The Office), Nelson Franklin (I Love You, Man), and Kris Marshall (Human Target).

Breaking In (working title) is a workplace comedy based at a high-tech security firm.

Mr. Sunshine stars Matthew Perry as a self-absorbed manager of a San Diego sports arena.

Happy Endings features Elisha Cuthbert (24) as a gal who breaks up with her fiancée (Zach Knighton of FlashForward) on their wedding day.

Body of Proof stars Dana Delany as a neurosurgeon who’s forced to make a career change after a car accident prevents her from running to the emergency room.

Harry’s Law is a new legal drama starring Kathy Bates.

America’s Next Great Restaurant is an elimination competition in which the winner will earn his or her own restaurant chain.

The Cape is about a wrongly accused cop who dons a cape and mask to fight corruption.

Perfect Couples has been described as depicting “the misadventures of three engaging couples as they struggle to find out what makes the ideal relationship — and how to maintain it through humorous trial-and-error.”

Live to Dance is Paula Abdul’s new competition show that awards $500,000 to the top hoofer.

Paula Abdul Looking for Unique' Dancers

Paula Abdul has a tip for anyone trying out for her new show: Don't bore her.

"We want people that are unique and passionate about dancing and ones that will show me something I haven't seen before," Abdul told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show Monday of her new competition show on CBS, Live to Dance.

The former American Idol judge says viewers will be treated to a no-holds-barred approach to dance.

"We're looking for all forms of dance and you can be any age, any style of dance, [and] any number of people or individuals can get on stage," she says. Abdul also recommends that dancers "fuse styles together," suggesting a tap-dancer could perform with a hip-hop group in the same number.

Despite her excitement for the new project, Abdul confesses to Seacrest that she still pines for the days she worked with him and Simon Cowell on Idol, telling the radio host, "I miss you guys so much."

Live to Dance will premiere on CBS in January.

Got rhythm? The next round of auditions will be Thursday at 8:00 am (PT) at CenterStaging in Burbank, California.

Paula Abdul Excited About New TV Talent Show

Paula Abdul is moving on from her American Idol days to a new TV talent show: Live to Dance. The 48-year-old star will be on the judging panel for the dance competition series alongside Pussycat Doll star Kimberly Wyatt and Michael Jackson’s choreographer Travis Payne. Australian presenter Andrew Gunsberg will be the host.

A statement released by CBS said: “Executive producer, lead expert and mentor Paula Abdul will be joined by host Andrew Gunsberg and fellow experts, choreographer Travis Payne and singer-and-dancer Kimberly Wyatt.

Live to Dance represents one of the most inclusive talent searches on television, searching for dancers with raw ability from any age group across the nation performing either solo or in a group.”

The show, which offers a $500,000 prize and will air in January, is based on the British series Got to Dance, which featured Kimberly as one of the judges.

Writing on her twitter page, Paula – whose involvement with the show was revealed in May - revealed she is excited about the auditions. She wrote: “Tick tock! soon it'll be time to audition for Live to Dance! Can't wait to see all you dance innovators.”

The team are auditioning dancers in New York today and Paula was so excited last night she couldn’t sleep. She tweeted: “SO excited for Live to Dance auditions tomorrow don't know if I'll sleep tonight! can't wait to see all the awesome, red-hot NY dancers! xoP”

Paula Abdul: Simon Cowell Will Be a Loving Husband

Now that Simon Cowell is engaged to girlfriend Mezghan Hussainy, Paula Abdul says the American Idol judge might show a softer side once he's married.

"That's left to be determined!" Abdul said backstage at the LG Electronics gift lounge at the Tony Awards. "I know Simon so well and honest to God, I think he's at that stage in his life where he's a grown-up Simon now, making him a great and loving husband. But he still has that little bad boy in him."

Cowell and Hussainy have been dating for nearly a year and met several years ago on Idol, where she's a makeup artist. When news broke in February that the couple were engaged, Abdul says she was shocked.

"It took me about 12 days to take my jaw off the ground and put it back up," says Abdul of hearing the news. "But Mezghan is a lovely girl and I've known her for a long time. They make a great couple and I'm happy for them."

Not that the blunt and often critical Cowell has gushed to Abdul about his fiancée yet.

"That would be an alter ego of Simon to gush about her. That is not part of his DNA," Abdul says. "However, I know that he's in a happy place so that makes me happy. He would never gush about anyone unless it was about himself and that's why we love Simon."

Who's This Year's American Idol? Crystal or Lee? We've Got Your Results!

After performing three songs each on Tuesday night, Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze participated in Idol‘s grand finale Wednesday, paying tribute to Simon Cowell on his last night on the show before finding out which one was the season 9 winner.

While Lee went into the final night of performances as a favorite, Crystal was the judges’ choice for all three rounds of songs.

But who did America vote for?

Lee DeWyze!

Even though his Tuesday-night performances weren’t as consistent or powerful as Crystal’s, the judges repeatedly remarked on an inching-forward that made Lee someone worth rooting for. Audiences saw that, too.

That just wasn’t quite the case with Crystal, who to her credit had a very good voice and a grounded stage personality.

Overall, as many frustrated fans of the show have already noted, it wasn’t a great season. The suspense of the title contest barely even heated up until the last few minutes of the show Wednesday night. (Ryan Seacrest said the voting had been tight leading up to the finale, but he made no allusion to how big a gap separated Lee and Crystal at the end.) What if it’d been, say, Siobhan Magnus versus Casey James?

Instead, the season’s musical highpoint was arguably Gen. Larry Platt‘s “Pants on the Ground.” Unfortunately, his performance of it Wednesday night was spoiled with the arrival of William Hung, who’s stuck in the unhappy role of Idol jester.

The night mattered chiefly as a farewell to Simon Cowell, kingpin of the judges’ panel. The finale repeatedly paused to salute him, and rightly so. A good deal of the celebration was tongue-in-cheek, tweaking him for his acerbic opinions, his rudeness and so on. Dane Cook sang a small song with lyrics extracted from Simon’s insults — a sort of miniature roastIt was so awful you wished thought balloons would appear above Simon’s head, full of toxic comments. Plus a "Kayne" moment occured during Dane's performance with Idol reject, Ian Bernando, hijacked the microphone and starting to "rap" that he was going to be Simon's replacement. NOT!

Finally, though, Paula Abdul was brought onstage — looking absolutely fantastic — and spoke of Simon with humor and affection. “American Idol’s not going to be the same without you … but it will go on,” she said, alluding as well to her own departure from the show. It was great to see Paula back on Idol, though it was short lived.

Then most of former winners (Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks and Kris Allen) came out singing, with the exception of David Cook who had a prior charity engagement, and it was all much more genuinely sentimental than you or Simon would ever have expected. “You guys are the judge of this show,” he said to the audience after Ryan called him onto the stage, “and you’ve done an incredible job.”

The guest artist who performed last night with the season 9 finalists included Chicago, Joe Cocker, Bret Michaels, Alanis Morissette, Christina Aguilera (with an incredible performance), Hall & Oates, the return of Barry & Robin Gibb (without their beloved brother Maurice Gibb) and beautiful Janet Jackson.

Over all it was great night, but not one of the best Idol's finale.

Congratulations to Lee DeWyze for a well deserving win!

Paula Abdul: GOT TO DANCE Judge on CBS!

Paula Abdul will be a judge on the CBS dance competition series called GOT TO DANCE, which will likely air mid-season.

According to THR, the 47-year-old will serve as the lead judge, executive producer, creative partner, mentor and coach.

The competition series, which is based off of a U.K. reality show, is billed as the first all-ages all-genres dance series “from ballroom to break dance, bhangra to ballet, and tap to tango.”

This past August, Paula announced she was leaving American Idol after eight years.

GOT TO DANCE might compete directly against Idol, the first time that Simon Cowell won’t be judge.

Will Paula Abdul Return for American Idol Finale?

It’s no secret that the producers of American Idol like to keep the names of performers on finale night under wraps.

But two things are certain — Crystal Bowersox or Lee DeWyze will be crowned the season 9 champ on Wednesday, and fans will see the last of Simon Cowell before he jumps over to X Factor in 2011.

But a source has said that a special send-off planned for the cranky judge will feature some Idol alums, including a special appearance by Paula Abdul.

And among the superstars taking the stage? Watch for a great performance by Christina Aguilera.

Simon Cowell: My Replacement Has to Be Good-Looking

Simon Cowell may be leaving American Idol after the current season but don’t think he doesn’t care about who his replacement will be. In a conference call Thursday with reporters, Cowell talked about who is right for his job, the rumors that he and Ellen DeGeneres are squabbling and why he thinks Lady Gaga should mentor the latest crop of Idol hopefuls.

There have been rumors that you and Ellen DeGeneres aren’t getting along. Could you address them?
I wouldn’t say that we didn’t get on well. I don’t know Ellen that well. It was a difficult position for her because she started work on the Hollywood week, which is quite a difficult show to do. There was one story I read that [said] I turned up an hour late for something and that she wanted to film. The truth was I think I turned up 15 or 20 minutes late because I did a press conference earlier in the day. And they did start filming, but that wasn’t a particular problem. There was no fall out. I was trying to guide her through the week and that was it really.

What do you miss most about Paula Abdul?
Well Paula is my friend, amazingly, even though we used to argue a lot. She was somebody I got really close to over the years. We’d hang out together after the show. She always made me laugh. I always thought she was funny. It was just like not having your friend on the show anymore, so I do miss her.

What does it feel like to have people say that you’re irreplaceable?
It’s very, very flattering. I really do appreciate it. Like I said before, the show goes on. I’m going to feel sad when it all ends.

What kind of person could replace you?
You have to be good looking. Secondly, you have to know what you’re talking about. I’m starting to realize with these shows that you have to put people on that actually know what they’re talking about. Rather than guessing, they really have to have experience, so that you cannot just criticize — you can offer constructive advice as well.

How much music experience is required for the judging job?
I think it’s really important. When we first started we had a record producer, an artist and an A&R man. So you’ve covered pretty much everything. I would say someone who has had managerial experience is always helpful. But in simplistic terms if you’re going to give a score you generally need to know what you’re talking about. I think over the years judges have been replaced by personalities. That in the long term will create problems because you’ve got to be able to spot a star. So whoever replaces me, my advice has always been find somebody who actually knows what they’re talking about.

How does that apply to Howard Stern?
He doesn’t seem to fit any of the criteria. He’s played records. Maybe that’s a good qualification — that he’s played records and is a DJ. But he obviously wants the job. Good luck to him.

You’ve said people need to be seasoned in the music business to be a judge. Are those comments directed at Ellen?
I was thinking that … people are going to misinterpret what I’m saying. I’ll tell you why I think Ellen is a good choice. She actually is very responsible for the people who perform on her show. I know that for a fact because I’ve dealt with her as a record label. She loves music and she’s been an artist. No it wasn’t meant to dis her credentials. It was specifically talking about my replacement because my role on the show is as someone who has run a successful record label. So that was specifically for my replacement.

Is it important that a woman win this year?
Depends what she’s like. We’ve had a few years now of guys winning the show. I would say that it’s definitely a better chance of a girl winning the show this year.

What would be the right type of woman to win?
You want somebody who represents what’s going on at the moment. I’d love to find a Taylor Swift … somebody who is relevant rather than just a contest winner.

What mentors are you hoping to work with during the season?
We should have Lady Gaga because she is the most relevant pop artist in the world at the moment. She’s very smart. I like her.

Paula Abdul on Dancing with the Stars?

Paula Abdul has a million reasons to appear on "Dancing with the Stars."

ABC has offered Abdul a $1,000,000 development deal, with one catch -- she has to appear on "DWTS," sources tell TMZ.

ABC has been going after Paula for a few years now, trying to get her on "DWTS."

According to the proposed deal, ABC would allow Paula to do "The X Factor" with Simon Cowell. We're told Simon and Paula met a week ago to discuss the show, and it looks like it will happen.

Paula has to make a quick decision -- we're told the ABC offer is contingent on Paula doing "DWTS" this season, which starts in March.

A rep for ABC says they don't comment on prospective cast members.

Star Sighting: Revealing the AMA Nominees

All dressed up with an awards show to announce, Snoop Dogg, Paula Abdul and American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert reveal the nominees for the 2009 American Music Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday – where Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson led the pack with five nominations.

"X Factor" Key in Simon Cowell's Deal with Fox

"The X Factor," a music talent show on British television, may be coming to the U.S. via Fox and a deal with the show's creator, "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell.

Cowell, in the final year of his contract on "Idol," had been open about his desire to bring his mega-hit British format to the U.S., something he couldn't do under his existing "Idol" pact.

Now Fox and Cowell are said to be hammering out a deal to launch an American version of "X Factor" -- while locking in Cowell as an "Idol" judge for two more years, through the 2011-12 season.

The deal has not been finalized, and major points are being negotiated, but it is rumored that Cowell could earn about $50 million a season for "Idol" and that a successful "X Factor" might bring him an additional $50 million a cycle.

It has not been determined whether Cowell, who would executive produce "X Factor" for Fox, also would appear as a judge. Other rumored celebrity candidates for the judges' panel are former "Idol" co-star Paula Abdul and two judges on the British "X Factor," pop star Cheryl Cole and talent manager Louis Walsh.

All parties involved in the negotiations declined comment Wednesday.

Ellen DeGeneres Defend Her Qualifications to be an “American Idol” Judge

People griping about Ellen DeGeneres not being qualified to be a judge on American Idol need to get a grip. Ellen is already more qualified than former judge Paula Abdul in a very important way: she can speak in complete sentences.

Sorry Paula fans, but it’s true!

Anyway, Ellen defended her qualifications on her daytime show Tuesday: “Apparently, there’s a lot of debate going on right now, whether I’m qualified or not to be the new judge on ‘American Idol’… I’ll tell you right now, how I know I’m going to be a great judge — because I’ve spent my whole life being judged. So, I know what it’s like. So, I will be kind. I will be compassionate. I will be empathetic, and I will be truthful. I will be an honest judge without being mean.”

“I’m very excited to be on the show. I will tell you that right now,” she added. “I just continue to be excited every single day. I knew people would have opinions, and I did not want to know what they were because why should I take that stuff in? I try not to watch anything that I think is going to be talking about me….”

VH1 Divas Live Concert - Paula Abdul

Last night we had the pleasure of listening to a new generation of "Divas" at the resurrected VH1 Divas Live concert, hosted by Paula Abdul.

Here is Paula Abdul's Medley of Hits performance:

VH1 Divas Divas Video

Rosie O'Donnell Likes Ellen as New Idol Judge

When Rosie O’Donnell was asked what she thought of Ellen DeGeneres being selected to replace Paula Abdul as a judge on American Idol, you didn’t expect anything less than an honest answer did you?

“I think she’ll be very good at that show,” Rosie told Access Hollywood as she ventured out for Fashion’s Night Out in New York City on Thursday evening.

”’[She’ll be] much better than Paula who was often incoherent,’ she said, causing another feud,” Rosie said, referring to her own headline-grabbing statement in the third person.

Well, I know there are lots of Paula fans but I gotta say that watching her try and put a sentence together was painful. Some kind of change was needed and Ellen will at the very least be articulate.

As for Rosie, we can expect lots more headlines from the outspoken former moderator of The View as she prepares to host her own radio show on SIRIUS XM this fall.

Rosie added that she could never imagine herself as a judge on the show: “It’s all the way out in LA, No. 1. And No. 2, I could never really say anything mean to those kids trying.”

She also stopped watching the show a few years ago anyway: “I kind of went off a little on ‘American Idol’ when they started making fun of the mentally challenged kids a few years ago. I didn’t really enjoy that. Haven’t really watched it since.”

Paula Wishes Ellen ‘Best of Luck’

Paula Abdul may be gone from American Idol but she got to give one last enthusiastic thumbs-up: to her replacement Ellen DeGeneres.

On her Twitter page, Abdul wrote in Webspeak: “I think Ellen will b a gr8 judge on Idol. She is wildly funny, talented and I wish her the best of luck!”

Her selection also won raves from fellow judge Kara DioGuardi, who said she was “thrilled.”

“I’m a huge Ellen DeGeneres fan,” DioGuardi says in a radio interview airing Friday with Sirius XM’s Larry Flick. “I think she’s going to bring so much to the show. She’s somebody who loves music. She’s positive. She loves kids. She’s somebody who has watched the show from the beginning, knows everything there is to know about American Idol. And I think ultimately it’s going to be a great new energy.”

DioGuardi, who joined the show last season, says she has not yet spoken to DeGeneres. “I want to get her email to say congratulations,” says DioGuardi. “I’m so excited to hang out with her … I would to say this is great and let her know I am completely ecstatic.”

Just before the start of the ninth season’s tapings, Abdul abruptly announced that with “sadness in my heart” she was leaving the highly rated show hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

DeGeneres, 51, begins her stint as the show’s fourth judge after the audition rounds, which have featured a rotating group of celebrity guest judges. Idol resumes in January on Fox television.

Ellen DeGeneres Replacing Paula Abdul on Idol

Ellen DeGeneres is taking Paula Abdul's place as the fourth judge on American Idol.

"DeGeneres will sit alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi and offer her own unique perspective to the contestants throughout the competition," Fox television says in a statement.

DeGeneres, 51, begins her stint after the audition rounds, which have featured a rotating group of celebrity guest judges including Shania Twain, Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Joe Jonas and Kristin Chenoweth.

Two Jobs

"I'm going to have a day job and a night job," DeGeneres said at her talk show taping Wednesday, assuring her audience that The Ellen DeGeneres Show will continue. "This is so exciting for me."

Abdul abruptly announced in August, just before the start of American Idol's ninth season, that with "sadness in my heart" she was leaving the highly rated show hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

In the taping for Thursday's Ellen DeGeneres Show, DeGeneres said the deal had been in the works for the last couple of weeks. "I've been dying to tell everyone," she says. "It's just been so hard to keep it a secret and we just finally got the OK and I'm so excited. It is going to be so much fun."

The People's Voice

She said she's been a longtime fan of the show – "I have not missed one episode" – and she plans to serve as the voice of the regular audience member.

"Hopefully I'm the people's point of view because I'm just like you," DeGeneres says. "I sit at home and I watch it. … I'm not looking at it in a critical way from the producer's mind. I'm looking at it as a person who is going to buy the music and is going to relate to that person.

The next season of American Idol begins in January. In the statement released by Fox, Idol creator and executive producer Simon Fuller says, "Ellen has been a fan of the show for many years, and her love of music and understanding of the American public will bring a unique human touch to our judging panel."

Paula Abdul Says Leaving Idol Wasn't About Money

In one of her first interviews since announcing her departure from American Idol, Paula Abdul reveals why she left her post on the judges’ panel — and wasn’t just about money.

“I had to stand on my principle,” Abdul, 47, tells TV Guide. “I’m going to miss the experience of watching young talent evolve into a place where they get to take off and soar.”

The former Idol judge, who calls the show an “amazing experience,” says her decision wasn’t solely about a paycheck dispute. “I stand on principle where many people stand on money,” she says. “I’m a hard-working artist. I’ve lasted in this business for 23 years. And you can’t do that unless you are good at what you do.”

That success seems to have given Abdul a confidence that will last in her post-Idol career. “I believe in myself and you have to have your own self respect,” Abdul says. “And sometimes decisions are very difficult to make, but I’ve always believed that at the core I’m a survivor. There’s not one thing I’ve done that I’ve really set my mind to that I’ve failed at.”

So what’s next? “I definitely want to do a talk show because it would be different,” she says. “It would be a lot of fun variety with a ton of unexpected stuff and tributes to everyday people getting their big chance.”

Abdul, who’s been busy shooting a guest role on Lifetime’s comedy Drop Dead Diva, says just because she’s no longer sitting beside Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson doesn’t mean she will not tune in to TV’s top talent search. “I had some really unforgettable moments that hit plateaus for me and I’m very blessed to have been a part of what made television history,” she says.

And finally, Abdul expressed gratitude to her fans. “The fans all should know I adore, love, appreciate and respect how much they’ve expressed their outpouring of love and support for me,” Abdul says. “That’s what keeps me going in lots of ways.”