question of the day: Who should get paid $38 million to be a judge on ‘American Idol’?

Someone who is qualified to judge sound quality and who can let people down easy.

I think both answers to why people watch American Idol is a bit naive and/or incomplete. Yes, there are those who watch for Simon to berate audiences and yes, there are those who watch for the kids with the "good" voices, but I think the heart of the show is the journey of the contestants year in and year out. It also allows people to connect with one or two (or more), to get invested in their successes as a reality show contestant and then as a musical artist. There's also something to being part of a national conversation. It IS the biggest show out there and so it's the one show that at least everyone can sort of converse about. In fact as I write this, it's reminding me a lot about the Olympics... rooting for someone, watching their journey, widespread conversation, etc.

But back to your REAL QOTD of who they should hire to replace Simon... certainly Simon's personality is SUCH an integral part of the show and while I don't think they have to follow such a strict template (see other reality shows getting their own headstrong British badmouths to try and capture some of the Idol magic), they should get Simon with as big a personality as Simon.

For some reason I keep thinking about... well if for some reason they have to replace Dr. House on House, can they even do that? Forget that he's the title character, but how would one do that?

Snow day is making me type crazily...

"Yes, there are those who watch for Simon to berate audiences..."

Of course I meant to say "berate the contestants..."

"...they should get Simon with as big a personality as Simon."

And similarly "they should get someone with as big..."

they should get someone with as big a personality as Simon.

Gordon Ramsey.

Gah, the snow day curse strikes me too!

Paul Lynde is who we really need in that spot, but unfortunately he's otherwise engaged.

Mickey Stevenson

Resume: former Motown producer/writer/head of A&R discovered Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves
wrote Dancing in the Streets, etc

Just for a change, let's have someone in there that actually has an eye for talent

You think American Idol is bad, you're getting the godawful and infinitely a million times worse X factor soon.

The audition rounds of American Idol are quite Gong Show. What happens is that the producers screen all the singers that go into the auditions, so if you do get a chance to perform in front of the panel, that maybe encourages you that you're in with a chance to go to Hollywood. I think that's cruel - making fun of people and their dreams on national tv. I swear the panel only see a couple of singers a day - it always annoys me when they do those "I'm so tired we've been working since dawn" montages of the panel when they probably see a fraction of the people that turn up.

The latter stages of the competition do throw up some great singers - I love Elliott Yamin! but I think that the dice is loaded in favour of the contestants the producers want to win - so why vote when there's so little choice?

Anyway rant over back to your initial question why are they just getting rid of Simon - why not a clean sweap - all Randy says is that was a little pitchy, dawg and Kara is weird. Nigel Lythgoe? he was the original Simon Cowell.

heh. If Paul Lynde were alive and hosting, I'd have to watch. Maybe it's for the best that he won't be on the show. B)

38 million?
Oh, me clearly.

Ugh... People really watch American Idol for the sob stories that people tell (otherwise known a the "journey of the contestants")? I guess that's why I DON'T watch it.

I do watch America's Best Dance Crew, and it's the same setup as Idol, and I always end up turning to a different station when they are telling the stories behind the dance crews. I guess they annoy me because the pick out the one member in the dance crew who's got a "life threatening disease" (or their grandma does or maybe their third cousin...) or who has had a "hard life" and use these stories to prey upon the emotions of the audience. I would rather see the best dancer win over the underdog who really doesn't have a high level of talent.

I think it actually DEVALUES people who genuinely have problems and aren't talented enough to get themselves anywhere near American Idol or ABDC.

It's an attitude of: "Let me take your sob story and tell it to the entire world and by our giving you this one opportunity your whole life will be better!" That might be true for a few contestants, but the vast majority will go right back to the lives they were living (with a little bit of notoriety thrown in).