Fox Plans To Replace Abdul On Idol

While Paula Abdul says she’s not returning to American Idol, it looks like Fox is still shopping around to fill the fourth seat at the judges table, rather than reverting back to the three-judge format with Kara DioGuardi taking over as the lone female judge between Randy and Simon.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Fox is going to have guest-judges participate during the audition process while they look for a replacement for Abdul to join the series later on, presumably during the Hollywood rounds.

"Our intention is to have guest judges at each of the auditions," Fox entertainment chairman Peter Rice said at the TCA summer press tour. "Our intention is to have the guest judges be female pop stars, female performers, female artists. Between now and January we will come up with a more permanent solution (and) come up with a replacement for Paula. There's also something exciting about that, and we'll be looking to bring a different element and a different energy to this season."

My one question is: Why?! Seriously, isn’t three enough? Ok, technically that’s two questions but honestly, I don’t see why it’s so important to have four judges. Unless it’s either because Fox has money to burn or else, is hoping to appease the people who are disappointed by Paula’s departure by hyping up the new season with the announcement of whoever it is they manage to get lined up to join the show.. I guess I can see the element of excitement in that but I think I’d be happier knowing we only had to listen to three judges critique the singers as opposed to an unnecessary fourth.

We don’t really get a say though, do we? If we did, I’d start begging Fox to pull Quentin Tarantino away from his movie-making business for a few months and bring him on as judge #4. While Tarantino might seem like an unlikely candidate for the job (and yeah, he’s probably tied up making bloody movies about killin’ Nazis and what not) he did serve as a guest mentor in a previous season of Idol and a guest judge in season three. Tarantino proved that while his business may be movies, he’s a fan of the American Idol. His criticisms and advice for the contestants were all pretty much spot on and it was clear that he actually watches the show, even when he’s not on it. I won’t hold my breath but at the very least, it’d be awesome if Fox got him back for a guest-judge appearance at some point during the upcoming season.