Ellen takes on Idol

It is official, Paula is out and Ellen is in. Ellen DeGeneres will be joining the judging table for the upcoming 9^th season of American Idol.

Ellen is no stranger to television, or judging competitions for that matter. She recently appeared as a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance last season). This hilarious, and seemingly unstoppable Emmy award winning comedian and talk show host will join Simon, Randy and Kara DioGuardi as they critique the new season’s performances.

Shortly after Fox made the announcement, Ellen released video of her announcement to her live studio audience. According to the Idol website, Ellen is excited to judge. She’s been a fan of the show since the first season. Upon announcing her new roll with Idol, the studio audience on The Ellen Show erupted in excitement, and so did Ellen.

It is apparent that she is thrilled to take on the new roll – but are American Idol viewers?

Each judge brings something different to the show; but what will Ellen bring to the table? If her guest judging on So You Think You Can Dance was any clue, she’ll use her signature style and comedic timing to keep things light and fresh.

She’s got do direct music experience, so critiquing singers in that respect is not what she’s after. She wants to be the voice of the people. After all, she is just like us; well, sort of.

As an avid music lover (and dancing enthusiast), she holds a special place in the hearts of the American public. She’s grown tremendously in popularity over the last few years. It can be suspected that the love she exudes on stage will translate to a warm, inviting atmosphere that contestants and viewers will be able to relate to.

Simultaneously to working on Idol, Ellen will be going into the 7^th season of her own program, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Look out Ryan Seacrest, you’ve got some competition! You won’t be the only busy one on set.

Ellen will be joined this season by a multitude of celebrity guest judges including Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, and Shania Twain. Ellen will begin as a judge once the auditions for the show begin.

Ellen DeGeneres will bring true star power to the Idol dynasty. She’s won many accolades over the years. She was recently named one of Forbes’ “Most Influential Women in Media” and the “Favorite TV Personality” as determined by Harris Poll.

DeGeneres will bring a fresh new perspective to the show in its search for the next big star. It is exactly this influence and star quality that Idol needs as the show forges on in the wake of numerous failed reality shows.