I like Ellen DeGeneres, but I actually think she'd be better as the host. Sure, she could give the "everyman" view, but so could anyone else in the country.

With Ellen as the host, they should have some combination of Katy Perry, Celine Dion, Ben Folds, Brandy Norwood, Neil Patrick Harris, and a successful music exec like Simon Fuller (who is already associated with the show). Katy Perry and NPH were awesome and honest this season, making them ideal judges that would also make good TV. Celine Dion is a seasoned singer who would actually be familiar with vocal abilities. Brandy and Ben Folds were decent judges on America's Got Talent and that crappy acapella show, respectively, and the music exec would fill the Simon Cowell role to give the panel legitimacy.

Entertainment-wise, I'd go with Katy Perry, Celine Dion, Ben Folds, and Neil Patrick Harris, but like someone above said, they couldn't have such a racially homogeneous panel.

^^ Um, Brandy was awful as a judge on AGT. She was thankfully given the sack after one season. She was quite biased against the female contestants. That would not fly on Idol.

Read my earlier post on the ideal Idol panel. I'm convinced I'm right.

^^Yeah, Brandy was pretty crappy too. I was kind of stretching to get some racial diversity in there.

As useful as your ideal panel would be in terms of finding a legitimate singer/pop artist, it probably wouldn't fly in the Idol world because really only one of the four judges would likely be recognizable. No one would know the college prof or likely the critic or producer/music exec. At least with Idol's panel, Paula Abdul was known and respected, and Simon Cowell was entertainingly critical. They need someone with a Simon personality, namely one of the three "unknowns" on such a panel. If that doesn't happen, I don't know that people will watch- after all, let's be serious: Idol is about good TV moreso than finding a legit artist.

There hasn't been any since 1995.

Craptastic, Obviously you're a professional man, a gynecologist with X-Ray vision apparently judging by your 'crusty' observations, so congrats on that. And as to your comments about Kara's awful songs, well obviously you're a published songwriter yourself, right? Someone who's

never had any music published is hardly in a position to criticize someone who has. How many royalties have you collected over the years? And you must be stunningly beautiful yourself to render your opinion on someone else's looks. Post a picture with one of your snide comments, give the women of the world a treat! Look, my point is this: one can be clever and critical without being crude. Not liking Kara as a judge on the panel is one thing, 'crusty' comments just show a lack of creativity. A child resorts to name-calling, an adult makes a point in a non-vulgar, lucid manner.

It wouldn't be fair to Randy if he was fired after this season since he's supposed to be booked until next year. So they probably won't do it.

I'd be okay with it though. I would be mad if it was Kara though, since I love listening to her, her horniness, and her constant live failures ("Studio 57", differentiation between "Dream On" and "early Aerosmith", etc.). Kara will definitely be my favorite judge if there's an AI10.

That would be such a wet dream ! Randy gone... why did they wait so long ? Y'know what'm say'n... dude, just keepin' it real, you know the dog... tha' was not good, maaaaan !