Ellen DeGeneres joining 'Idol' judges panel

She may not sing much, but Ellen is doing her little dance on over to the judges' table on Fox's American Idol.

Stand-up comic, talk-show host and rabid Idol fan Ellen DeGeneres will be the fourth judge on the new season starting in January, Fox announced Wednesday and DeGeneres revealed to her audience during the taping of a show to air today. DeGeneres takes the seat vacated by Paula Abdul, who left the show in a salary dispute last month.

Ex- Idol songster: Paula Abdul earns $20 Million!

Paula Abdul's excellent buddy and previous American Idol wannabe Michael Johns speaks it's time for the reality show's makers to pay up.
He doesn't understand why they didn't give the ousted judge what she wanted to stay on.
"She's not asking for what [Ryan] Seacrest is getting paid," Johns told us last night at In Style editor Ariel Foxman's Summer Soiree party at the London hotel in West Hollywood. "She's asking for $20 million over three years, so I think she totally deserves that money. She's a huge reason people tune in to the show…I think Fox should pull their finger out and pay her what she deserves."
Johns said Abdul confided in him during the negotiations.

'USA Idol' ABC wishes Paula Abdul to skip on over post

ABC is joining the refrain of those looking for to hire Paula Abdul, who said she renounces "American Idol."
ABC programming chief Stephen McPherson told the Television Critics Association on Saturday that he was "stunned" to hear she'd decided to leave the top-rated Fox series and that he's contacted Abdul, whom he called an old friend.
McPherson told Abdul he'd love to see her at ABC, home of "Dancing with the Stars."
Abdul announced last Tuesday she was leaving as an "Idol" judge following stalemated contract talks with Fox and the show's producers. She said she quickly started receiving "wonderful" offers.

Jordin ignites: American Idol "Dumb" to misplace Paula!

Jordin ignites is not happy about the Paula Abdul situation over at American Idol.It was dumb on American Idol's part," the winner of season six told us earlier today at 102.7 KISS-FM's Teen Choice Awards gifting lounge. "I love American Idol and I respect them. It's because of them that I got my start, but Paula was one of the original judges. She helped soften the blow for contestants when we didn't do well. I love Paula.

"The show will definitely not be the same without her, and I feel bad that future contestants will not get to experience having her on the show," she continued. "I'm so sad."

But when the going gets sad, the sad go swagging. Among the free loot that Ms. Sparks picked up at the lounge were a Disney Couture skull wrap, some Too Faced lash injection Mascara and metal and eye-liner and a Graffiti Remarkable backpack.