With the news that Ellen DeGeneres will be keeping the fourth judge’s chair warm on the upcoming season of American Idol (read Deb’s take on it here — I agree, Deb; it’s brilliant), I couldn’t help but ponder how Ellen and Paula Abdul are similar … or not … let’s break it down….
Hooker-Wear vs. Normal-Wear. They’re both cute as a button, but with Paula’s propensity for low-cut duds and giant earrings, I sometimes wondered if she was heading out to the nearest corner after the show. I’ll look forward to Ellen’s more normal attire … you know, like the rest of us out here wear.
Lovably Loopy vs. Crazy Loopy. Paula pretty much has the market cornered on loopiness, whether she’s rambling on about a contestant’s previous performance that never happened or struggling to come up with a never-before-heard adjective to describe a performance. That’s not to say that Ellen can’t be loopy. But she’s lovably loopy as compared to crazy loopy. I’m all over the lovably loopy schtick.
The Seal-Clap vs. the Ellen-Clap. I’ll look forward to seeing how Ellen claps for the contestants. I was getting tired of Paula’s seal-clapping. I half expected to return from the commercial break to see her balancing a ball on her nose. What’s worse, I started clapping that way after a while. That’s so sad.
Contestant Love vs. Fan Love. It’s clear that both of these gals love the contestants and want them to do well. Paula always encouraged them and always tried to find something good to say about even the worst performance. “Well, you LOOK fantastic tonight,” was the death knell signaling that the contestant sucked bad. Likewise, Ellen is always the first talk show host to get the cast-offs and sometimes features a big poster with all of their photos, noting who’s still left in the competition. I think Ellen fits more into the “fan love” category at this point, but that’s not a bad thing.
Career Dancing vs. Happy Dancing. Paula’s choreographed number for the contestants last season was a train wreck. I appreciate that she’s trying to revive her career in that way, but give it up, Paula. Just stop swimming, okay? Or at least swim in a different direction. On the other hand, I’d LOVE for Ellen to create a dance number for the contestants AND dance along with them. That would be a thing of beauty, for sure. Just keep swimming, Ellen, just keep swimming.
Fitting In vs. Not Fitting In. Paula seemed to get along really well with the other judges (mostly), and I wonder how Ellen will fare on this count. She’s definitely a people person, but will she “fit in” with the others? Will they let her be her lovable self? Or will she feel forced to offer in-depth critiques, when really, her strength is lightening things up? I hope she just lightens things up. Let the others talk about pitch and range.
My love for American Idol had waned in recent years, but with Ellen onboard, I’m actually excited for the next season to start. What about you? Are you happy to see Ellen in the judge’s chair? Do you think it’ll revive American Idol? Did it need reviving?
Clacked by Jane Boursaw 
on Sep 11, 2009 @ 09:02 EST5EDT
I have been thinking about this, and the show finally realizes it. AI is not a singing show, it’s an entertainment soup opera show were people compete. It’s kind of like “pro” wrestling. With Ellen on board who can’t sing and only “dances” for fun this shows that American Idol itself cares less about the singing and more about the entertainment.
If Ellen Degenerate is in I won’t be watching Idol!
I must admit I was a little shocked when I heard Ellen was picked to replace Paula, but my eyeballs will be very happy I am not rolling them every time Paula tries to talk. Not sure how Simon will feel about the normal clothes Ellen will be wearing, but I will be happy not seeing Paula’s cleavage!!! I am very excited to see how Ellen does as a judge.