Jennifer Lopez might replace Ellen DeGeneres as 'American Idol' judge, reports say

07/29/2010 by Kristina Lopez

Jennifer Lopez might be joining American Idol according to Variety and Deadline.com. She would take up the judges' chair left vacant by Ellen DeGeneres who announced earlier today that she has left the show citing a busy work schedule and saying she felt it difficult to "judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings."

Fox has declined to comment on the alleged deal with Lopez. The American Idol stage in nothing new to the triple threat who served as a mentor on the show during Latin night in 2007.

DeGeneres, host of daytime talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, replaced Paula Abdul in the previous ninth season. Simon Cowell left the series after the May finale.

"I told them I wouldn't leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for," she said.

The American Idol judges table currently consists of Randy Jackson, who has been on the singing contest series since it began in 2002 and Kara DioGuardi, who joined the series in 2009.

Cowell has said he began to become bored with American Idol about two years ago and is set to launch in the fall of 2011 a new show, X Factor - the U.S. version of a talent competition series he judged and developed in the United Kingdom.

The ratings for the American Idol finale in May were the lowest recorded among its season ending episodes. General ratings for American Idol have more than tripled since the series debuted in 2002 but have declined slowly during the past few years. Peak ratings were recorded in about 2006, or the fifth season.

Nigel Lythgoe is said to be nearing a deal to return as a producer of the show and even mentioned American Idol through what appeared to be a slip of the tongue on a recent episode of his dance contest show So You Think You Can Dance. FOX and production company 19 Entertainment have not commented about Lythgoe.

Lythgoe, who left his position as an American Idol producer two years ago, had said he would replace the entire judging panel.

Jessica Simpson is the latest celebrity said to be involved in talksto possibly replace Cowell as a judge following his departure after the finale. Others said to have been courted include singers Chris Isaak and Harry Connick, Jr.

Auditions for American Idol's tenth season are underway. They began on July 17 in Nashville, Tennessee and took place in New Orleans on Monday. The minimum age eligibility of contestants has been lowered from 16 to 15, while the maximum age stands at 28. The last venue to audition for the show is in San Francisco on August 19 and the series is set to air in January.