Who Can Replace Paula Abdul on 'Idol'?
Sizing up the contenders, from Jessica Simpson to Lance Bass to Kirstie Alley.
Aug. 12, 2009 — -- The brouhaha surrounding Paula Abdul's decision to quit "American Idol" promises to gather speed until a replacement judge is officially announced. Guest judges will fill in, but Fox has made clear that they are seeking a full-time replacement for the cheerleader-turned-1980s pop sensation.
Executives remain tight-lipped as to who may take her place, allowing speculation to run rife.
What we do know is that the Abdul-"American Idol" split was motivated by money. Abdul, 47, was earning $4 million per season, and Fox reportedly offered her a bump to $5 million to renew. Abdul's response was to demand $10 million. This was rebuffed, her ire stoked by rumors that co-judge Simon Cowell is paid $36 million per season and host Ryan Seacrest $15 million.
Since its 2002 inception, "American Idol" has dominated viewer numbers to such an extent that rival networks christened it the "death star" and have adjusted their schedules to avoid clashing with it. The show's omnipotence has waned, though, and while "Idol" still pulled in close to 30 million viewers for the finale of season 8, that figure was 6 million lower than the number that tuned in for the previous three seasons.
So, a changing of the guard may not be as catastrophic as some fans may fear. Two guest judges have been revealed already. The first is singer-songwriter Katy Perry, whose 2008 hit single, "I Kissed a Girl," was as successful as it was shocking to her deeply religious family. The other is Victoria Beckham, whose past life as Posh Spice gives her more than enough pedigree, while the prospect of husband David Beckham in the audience will itself likely attract a whole new chorus of female viewers.
Helping ABC News assess the suitability of some possible replacements for Abdul is Jay Marose, a consultant who has represented "The Osbournes" and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and who helped launch the Backstreet Boys, *NSync and O-Town. He has been featured on ABC's "Making the Band" and VH-1's "Super Group."
Pluses: At 29, she'd inject youth into the middle-aged judging panel, and her singing ability is beyond reproach.
Minuses: Can she live down her mistaken belief that buffalo wings were made from buffalo and that Chicken of the Sea tuna was not actually chicken?
Marose says, "Jessica has an amazing set of pipes and has been through it as regards show business. She's also much smarter than people think and has worked hard to become a household name. When I spoke with her, she told me how voice modulation software was taking over the industry and that being able to carry a tune was becoming less and less important. She'd be great at picking a genuinely talented voice."
Pluses: She is "ecstatic at the prospect" of becoming a judge, says her agent, while fans of "Cheers" would unite.
Minuses: She doesn't have a musical background, and her motivation to join the show may come from a need for money given the fact that she donated $5 million to the Church of Scientology in 2007.
Marose says, "A show needs a crazy wildcard, and with Paula gone that could be Kirstie. She's a loose cannon who'll say exactly what she's thinking and would be great comic relief. Paula had a lot of fans, so whoever replaces her will need thick skin, and I think Kirstie has proved she has this, coping with the taunts about her weight. I don't believe she knows anything about music, though, so that might be enough to see her overlooked."
Pluses: Love him or hate him, the co-star of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" can sing and dance, and as a stand-up comic, he knows how to get laughs.
Minuses: His ability to extract laughter is matched only by his ability to disgust, and last year he was suspended by the BBC, after which he resigned. He's battled alcohol and drug addictions, so he may not be the best fit for a family show.
Marose says, "As a judge, he would single-handedly undo 63 years of the Special Relationship between the U.S. and U.K. His sense of humor would fall flat, and we already have one unaccomplished and obnoxious Brit on the show. That's enough."
Cyndi Lauper
Pluses: Similar to Abdul but with a more impressive pop resume, Lauper is both well-known and well-liked, and the financial windfall would be welcome relief for her ailing finances.
Minuses: Does the show really need a third 50-something at the helm?
Marose says, "Her biggest strength is, she isn't crazy like Paula but it's also her biggest weakness. She was less of a flash in the pan as a performer than Paula, but as a judge, she may be too much like her predecessor but without the intrigue."
Pluses: His country music background would offer a new element, and he came across well on "Dancing With the Stars."
Minuses: He's something of a caricature, and his attempt to break into Christian music was an abject failure.
Marose says, "Short of Michael Lohan, I couldn't imagine a worse choice. His raising of Miley Cyrus shows that he'd be nothing but a bad influence on any up-and-coming stars. Stage parents are one thing, but he knows the business and still fails to help his daughter avoid the pitfalls."
Pluses: With a background in singing and dancing, he is smiley and appeals to the target demographic.
Minuses: He'd be the third male judge, leaving only one female, and that may upset the balance and impinge his suitability.
Marose says, "A great option. He knows the business and has extensive personal experience of the industry. He offers a unique perspective as a child star who's had ups and downs, including living a double life, but became stronger for it. I prefer Lance as a judge even to Jessica [Simpson], and he'd be my first choice."
Fox hasn't offered a deadline for when it will make its selection; the choice may well be none of the above. The panel could revert to three, Posh Spice or Katy Perry could decide to make the seat her own, while Sarah Palin is out of a job and certainly wouldn't be overawed by the position. Despite the myriad options, it would be foolish to ignore the possibility of a change of heart by Abdul. Rule her out at your peril.