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TwitterNew 'American Idol' Judge Promises Honesty, Awaits Unique Singers
By most empirical standards, FOX's American Idol isn't actually broken, but new judge Kara DioGuardi is already being asked how she'd fix it. It's a difficult chore for a woman who has yet to put in a single day on the job.
Chatting with reporters on Monday (Aug. 25) afternoon, just hours after being formally added to the FOX reality behemoth, DioGuardi was asked about bad theme nights, ineffectual mentors and episodes that already ran long even with only three judges and she gave the verbal equivalent of a shrug. She couldn't even tell the press where she's going to be seated on the judging panel.
"I'm literally in the dark," she says. "I have no idea. Tomorrow's like the first day at preschool for me. I am just happy to be on the panel and I'll sit wherever they put me."
How will she be introduced? And how will the show handle the fact that by the time DioGuardi takes her place tomorrow, many of the season's auditions have already taken place.
"Anything to do with the show in terms of the format and the sitting and all those things, I really am not privy to," DioGuardi adds. "I just know that I'm on the judging panel and that I'm supposed to have my makeup done by 11 a.m. tomorrow. That's pretty much all I know. Beyond that, I leave it to the brains behind the show to answer those questions."
There's little doubt that this has been a whirlwind courtship between TV's most popular show and a prolific singer-songwriter-producer who has worked in some capacity with artists ranging from Kelly Clarkson to Santana to Miley Cyrus to Christina Aguilera. All this attention for a woman used to working behind the scenes could be intimidating.
"Of course, but it's really flattering, too, to think that they'd even thought about me," DioGuardi acknowledges. "When I got the call, I thought they were calling the wrong person. So I'm the new kid on the block and I'm hoping everyone's going to go easy on me and that I bring a lot to the table."
So what does DioGuardi bring to the table? What new insight does she have?
"I don't think I can provide any more insight," she says. "I think my insight might be different, just because I have different opinions and my approach will be different. I'd say I'm going to be a straight shooter and say it like I see it and just maintain that philosophy. And also try to help the contestants."
Does that mean that DioGuardi plans to be more like the caustic Simon Cowell or the coddling Paula Abdul?
She goes both ways, promising, "I'm just somebody who's really honest and gives my opinion and if I feel I need to be hard with someone in order to get that across, I will be and if I feel I need to be softer or more nurturing with some of the contestants, I'll be that. It really depends on the situation."
Speaking of Abdul, DioGuardi has already proven to be a diplomat. While the "Straight Up" singer went on a Phoenix radio station and expressed concern about how viewers would accept a new judge, DioGuardi sidestepped any potential rivalry.
"I'm not concerned at all," says DioGuardi, who previously collaborated with Abdul on a song for Kylie Minogue and calls her a friend. "Anybody with the right brain would say something like that. She's on a big big show and she's just probably pondering what could happen, like anybody would."
Back in the show's second season, Rapper-DJ Angie Martinez spent four days as the fourth American Idol judge before bailing, saying she wasn't comfortable saying mean things to aspiring artists. DioGuardi says she's ready to do the tough job of actually criticizing the contestants, if necessary.
"I don't look at it as criticism," she says. "I think that people are on the show as part of their journey. Whether they're going to be huge artists or not, they're there to learn something and no matter what, the experience is going to help them learn, so criticism can also be constructive. I'm not going to be on the show to just nail people. I'm also going to be on there to also help them."
And what is DioGuardi looking for in a contestant?
"For me, I'm really looking for someone who is unique, who has a great style, an incredible stage presence and a great voice. I'm looking for the next big thing. That's what I'm looking for."
Should be easy enough!
Viewers will have to wait for January 2009 to see how DioGuardi fits into the American Idol picture.
What do you think of the new judge? Will Idol be better after this cosmetic surgery?
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
I'd bang her.
You stay cl***y, conner.
If this means that at least half the "Idol" judging panel might have something coherent to say about a given performance, then I'm all for it. Hope she actually is as straightforward as she says she'll be.
I can't help thinking this is the producers' way of "not" replacing Paula Abdul, a built-in fallback position, in case Paula goes off the rails again, and a way of keeping her in line so she doesn't. Come to that, Randy, and even Simon, have to watch their backs as well.
Randy should definitely watch his back. It was widely observed that this year he had absolutely nothing to contribute every week beyond "it was just alright for me, dawg".
I first thought they were going to replace Paula. It turned out the producers decided to add a fourth judge. Though there's gossip that Paula is ****ed about this, I expect new "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi will add fresh inputs and better critique of the contestants' performances.