Follow Zap2it:
'American Idol': Simon Cowell shares 'hot rumor' about Harry Connick Jr.
Twitter
Google
Like the rest of us, Simon Cowell doesn't know yet who will take his spot on "American Idol" next year. But he has heard a "hot rumor" about a certain smooth-voiced crooner."I'd say the hot rumor -- and I always thought this would be -- [is] Harry Connick Jr.," Cowell tells "Extra." "I thought he was good." Connick was a mentor for "Idol's" Frank Sinatra night this season.
Zap2it has been saying Connick should replace Cowell for a couple of months now, and apparently we were onto something (and by the way, you can still join the Facebook campaign). The other name most frequently mentioned of late has been Bret Michaels, but Cowell asks, "He's been ill, hasn't he? I'll call him up and ask him."
In the interview Cowell also reveals that he's known for weeks about "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan being a possible replacement for Larry King -- because he helped Morgan in talks with the news channel. "We helped him," says Cowell, who's an executive producer of "AGT." "When someone gets offered a job like that, you can't stand in their way."
Watch the clip from Cowell's "Extra" interview below.
Follow Zap2it and Zap2itRick on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
Photo credit: "Extra"/Warner Bros. TV
Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest news and buzz
Related pics
Zap2it Elite Sheet Must Reads from the Web's In-Crowd
Our Partners
Harry Connick would be the best. He would not be a stunt cast of someone clueless about music and singing like Ellen was. He is also sharp, witty, entertaining.
Ideally, they would be best off with 3 judges, with Ellen "booted upstairs" to MC performance nights and reduce Seacrests all-pervasive air time.
Even more ideally, Randy would be told to step it up, stop phoning in it, and end being a lazy caricature of his former self. And Kara told to attend charm school, stop over-praising certain contestants while sabotaging good talent she dislikes (Iraheta, Siobhan Magnus).
This "hot rumor" is nothing but a wishful thinking epidemic among so-called Idol fans who have no respect for Simon's icon status on the show. Just because Connick was a great mentor, legions of lemmings have been suggesting him to replace Simon, and many of them think they were the first to come up with the idea. Not only can he not even begin to fill Simon's GARGANTUAN shoes, Connick also threw Simon under the bus by saying that he was never qualified to judge Idol because he's not a musician. Someone that despicable and clueless doesn't deserve to even be considered. Besides, Idol already has two musicians on the panel and does not need another. Simon represented the industry executive, and this was the key position on the panel. They also don't need another well-known celeb. If they add any more, it's going to look like The Gong Show, as if it couldn't look any worse without its defining personality.
What do they need 4 judges for anyhow?? 3 is just right, perfect. Having 4 doesn't allow the judges enough time to say something substantial.
I LOVE Ellen, she is awesome and enjoyed her on "Idol" this season. But they should never have sought a replacement for Paula... let Kara fill that role. Simon, Kara and Randy would've been fine.
How about we get Harry Connick Jr. to replace Simon, BUT so we can still have Ellen... how about getting rid of Ryan Seacrest and let Ellen be the new host of "Idol"? Or "Idol" could return to the two/co-host format of Season 1 (Ryan and that Dinkleman guy)?? Ryan and Ellen could co-host the show, leaving 3 judges.... Randy, Kara and Harry Connick Jr.
I don't want Harry Connick Jr. on the show. He is humorous in a smarmy way that I don't like! Bret Michaels would be way better! He's intelligent and personable and passionately endearing.
I don't want Harry Connick Jr. on the show. He is humorous in a smarmy way that I don't like! Bret Michaels would be way better! He's intelligent and personable and passionately endearing.
Kara was the best towards Allison. Simon was the one who never said anything about her singing and only gave comments about her outfits, personality, nothing that matter so his precious Gokey and Lambert could make the final 2 but it didn't happen.
Kara is a dip!! She says stupid things constantly and drives my wife and I nuts! Ellen is awesome! The three judges should be Ellen, Harry Connick, and Howard Stern. Bye bye, Randy!
Don,
If you think that Kara is a drip and that Ellen is awesome, you obviously don't give two ***** about the actual critiques. Kara at least got most of those right. Ellen didn't give the contestants a single bit of use mentoring or judging.
Ryan should take over for Larry King and Ellen should MC.
Connick seems perfect. He was abrasive, egotistical, had a higher opinion of himself than others, made brisk sort of comments that insulted the singer...In fact very much like Simon except in one very important area....Simon actually had a sweetness and playfullness, that made you think he wasn't so much like that in real life. Connick just seems like a self agrandizing bore.