Is American Idol Over?

News about the future of American Idol has been floating all around the blogosphere and word is Ellen is out J.Lo is in and Kara is out and there is no word on her replacement. I've been telling people that "Idol" has been over since Paula left but people disagree because it is a "cash-cow." I feel like what's the point anymore. The contestants are ghosts of themselves, the auditions are jokes, and the judges aren't interested anymore.

When American Idol first aired, it was a show at giving those who may not have a chance to live their singing dream an once in a lifetime experience. The contestants were rough around the edges, may be older, a bit overweight, generally people that the music industry looks over. American Idol wanted them all. The first winner was a small town Texas girl, who was a bit overweight but could actually sing the modelesque singers into shame. The next winner was a 300+ pound black man, and then came Fantasia a high school drop out with a young daughter. American Idol didn't care about all the other stuff, they just wanted talent.

I don't know when Idol took a turn. Maybe it was when William Hung became an overnight sensation or when Paula became drugged out. Either way, Idol became a joke. People still watched the auditions for the crazies who would curse out Simon, genuinely believing they could sing, but the magic was gone. America knew it and the producers knew it. So last season Paula left, Ellen came, and Kara Dioguardi was added. Most people were confused. Gone was the awkward tension between Simon and Paula, gone was the camaraderie of the three judges who knew what the contestants were going through. In was a cash cow that was struggling to stay relevant.

I haven't watched Idol in years but I watch enough TV to know that the judges were checking out. I watched an episode of the Soup were Simon and Kara were talking while a contestant was singing; that's when I knew American Idol was over. Simon obviously knows it too because he's left to produce and star in World's Got Talent, something that will undoubtedly be bigger than both shows he's judging. Everyone knows that Simon is the star of Idol. He's the uncle who speaks his mind and pisses off the family but at the same time you're watching to see what he'll say next. It's not that Simon was rude, it was he was real. He said what people say on blogs and to their friends; he said it to the world. Who can fill that spot? J. Lo probably can't. I have trouble seeing what she can bring to the show. So it's just down to J.Lo and Randy, who didn't bring much in terms of entertainment. I won't be watching but I know someone will be and I'll find out that way.