The news arrived tonight, catching everyone -- well, me, anyway -- by surprise: The fourth judge on this season's "American Idol," replacing Paula Abdul, will be Ellen DeGeneres.
Yes, Ellen. The show will still have guest judges during auditions. That list includes Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and Shania Twain, plus one-third of the Jonas Brothers (Joe) and one-fourth of the Spice Girls (Victoria Beckham). Once the auditions are done, however, DeGeneres will officially be the fourth judge.
Press releases usually don't amount to much, but I enjoyed DeGeneres' comment in this one: "Think of all the money I'll save from not having to text in my vote."
That reminds us of the basics: DeGeneres remains a fun person who will enliven "Idol."
Yes, she's serious about things when they matter. She co-hosted "Idol Gives Back" and (unlike others) contributed a big chunk of money; she's been a fan who has often had ousted contestants on her talk show.
She also remains clever. Her one-time judging on "So You Think You Can Dance" was a delight. That one was done just for laughs; now we can expect both humor and the commentary of a fan. This could be interesting.