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Howard Stern to Judge American Idol?

By John Danz Jr

According to USA Today, Howard Stern has been offered Simon Cowell's seat as a judge for next season. Cowell, of course, is leaving Idol to be a judge on X Factor.

According to the New York Post, Idol is "one of the few shows that could compete with Stern's $100 million-a-year Sirius contract." The source also said they believe Stern could be even more abrasive than Cowell.

Some sources say that this could all be a ploy by Stern to make Sirius give more money.

My question is this: If you're making $100 MILLION dollars just to sit behind a mic and yap for a few hours every day, why would you want more? Some people hardly make a single million in a lifetime doing 100 times the work that Stern does. I wouldn't be shocked at all if this is just a ploy to get Sirius to pay him more.

If the rumors ARE true, let me be the first to say I will never watch American Idol again. As it stands, I only watch it for the auditions because I've enjoyed Cowell's abrasiveness and honesty over the years. I saw the old judge panel as a comedy show. However, if this nimrod makes it on there, I'm done. I'm sure that matters very little to him or Idol, as all of his followers will bring their ratings to the show. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

American Idol is already a cultural wasteland of poor singing, shameless advertising and unhealthy obsession. Why make it worse with Stern? He'll probably make chauvinist remarks to every attractive female that walks in to audition, anyway. Or, he'll leave when he realizes that he can't have a bevy of nude women trying out sex toys across from him.

Much like with Ellen, I wonder: Why him? Randy was a singer, Paula was a singer, Simon is a producer... why Ellen and Howard? What would she know about singing talent, especially when the auditions end and it really matters? What would Stern know? Why not bring in someone who knows what it's like to be a singer and to get their start somewhere? I think Idol is sacrificing quality for quantity here - the quantity being viewers.

Once again, it shocks me that this man is making $100 million a year to begin with - but he might be spreading this rumor to get more? I weep for this culture...

John Danz Jr. is a work in progress, who enjoys the freedom of writing. Contact him at undertakerlives@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/iAmNotImportant