The former 'Idol' producer says that pairing Mariah Carey with Nicki Minaj was 'a major failing' for the singing competition.
- May 12, 2015
AceShowbiz - In the wake of "American Idol" cancellation, former producer Nigel Lythgoe shares his comments on the judge lineup that has undergone several changes over the years. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres, Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. are the stars who have served as juries on the show.
While he believes the FOX singing competition played an important role to boost Lopez's and Tyler's careers, Lythgoe claims bringing Minaj and Carey together on the same table was a mistake. "Mariah and Nicki was just crazy, and then it really started becoming about the judges and took away from the contestants altogether," he told Billboard. "I think that was a major failing on the part of casting to have those two together. On their own, either one may have been successful."
The producer also weighed in on the cancellation. "It's the right thing to do," he said. "I'm a huge fan of boxing, and it's like when you're watching a real heavyweight boxer getting to the end of their career, and all these young whippersnappers are coming up: You've got to know when to retire."
Meanwhile, "Idol" alum Jordin Sparks said, "It's definitely bittersweet, the show really gave me my start. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now if it hadn't been for that show. For me, I love that it gave every day people a chance to live out their dreams. I am all for that so I'm sad to see that go because it's the end of an era. What are we going to watch now?"
Host Ryan Seacrest stated, "American Idol has been a big part of my life for so long, it's frankly hard to imagine it without it. It's been a remarkable journey, and I feel very fortunate to have been part of a show that made television history in countless ways. It's a show about chasing and fulfilling dreams, and truth be told, it helped some of my own dreams come true too."
"All the American Idol producers, judges, crew and everyone at Fox have been heroic in their efforts to create, produce and sustain such a groundbreaking show for so many years. I'm so glad they're going to give us a season-long send off. The last season will undoubtedly be a special and emotional one, but first I'm looking forward to closing out Season 14. The finale is always my favorite part - two live shows with lots of surprises, and, of course, one winner!"
"American Idol" will return one last time in 2016 before pulling the final curtain. Seacrest returns as a host while Urban, Lopez, and Connick Jr. are confirmed to reprise their roles as judges.
