DeGeneres on Idol: "I Don't Want Anybody to Think That I Took Paula's Job Away"
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres hit Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show on KIIS-FM Thursday to clear the air on her impending replacement of ousted American Idol judge Paula Abdul. "I hope Paula is OK with it," DeGeneres told Seacrest. "I don't want anybody to think that I took Paula's job away."
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Abdul doesn't seem to be worried about unemployment though. She just shot a cheeky commercial for VH1's Divas, in which she confronts the issue directly. An employment counselor sends her out for the Divas hosting gig. Her only competition: Seacrest himself.
DeGeneres joked with Seacrest about their workaholic tendencies. "Yesterday I took a bagging job at Whole Foods," she said. "I'm trying to keep up with you."
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DeGeneres explained that Idol producers never asked her to be a guest judge for the Season 9 auditions. "It just went straight to 'Would you like to be...'" she said.
"I'm gonna have fun with it," DeGeneres said. "The one thing you know about me is I'm very honest. But I think you can be honest in a pretty kind way. I hope to be that compassionate person because that's the one thing Paula did bring is that compassion and that empathy."
Can Ellen fill Paula's shoes? Hit the comments with your thoughts.