Is Mariah Carey Joining Fox's American Idol as a Judge?
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey may be sitting at the American Idol judges table next season.
The Grammy-winning artist is nearing a deal to join the Fox reality series as a judge, Deadline.com reports. Carey, 42, would reportedly receive a salary of more than $17 million for next season.
Report: Mariah Carey in talks to be American Idol judge
Now headed into its 12th season, Idol lost two judges last week: Steven Tyler announced his exit on Thursday, followed by Jennifer Lopez on Friday. Both had been on the show for two seasons. Record producer Randy Jackson, who has been on the judging panel since the show's 2002 debut, is the only remaining judge.
Carey had reportedly been in the running to fill one of their vacant slots, along with Adam Lambert, Aretha Franklin and Charlie Sheen.
This is not the first time that Carey, who has previously worked with Jackson, has been rumored to be in the running for a judging gig on a Fox singing competition series. Simon Cowell reportedly pursued Carey for The X Factor judging panel for Season 1 and she was rumored to be in the mix for Season 2 after Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger were fired.
Fox declined to comment on the report.