'American Idol' Sources Clear Up Rumors of Swapping Mariah for J.Lo
American Idol has suffered from low ratings during it's current twelfth season and now producers are speaking up about rumors that they were planning to replace judge Mariah Carey with Jennifer Lopez in the singing competition.
While Lopez, the 43-year-old singer, dancer and actress, served as a judge on the nationally televised singing competition in the past, the show's producers are denying that they were thinking about bringing her back to replace 43-year-old singer-songwriter Carey. Although The Hollywood Reporter allegedly garnered a source confirming the rumors, a Fox spokesperson said the claims were unfounded.
"This is just another ridiculous 'Idol' judge rumor, likely started by talks of Jennifer performing on the finale," a Fox spokeswoman told THR recently.
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Nigel Lythgoe, a producer for Fox's "American Idol," echoed the network spokesperson's sentiments.
"I have not been included in any conversation regarding replacing Mariah with Jen this season," Lythgoe said according to MTV reports.
Still, Lythgoe has been vocal about a feud between Carey and 30-year-old judge Nicki Minaj in the beginning of the season possibly hurting the show's ratings during season 12.
"That got off to a bad start and that didn't help anything," Lythgoe told the website Zap2it recently.
The producer admitted that the judges on the show were lacking chemistry as a unit.
"I don't think we have good chemistry with the judges," he continued. "And that saddens me. They are good individually, but I miss the camaraderie we have had in the past."
Minaj, the 30-year-old rapper, spoke about the possibilities of her returning to the show after sparking controversy as a judge during season 12.
"Would I come back next season? I think people would rather be surprised," the rapper said last month in an MTV report. "I like to save the mystery and the drama. I'd never give that away."
