Idol Chatter & Voice Views

So, was that little flare-up between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj this summer for real?

Appearing at one of the first big press events to promote the new season of American Idol on Tuesday, all involved seemed to indicate that it was.

But they compared it to two workers who have a disagreement on the job — in this case over auditioners — than a case of dueling divas (yeah, right!).

And they said they didn’t want it to distract from where the real focus of attention should be: Idol’s Season 11 contestants.

Nicki and Mariah were asked to say something nice about one another during the event.

Nicki went first with: “I say nice things about Mariah all the time. She’s one of my favorite artists of all times. She’s really shaped a generation of singers. To be on a panel with her, it’s kind of crazy.”

Then it was Mariah’s turn: “That was obviously a very sweet thing to say. Nicki and I worked together very early on in her career and did a song — it’s called ‘Up Out My Face,’ ironically. I did know, and feel, she was going to go very far.”

So, is the hatchet buried for good?

We probably won’t know until the show goes live, which will apparently happen for this new panel earlier than it did two years ago when Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez first came on board.

In Season 10, even the semifinals and the first finals show were taped. This year, Idol goes live for the semifinals on Tuesday, March 5 when the male semifinalists will perform for viewers’ votes. For a look at another key change in Season 12, go here.

As I scanned all the sites that covered the Idol press conference today, two other comments popped out.

This from Nicki, according to Hollywood Reporter: “We’re here to do a job. I don’t put someone through because of a great story or because there’s something going on that may make people cry. … I didn’t really have a problem saying no because we’re looking for the best of the best. It bothers me when someone says yes and don’t deserve it.”

Hooray for that sentiment, because it sometimes seems back-story means more than talent on these singing shows.

And then there’s this from Randy Jackson, courtesy of EW.com, when he responded to the fact that white guys with guitars have won the show five straight years: “It’s a girls season to lose this year.”

Yeah, right, Randy. Apparently you were asleep when Phillip Phillips won over Jessica Sanchez, when Scotty McCreery buried Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart under an avalanche of votes and when — most unfairly of all — Crystal Bowersox lost to Lee DeWyze.

I doubt Kelly Clarkson would beat Justin Guarini on American Idol Season 12.

Oh, well, Mariah and Nicki might provide some sparks this year.

But we can count on Randy to be the same ol’ Randy.

Here are more photos from today’s press session.