Idol Chatter & Voice Views

At long last, American Idol has released its season 10 schedule — at least up until the finals.

In a press release issued Tuesday, Idol execs promise us that the new judging panel brings a triple-threat of credibility, chemistry and talent.

We’ll get to decide for ourselves next Wednesday and Thursday when American Idol returns to our TV screens.

The two-hour Wednesday show will include auditions from New York and New Jersey; Thursday’s one-hour show will feature auditions from New Orleans.

The auditions continue for three weeks, then it’s off to Hollywood for three hours of viewing enjoyment. (Wednesday, Feb. 16, and Thursday, Feb. 17).

The first new twist comes next: Those who survive Hollywood will travel to Las Vegas to perform Beatles songs in a two-hour show on Wednesday, Feb. 23. The next night, the judges will reveal 20 semifinalists — 10 girls and 10 guys.

And you remember that rumor about viewers not having a say in who makes the finals?

Not true. The semifinalists will perform on Tuesday, March 1, and Wednesday, March 2. Viewers at home will select five females and five males to advance to the semifinals.

The final finalists will be named the next night, when the judges add their wild card picks.

Show execs aren’t saying how many wild card picks there will be, or whether they’ll be evenly split by gender or not.

Here’s a link to the schedule, for those who want to start planning their TV viewing now.