Idol Chatter & Voice Views

All week long, I’ve been hoping for word that Jennifer Lopez was making a split from American Idol.

Instead, news comes today that the world’s most beautiful woman is splitting from Marc Anthony.

I mean, if this was going to happen, couldn’t she have done it months ago, before Marc was foisted upon us for no good reason in several Season 10 episodes.

On the bright side, that’s unlikely to happen again during Season 11. Nor are we likely to hear from contestants sucking up to Jennifer by professing their love of Marc Anthony’s music.

On the other hand, this means Steven Tyler will feel free to flirt with Jennifer any ol’ time he likes, which might even be more annoying.

In hindsight, the one Marc Anthony appearance I didn’t mind this season came in the finale, when Jennifer did that seductive dance around him while he performed.

I’ll always remember it as the night Jennifer proved she’s much, much, much better at dancing than judging anyone on American Idol.

Jennifer and judging — that’s a split I’m still rooting for.

Meanwhile, for those of you who care, here’s the complete AP story on the split.

NEW YORK (AP) — With three failed marriages between them, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony finally seemed to find true love together when they married seven years ago. They had twin children, went on tour together, did a movie together and even planned a music-based reality show they were working on together.

<But on Friday, the pair announced they were no longer together.

“We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision,” the couple said in a statement by Lopez’s publicist. “We have come to amicable conclusion on all matters. It is a painful time for all involved and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time.”

It was a surprising split for one of Hollywood’s most high-profile couples. They seemed inseparable: Lopez even danced in the background for her crooner husband when he performed on “American Idol,” where she debuted as a judge this past season.

The pair, both of Puerto Rican heritage, married in 2004 after years of knowing each other. He was ending a marriage to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, while she had recently endured a high-profile breakup with Ben Affleck.

Lopez had been married twice before in brief unions to Ojani Noa and Chris Judd and had a famous romance with Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Her union with Anthony was her most enduring public relationship. The pair did a joint tour together and starred in the movie “El Cantante” in 2006.

They also had two children, twins Emme and Max. They were Lopez’s first children; Anthony had a child from Torres and another from a previous relationship.

In April, the pair, both 42, announced plans for a television show together, “Q’Viva! The Chosen,” with Simon Fuller, the creator of “Idol.” The show was to feature the superstar couple as they traveled the world to find the best performers in Latin music, dance and other arts with the goal of creating a live extravaganza.

The show had no airdate, and it’s unclear if it will continue.

Lopez released her latest album, titled “Love?” this year. Her career, which lulled in recent years, has surged since she became an “Idol” judge.