Idol Chatter & Voice Views

So now Us Weekly is reporting that Nicki Minaj will be joining the American Idol judging panel alongside Mariah Carey.

But before all the Barbz and Kenz get too excited, consider this.

Pharrell, the rapper/singer/producer who helped mentor X Factor contestants last year, is also supposed to be joining the judging panel.

So is Nick Jonas, who was actively lobbying for a spot as Idol judge just two weeks ago.

So is a country music star. Perhaps Brad Paisley. Perhaps Keith Urban.

Folks, there are only so many spots at the judging table.

Unless we’re going to turn American Idol into a talk show, in which case the conversations had better get a whole lot more interesting than they were in the last two years with Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler heaping praise on anyone who stepped on stage.

That said, Nicki would be a coup for Idol.

She’s young. She’s current. She’s been churning out hits at a pace few pop/hip-hop artists can match.

She’d draw new viewers to the show. Heck, folks might just tune in to see what she and Mariah are wearing on a given night.

Having listened to some of her interviews, I’m not sure we’d be able to follow her critiques all the time. But, hey, wasn’t that part of Paula Abdul’s charm?

And Nicki just might need a cuss stick, judging from the irate tweets she dashed off over the weekend in response to criticism about canceling a series of shows because of vocal cord problems.

But that didn’t stop Idol from hiring Mr. “It Wasn’t My Cup of Tea.”

If the sole goal at this point is to draw new young viewers to the show, Nicki would fit the bill.

Better than a has-been like Nick Jonas.

And better than a former Disney star like Demi Lovato of the rival X Factor.