Ellen DeGeneres made her American Idol judging debut tonight, and the early reviews are positive, noting she brought some humor to the proceedings while still managing to be critical/serious when need be (even donning reading glasses!).
“Not only did the comedian/talk-show host treat the Paula Abdul Memorial Chair with a level of dignity and purpose that it had never before experienced, but she wasn’t afraid to dole out tough criticism when necessary,†wrote Entertainment Weekly’s resident Idol expert Michael Slezak.
And MTV News assessed that she “made her presence felt, tossing off funny asides and coherent, helpful advice while flashing just enough of her signature wit to bring a fresh feeling to the judges’ panel.â€
If tonight’s episode left you with an onset of Paula withdrawal though, Abdul’s twitter feed tonight offered a a steady string of her familiar brand of zany advice: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs,†she tweeted at around 9 p.m., “ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that.â€
How Did Ellen DeGeneres Do During Her ‘American Idol’ Debut? [MTV News]
Ellen DeGeneres joins the ‘American Idol’ judges’ table: First-timer teaches old dawgs new tricks [EW]