‘American Idol’ fans call for a panel shake-up — and they want this classic trio to return
'American Idol' season 33 concluded with Jamal Roberts winning the show, and judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Lionel Richie are reportedly set to return. However, fans weren’t pleased with Underwood replacing Katy Perry and are now calling for a complete judging panel shake-up in season 34. A Reddit thread has already highlighted fan favorites, with the classic trio of Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul leading the list. "I like to keep this question alive. If you were the show's booker, who would you pick to be on the judging panel? You can add anyone you want; it doesn't matter who it is, it doesn't matter if it is unrealistic, you can pick three, four, or even five people to be on your judging panel," Reddit user @jesseallen24 prompted before revealing her choice.
She then named OG judge Randy Jackson, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, and artist Taylor Momsen as her top picks. She explained that Jackson offered honest critiques, Tyler brought entertainment with his humor, and Momsen would bridge the gap with her modern-day experience. "Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell," a die-hard fan commented on the thread, with many other users agreeing that it was time to bring back the classic OG judges to witness a fair competition. "It was so much better then. People got real critiques. My favorite parts were the bad auditions, where they didn't blow smoke up the asses of the people with horrible voices," a viewer agreed.
"Jelly Roll, Kelly Clarkson, Simon Cowell," another fan chimed in. A netizen made some controversial picks by naming "David Cook for his genuine charisma, Dolly Parton for her vast experience, and, surprisingly, scandal-ridden music producer Scooter Braun for having an eye to pick the best talent." "Simon Cowell, for obvious reasons. Blake Shelton because he knows country and is hilarious. Kelly Clarkson because she is an incredible singer with a great personality and has firsthand experience on/winning the show!" a viewer listed out.
Cowell appears to be the top choice for the kind of tough judge the show has lacked for years. According to the Daily Mail, fans have accused the current judges of playing it safe when critiquing contestants. Reports suggest that the makers of 'American Idol' are on a hunt to find a new Cowell who can harshly critique the contestants, calling their performance "garbage" and " an utter waste of time," as per The Sun.
“The judges are struggling to find their next Simon. They know finding the perfect mixture of harsh critique and humorous entertainment, which Simon embodies. “And they think it would bring back the spark the show needs to boost ratings and get a fresh facelift. The problem is, no big star in the current day would agree to it. No one wants to be the ‘bad guy.’ No one wants to get canceled or offend people,” a source concluded. Meanwhile, Simon Cowell has made it clear that he has no interest in returning to the American Idol judging panel.