American Idol’s Ellen DeGeneres kissed up to star judge Simon Cowell.

Comic DeGeneres jumped into Cowell’s lap and gave him a big kiss at the start of Tuesday’s show.

Ellen was poking fun at how close Cowell and fellow judge Kara DioGuardi have been sitting in recent weeks.

Simon and Ellen’s relationship is reported to have cooled just weeks into Ellen’s first season as a judge on the hit show.

“This is quite uncomfortable,” said Cowell as Ellen cuddled him on stage.

Ellen’s kiss came the day after Cowell kissed new fiancée Mezhgan Hussainy on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show.

source: Splash News

Paula Abdul likes her incarnation on American Idol. Asked how she thought Ellen DeGeneres was going as a novice judge on the show, Abdul gave the newcomer huge endorsement.

RadarOnline captured the moment on video. When asked if she would give DeGeneres a thumbs up, Abdul went a lot further, rolling down her car window and providing a double-thumb wrap.

DeGeneres and fellow judge Simon Cowell have yet to find their chemistry on the panel but the point is moot since the Brit is on his way out. He is quitting Idol to focus on taking the X-Factor to the US.

Radar also reports Cowell may tap Abdul as part of his Las Vegas mega-X-Factor venture but a confirmation was wanting.

Abdul on Twitter said on Wednesday:”Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for … Time is equal to life; therefore, waste your time and waste of your life, or master your time and master your life.”

source: Splash News

Ellen DeGeneres has upheld her American Idol stint.

The entertainment world put the performance of the incoming judge under the microscope – and endlessly explored her “chemistry” with British man-bitch Simon Cowell. Programs like Barbara Walters’s The View analysed the on-screen gelling – or not – of the pair, with some observers saying it was too soon to tell how they got along.

Appearing on her own show, DeGeneres gave herself a tick: “I was honest with [the singers]. I was concerned going into it I would be tiptoeing around too much, but I wasn’t.”

DeGeneres received a congratulatory message on Twitter from Simon Fuller, the show’s creator, and another from her wife Portia de Rossi. “Well, she loves me no matter what,” she said.

The chemistry issue may become a little moot since Cowell is moving on from Idol to focus on his US export of The X-Factor. DeGeneres for her part has signed on for three more seasons of the Ellen show, taking her up to 2014.

She said: “Everyone is anxious to see how Simon and I are going to be together and, you know, I am too. I know how we were for Hollywood Week, and I know there were good days and bad days. But I don’t know how we’re going to be on live TV. That’s going to be an interesting thing.”

source: Splash News

Ellen DeGeneres showed off her more cut-throat side during her second appearance as a judge on American Idol.

The US chat show host had a say in eliminating hopefuls as the Idol judges cut yet even more contestants from the competition during Hollywood audition week.

The remaining would-be pop stars were put into groups by the show’s producers and had to perform on stage together in front of DeGeneres, Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson.

And it was DeGeneres who appeared to be the most cutting with her comments, criticising one group’s style of performance.

“It really was weird. You’re dressed like Cirque Du Soleil in all these outfits, it was surreal,” DeGeneres critiqued about one group who called themselves Neopolitan.

But despite her criticism of their performance she put the group through to the next round.

All told, 181 finalists were trimmed down to 12 guys and 12 girls in this week’s auditions.

The show then returns to its live format, where viewers get the chance to vote for their favourites.

source: Splash News

Rumours Ellen DeGeneres would replace Oprah have been put to rest, with the wildly popular talk show host comedian inking another deal to stay on.

Degeneres, who has just debuted as a judge on American Idol, signed on for three more seasons of NBC’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show with Warner Bros Domestic Television division to 2014.

DeGeneres made no mention of the deal on air, but quipped on Wenesday that it was the “one-day anniversary” of her Idol tenure. Observers watched closely to test the “chemistry” between her and the departing Simon Cowell.

Ken Werner of Warner Bros said: “Ellen is one of those unique personalities that comes along once in a generation. Her program has been embraced by viewers as their generation’s talk franchise, and we couldn’t be happier that the NBC stations will continue to have Ellen as the cornerstone of their syndicated line-up for years to come.”

DeGeneres said: “I’m so excited to sign on for three more years at NBC. They were the ones that believed in my show from day one. So I’m thrilled to know I’ll be here ’til at least 2014. Things will be a lot different by then. I won’t be dancing over my coffee table any more. Through the magic of 3-D, I’ll be dancing over yours.”

source: Splash News