Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will become the fourth judge on American Idol. Published reports in September of 2009 said DeGeneres would replace former judge Paula Abdul, who announced in August 2009 that she would not be returning for the popular FOX reality show's ninth season. Abdul had been involved ina a contract dispute with Idol and she ultimately bowed out.http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/ellen-degeneres-to-become-fourth-american-idol-judge/

In a press release from FOX shortly after the news broke, DeGeneres said she was "thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol." She said she would continue to host The Ellen DeGeneres Show.http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/09/american_idol_ellen_degeneres.html

DeGeneres' turn as a judge on American Idol begins with the show's ninth season, which kicks off on January 12, 2010.http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/dec/11/idol-return-to-shuffle-fox-schedule/ Her first appearance as a judge on the show was on Tuesday, February 9, 2010.http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/02/02/ellen-degeneres-idol-debut-set-for-february-9/

Within weeks of DeGeneres' turn as an Idol judge got underway, tabloid reports had her supposedly making wardrobe demands. An anonymous source told the National Enquirer that DeGeneres was "demanding" a $150,000 wardrobe allowance.http://www.showbizspy.com/article/200036/ellen-degeneres-demands-150k-wardrobe-allowance-for-american-idol.html On February 24, 2010, TMZ cited unidentified Idol "insiders" as saying that DeGeneres and judge Simon Cowell weren't exactly enamored of each other. According to TMZ, DeGeneres doesn't like Cowell's brusque manor with contestants.http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/25/simon-cowell-vs-ellen-deGeneres-american-idol-feud-tension-set-judge-olympics-contestants/

Ellen DeGeneres will be one of four judges when American Idol premieres for it's ninth season on January 12, 2009. DeGeneres joins second year judge Kara DioGuardi and veteran judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson on the panel. The season premiere was a four hour special spread out over two nights. DeGeneres won't be featured as a judge on the initial round of audition shows - several guest judges will fill that spot including Victoria Beckham, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Joe Jonas, Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry.http://www.accesshollywood.com/first-look-ellens-first-photo-as-american-idol-judge_article_27311

"I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol. I've watched since the beginning, and I've always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I'll save from not having to text in my vote."http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/09/american_idol_ellen_degeneres.html