Sitting In For Paula While She Is On Assignment

So in wake of Rehab Girl's decision to abandon the best job of her career, the producers of American Idol have been auditioniing "guest judges" during the auditions. So far the list of fourth panelists includes:

Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham, getting in her last Hollywood licks before hubby David ships her off to Milan;
Shania Twain, trying to prove that she can actually have a career in music after leaving her ex-husband/producer/Svengali Mutt Lange;
Katy Perry, trying to prove that she is not a novelty act. Odd way to do it though;
Mary J. Blige, who doesn't need this drama;
Joe Jonas, who doesn't need the money;
Kelly Clarkson, who keeps coming back to Idol even after telling 19 Entertainment to kiss her ass a few years ago.

Rumored to be either under consideration or being hotly pursued by the Idol producers for a guest judge stint include Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, and...

Paula Abdul

Yes, there are actually rumors that Rehab Girl is talking to Fox about returning to the chair next to Captain Jack after all, especially after she was left off of the guest list of the upcoming Dancing With The Stars. Her agent of course denies this because that is what agents do to earn their big bucks, but neither Paula nor her agent have publically ruled it out. Her old buddy Nigel Lythgoe still wants Paula to appear on that stupid dance show across the hall, So You Think You Can Dance, but sources say that Rehab Girl is not interested in sitting next to Lythgoe and that screaming chick anytime soon.

While I for one think I can make some good hay with Posh Spice, J-Lo, or most of the other celebrity impersonators/judges, none of them would be better than my dear friend Paula, especially now that she has made such a dramatic scene by leaving. Can you imagine what off-the-wall analogies Simon Cowell will be able to dream up if Paula comes back? It would make things a lot more interesting, and make it easier to sit through the off-key auditions and the self-indulgent contestants.

I just noticed something, Debbie Gibson is not on this list. Remember a few years ago when Gibson sat in for a few guest judge appearances and the rumors started to fly that she was going to replace Paula? But now that the producers are actually looking for someone to replace Paula Ms. Electric Youth is nowhere to be seen. Must have been that Playboy spread...