'American Idol' Names New Judge

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:30:36

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Kara DioGuardi, a Grammy-nominated songwriter known for such hits as Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away" and Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man," has been tapped as the fourth judge on American Idol. She'll join Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell as of the eighth season in January 2009.

"When I got the call, I thought they were calling the wrong person," DioGuardi said in a press conference today. "I just found out a few days ago, and the next thing I knew I was on the plane to New York. Tomorrow is like the first day of preschool for me."

According to Billboard.com, DioGuardi's hiring was done to improve ratings despite the show's continued No. 1 numbers. That's because its Nielsen stats slipped slightly in 2008, with the 30 million average viewers of previous seasons dipping to just 27.6 million on Tuesday and 26.8 million on Wednesday. In related news, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe left the show earlier this month to focus on his other reality show, So You Think You Can Dance.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
08.25.08