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"You frightened me. You were stalking us; you were like a leopard behind a cage. Seriously, don't frighten your audience. Don't get so intense. Sexy and scary, it's a fine line." (E! Online)
Nearly 28 million viewers tuned in to see the debut of talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres as American Idol's newest judge. But how was her reception to one of the most beloved television shows in America?
We're looking at perspectives and commentary from MSNBC, BuddyTV, HLN, and ABC News.
MSNBC pop culture columnist Courtney Hazel says DeGeneres' debut was nothing short of a singing success.
"I have to say, this was one of the best episodes of American Idol I personally have ever seen... A great fill-in for Paula Abdul. I think that she's going to be a fantastic mix in that judges' table there. And you know another point here too, a lot of people noticed that the show just flowed much better."
But one writer for BuddyTV says he's a little worried that DeGeneres' humor could grow tedious on a high-stakes show like Idol, pointing out instances like where she made four contestants step back and forth across the stage several times before handing down their fate.
"The only thing I didn't like is her tendency to skip around to get to her point... I understand lightening the tense atmosphere, but sometimes the best way to relieve stress is to get to the point."
On HLN's Showbiz Tonight, Extra! correspondent Carlos Diaz says it was not necessarily DeGeneres' humor, but the quality of her critiques, that brought a fresh feeling to Idol.
"She articulated so many things that we have not heard in the past. When she told that guy, you know you're scaring me, how you're prowling back and forth - we haven't heard that kind of critique about stage presence in that certain way."
One of the big questions surrounding DeGeneres' arrival was whether the rumored hostility between her and fellow judge Simon Cowell would play out on screen. ABC's Good Morning America says the two appeared to be at least outwardly friendly.
Reporter: "But in the actual show, there was barely a trace of tension. In fact, they were practically finishing one another's sentences."
Cowell: "Jay, Jay, that was ridiculous."
DeGeneres: "Something's wrong with his microphone."
Reporter: "At one point, Simon even jokingly chided Ellen for toying with the contestants."
Cowell: "You sadist."
On HLN's The Joy Behar Show, Roy Sekoff of The Huffington Post warns that appearing funny and engaging on an edited show does not guarantee DeGeneres success when Idol goes live.
"I thought she was actually witty. Ellen, she showed passion, she showed that she cared about the show. I think the real test, though, you know: last night was culled down from hours and hours of footage. What's going to happen when it's live? That's the test of a judge, is how do you do it with no safety net."
So did Ellen DeGeneres' first episode as a judge on American Idol live up to your expectations, or were you left with some choice criticisms?
Writer: Tracy Pfieffer
Producer:
