According to NYPost, American Idol" will add top-selling, Grammy- nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi to its notorious panel of judges beginning next year, the show announced yesterday. "I'm gonna be a straight shooter, say it like I see it and try to help the contestants," said DioGuardi, 37, a native of New Rochelle. "I just plan on being honest and offering constructive criticism. I'll have my unique style."DioGuardi, who attended Duke University before penning tunes for the likes of Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera, joins name- dropping Randy Jackson, loopy Paula Abdul and caustic Simon "Mr. Nasty" Cowell. Although well known in the music industry, having won BMI's 2006 Pop Song writer of the Year award and sold more than 300 million records, DioGuardi is still a relative unknown to the average "Idol" viewer.
"When I got the call, I thought they were calling the wrong person," DioGuardi said. "Next thing I know, I was on a plane to New York." The addition of DioGuardi raises the possibility of a 2-2 split - prompting a "Simon says" tiebreaker rule: Cowell's vote will carry the day.
Abdul welcomed DioGuardi, a longtime friend whose career she helped get started when the two collaborated on a Kylie Minogue song. Abdul's spokesman, Jeff Ballard, dismissed talk that DioGuardi's hiring was the first step in a plan to boot Paula. "It's coming from people who have nothing better to do than gossip," he said of the rumor.
Well, it would remains to be seen if this would not lead to a cat-fight between the two women judges. Simon and Randy Jackson had survived with no men-conflict so far.
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