The American version of American Idol debuted in June of 2002 with three judges: Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. For the 8th season of the show Kara DioGuardi joined the judges' panel and with the departure of Paula Abdul this past summer, Ellen DeGeneres has signed on to replace her for the 9th season.
Simon Cowell is one of the founders and producers of American Idol and its original inspiration, The X Factor, which started in the United Kingdom. He has been in the music industry for more than 20 years, spending a lot of his time with Sony Records. Known for his brutal honesty on the show, he is able to back it up with his history of discovering and developing many popular music acts including Leona Lewis and Il Divo.
Randy Jackson has also been in the music business for many years. He has been a V.P. for both Columbia and MCA Records but his big break was years before when he played with the band, Journey. He has worked with many famous names including Madonna and Elton John.
Paula Abdul is a music veteran too. She has won Grammys for her work and was a very popular choreographer for many years. Her departure from the show was a bit controversial, but she will be remembered as the contestants' favorite judge.
Kara DioGuardi joined the judges in season 8 as a 4th judge and also brings years of musical experience, specifically in songwriting. She has won numerous awards for songwriting and has worked with many successful performers.
It remains to be seen how Ellen DeGeneres will mesh with Simon, Randy and Kara as she brings her everyday fan experience to the show.
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