To help find the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, DioGuardi will slide between Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul at the judges' table. The acerbic Simon Cowell still gets the last word and will be entrusted to break ties.
But DioGuardi, a 38-year-old native of suburban New York, isn't exactly a stranger to the Idol pop machine. She's a friend of Abdul's; years ago, the two were roommates. And recently, DioGuardi has worked behind the scenes, writing pop-rock cuts for past Idol contestants Clarkson, Underwood and David Archuleta. A singer and owner of Arthouse Entertainment, a resource business for record labels, DioGuardi also has overseen hits for Britney Spears, OneRepublic and Faith Hill. Her expertise and no-nonsense personality add another dimension and a different perspective to the panel.
"She doesn't have a lot of pretense; she tells it like it is," says Stephen Perrine, editor of Best Life magazine, which features DioGuardi in its February issue. "Kara is likely to be tougher on the contestants than Paula is. But she'll do it in a way that's kinder than Simon. We expect her to stay out of the in-fighting and be the calm eye in the storm, and that may allow the other judges to be even more provocative than ever."
The season will also feature for the first time 36 semifinalists, instead of the usual 24. Warwick has also suggested that the "wild card" round, last used in Season 3, could return with the judges choosing some eliminated contestants to advance to the finals. Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken would have been eliminated by viewers early on if not for the wild card round.
The audition episodes will be streamlined, featuring fewer segments of goofy, pitch-challenged hopefuls. The extra time will be spent during the "Hollywood" round, where singers vetted by the judges compete for 36 semifinalist slots. Idol producers have denied that the recent suicide of a woman who auditioned in early rounds of Season 5 affected their decision.
Finally, the Idol Gives Back special, which was well-meaning but slowed the show's momentum, won't return this season. Producers cited the strain of producing the special and the glitzy finale and argued that viewers wouldn't be as likely to contribute amid the worsening recession.
To be fair, the show has always been open to changes. Last year, contestants were allowed to play musical instruments, and when Idol began in the summer of 2002, the show had two glib hosts. (By Season 2, they realized Ryan Seacrest was more than enough.)
