ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I think what most of us remember from the earlyIdoldays were the crazy auditions.
Did you ever grow to feel comfortable during the process of auditioning contestants?
It was like a real exercise in poker face.
Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
There was so much going on.
But the crazy thing was, it started becoming like, Are are these people being serious?
And then theyre talking back to you.
Michael Becker/Fox
What do you remember most about your first day on the judges panel?
And I said, Oh wow.
I feel bad, I must have quit a few times.
And he said Eight.
You quit eight times.
I felt terrible for those kids.
But there was never a shortage of really incredible voices and raw talent.
We were always able to find it, and thats what was so exciting.
What did you grow to love most about the show?
What I loved about it was that it brought families together.
It didnt matter what your socioeconomic background was.
It brought the community together, even in the workplace.
Do you have a favorite season?
I have incredible memories of each season, I really do.
Every single season was special.
And even if they werent strong in the vocal area, they were strong in their presence.
Season after season, they were all different.
What was the most difficult part about your time on the show?
Well, there was one thing that Simon told me.
He said, Being you is overrated.
I couldnt even react.
He said, You cant care as much as you do.
And I said, I cant not care as much as I do.
I am who I am.
But thats who I am.
Because I was the artist fighting for the artist.
[Laughs] That was planned.
They had fun with me.
They had lots of fun at my expense.
What led to your decision to leave the show?
The truth is, it was time for me to leave.
Id never had the same job for eight years.
I felt that there were changes happening, and it didnt feel like the same show.
I was a big part of history.
And the show did change when I left.
I would say to Simon, You know the show ended when I left.
You were still there for almost two more years.
Hed say, Oh, shut up.
Will you appear on theAmerican Idolseries finale?
I know theyre trying to figure out what the three of us will do.
Im sure well do something that will be trouble-making.
A version of this story originally appeared inEntertainment Weeklyissue #14081409, on newsstands Friday or available for purchasehere.
