NEWSRandy Jackson: 'American Idol' is About the Contestants, Not Judges
Jan. 20 2010, Published 2:42 p.m. ET
Forget the American Idol contestants, right now there's more drama and surprise on the judging panel. But, Randy Jackson wants that to change.
"A lot is being made about us and what we do, how we judge, who's on, who's not on, what's happening, all of that," he said in an interview Tuesday.
"It's really about those contestants, really. They're going to go on because it's them taking the rocket ship to try and get their fame started ... I mean, so much is being made about us or whatever."
It's difficult for these plucky unknowns to eclipse the headlines generated by the judges from Paula Abdul leaving, Ellen DeGeneres joining and Simon Cowell announcing his departure to launch is singing competition, X Factor.
Is Randy, 52, planning on leaving the smash hit Fox show? "It's got some time left, yes," he says of his contract.
So, he hasn't been offered a job on the X Factor? "You never know what's going to happen, you just never know in life," he added.
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He says finding a judge to replace Simon will be "tough" and "really difficult" because "there's nobody quite like him."
Meanwhile, despite a slew of male winners: Kris Allen, David Cook and Taylor Hicks, Randy hopes for a female victory this season.
"In my mind, the biggest winners ever on American Idol have been girls. I mean that have gone on to huge success with Carrie Underwood, with Kelly Clarkson, these are your big, huge, giant success stories," he said.
"We had two years of boys," he said of season seven and eight champions, David Cook and Kris Allen, respectively. "C'mon, we need a girl!"
However, there's one contestant who won't win the show, but he's already won the popular vote. "General" Larry Platt, the 63-year-old civil rights veteran who auditioned in Atlanta, has become an Internet sensation with his original song, "Pants On the Ground."
"I'm so happy he's getting his day and his moment and I even like the message in his mind, his wisdom, that he's trying to impart on the young hip-hop community," says Randy.
