Jennifer Lopez on 'American Idol': Maybe it's time to go
Jennifer Lopez poses for photos after a ceremony at which she donated medical equipment to The Children's Hospital, via the Lopez Family Foundation, in Panama City. (June 12, 2012) Credit: AP
"Today" had a decent interview with Jennifer Lopez this morning in which she said — again — that's she's thinking of pulling anchor on "American Idol." Big deal? Not really. She's said this before, but this seems to be a bit more expansive. Will she actually go? Who knows, but I'm doubtful in the extreme. Fox wants her back because she's been a good judge, and I want her back because she's been a good judge — and hasn't finished her business here yet. It'd be one thing if her "Idol" tenure was a bust, but it's not been. I imagine this is all over $$$. This is kind of deja vu all over again: Here's what she told a Brit interview in June of 2011, which got everyone's drawers in a knot over at "AI:"
"I have not decided whether I'm going back yet. It's not time [to decide] and I have a lot of things happening. And I really got to decide whether I'm going to do a film or if I'm gonna go on tour or if I'm going back to TV," she said. "I really don't know yet."
Of course she did come back, and got a reported $20 million, one year, paycheck for her trouble. But as I've ruminated elsewhere, "Idol" and Fox/Fremantle are probably a bit less eager to bump up everyone's salary this year, with revenue/ratings off. If that $20 million is accurate, and Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler are in the net $20 million to $25 million vicinity .?.?. well, you do the math! That's why "Idol" is shopping around — probably thinking it can offer Jenn the sun/moon/stars and pay bupkis to a couple of new unknowns.
That may be factored into her thinking as well — she may want Randy and Steven back, instead of said unknowns .?.?.
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