{alltv} Simon, Ryan Stick to Script on Ellen's Idol Departure

Friday, July 30, 2010

{alltv} Simon, Ryan Stick to Script on Ellen's Idol Departure

What the Ellen?

By now, you and your grandma have heard that Ellen DeGeneres peaced-out of American Idol after just one lukewarm-received season on the Fox hit.

And while Jennifer Lopez still isn't talking (or, more importantly, tweeting) about whether or not she'll step into the revolving door of judgment—ditto on Kara DioGuardi and her rumored split—DeGeneres' former colleagues are lining up to pay tribute to Idol's short-lived Ellen era.

"As I got to know Ellen, I grew to really, really like her," Simon Cowell told the Hollywood Reporter in reaction to DeGeneres' departure. "I have huge respect for her because she's always been in control of her own destiny."

Ryan Seacrest, Ellen's longtime showbiz buddy, took to Twitter to pay his respects to his suddenly ex-colleague.

"Spoke with ellen d tonight aka @theellenshow. I will miss her on idol. She's one of the kindest and most talented people in hollywood!"

He continued the narrative on his KIIS FM radio show this morning, reiterating that he spoke to her and said that no one needed to go digging for behind-the-scenes dirt: the statement she put out last night is the absolute truth behind her departure.

"We will miss Ellen DeGeneres, we love Ellen DeGeneres…It's not like she needs the work."

And by all accounts, the show, too, will be just fine…whoever ends up taking the empty spots (J.Lo and Steven Tyler, we're looking at you).

"Not really the show will be fine I think," last season's winner Lee DeWyze tweeted in response to a question about how the televised talent search will fare with its two biggest name judges gone.

Although should the deals start falling through, we imagine there'd be a ground swell of support for one possible returnee. But don't take our word for it. Take Giuliana Rancic's.

"Simon's seat still empty," she tweeted last night. "Bring Paula back!"