'American Idol' Producer Blames Judges for Low Ratings?
"American Idol" ratings have seen a dip in season 12 which is currently underway and the show's production staff seem to think the judges could have something to do with it.
The cast of judges on the show features boisterous rapper Nicki Minaj, singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, singer Keith Urban and the series veteran and record producer, Randy Jackson. Despite the well-known names on the judges panel, publications like Forbes and The New York Daily News reported that "American Idol" underwent its biggest ratings drop in over a decade.
Nigel Lythgoe, the "American Idol" executive producer, said that a feud between Carey and Minaj in the beginning of the season may have hurt the show's chances during season 12.
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"That got off to a bad start and that didn't help anything," Lythgoe told the website Zap2it recently.
Still the producer said he has been happy with the male judges featured on the show.
"The guys themselves are, goodness me, I don't think you could find two nicer men," Lythgoe explained. "Randy is loved by America, and Keith is the nicest man you could hope to meet. Individually, every single one of them has something to offer."
However, the producer admitted that the judges on the show were lacking chemistry as a unit.
"I don't think we have good chemistry with the judges," he continued. "And that saddens me. They are good individually, but I miss the camaraderie we have had in the past."
Minaj, the 30-year-old rapper, spoke about the possibilities of her returning to the show after sparking controversy as a judge during season 12.
"Would I come back next season? I think people would rather be surprised," the rapper said last month in an MTV report. "I like to save the mystery and the drama. I'd never give that away."
