This is what I wrote for the print edition in preparation for the launch of “Idol” Tuesday for season nine:

The “American Idol” formula clicked immediately thanks largely to the chemistry among host (and Dunwoody High School grad) Ryan Seacrest and the trio of judges: snarky Brit Simon Cowell, jovial music producer Randy Jackson and unpredictably goofy singer Paula Abdul.

That chemistry was tested last year with the arrival of a fourth judge Kara DioGuardi, who got mixed reviews at best. Now, with season nine launching tonight, the aging show faces its biggest test yet. Abdul has bolted. Welcome her replacement Ellen DeGeneres, the peppy, popular talk-show host with no musical background.

You won’t see Ellen until next month when the Hollywood rounds air. She was hired after the early audition rounds, so “Idol” filled her slot with celebrity judges, ranging from Shania Twain to Avril Lavigne to Neil Patrick Harris. The Atlanta episode, which airs Wednesday and was shot at the …

Read further at: Comparing Ellen DeGeneres to Paula Abdul

Related posts:

1. Breaking News: Paula Abdul’s Replacement for American Idol… It’s Ellen!
2. Ellen and Ryan Seacrest Talk about Ellen’s ‘American Idol’ News! – The Ellen DeGeneres Show
3. When Will Ellen DeGeneres Join the ‘American Idol’ Judges?
4. Randy Jackson on Paula and Ellen, Simon’s Rumored Departure and Season 9 Talent
5. Ellen DeGeneres on ‘American Idol’: How Did She Do?

Tagged as: avril-lavigne, chemistry, ellen degeneres, paula-abdul, randy-jackson, simon-cowell