Filed under: News & Rumors

‘American Idol’ season 9 started last night with four judges behind the table — but where was Ellen DeGeneres, who was announced as the newest ‘American Idol’ judge (replacing Paula Abdul) on Sept. 9?

Though DeGeneres’s judgeship has been discussed everywhere for months, the ebullient talk show host won’t be arriving on the show until Feb. 9, which is the beginning of Hollywood Week. This means she’ll miss out on all the auditions (lucky her, or poor her, depending on how you feel about the auditions), and her seat is being kept warm in the meantime by various celebrity guest judges such as Mary J. Blige, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, Shania Twain, Avril Lavigne and Victoria Beckham, who showed signs of life in last night’s premiere.

What DeGeneres needs all that time to do is anyone’s guess — make herself meaner? study up on her Mariah Carey songs? — but we’ll all have to wait until Feb. 9 to see just what effect her presence will have on the panel, and what her signature brand of commentary will be (maybe a little dance when she likes something?).

Full coverage of the ‘American Idol’ auditions
‘American Idol’ season 9 schedule and dates

Related posts:

1. Comparing Ellen DeGeneres to Paula Abdul
2. Ellen DeGeneres Quits ‘American Idol’
3. Tonight’s ‘American Idol’ Auditions: Victoria Beckham in Boston
4. Ellen DeGeneres on ‘American Idol’: How Did She Do?
5. American Idol auditions in Dallas with Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris

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