With the news that Keith Urban has joined Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey and returning Randy Jackson, the American Idol line up of judges is complete and it is a very very smart concept.
American Idol boils down to black chick divas, white country boys, they divvy up the votes and one wins year in and year old. Mariah made sense, Randy gives continuity, Keith is the countrya nd Nicki? Nicki was a terrible idea and a huge mistake? Will it sink the show? maybe. They needed somebody younger and popper… Selena Gomez would have been perfect. Or maybe somebody older and wiser, a Russel Simmons or a Clieve Davios. Nicki is a product and she adss nothing.
But Keith?
Keith will weed out the country boys toot sweet. While he has lost his boyish good looks over the year, he will make a great contracdistinction among the urban (I mean black, but I was trying to be PC) faces surrounding him. I like Urban a lot, not so much on record but in concert he is really excellent, can work a big room, the little girls understand, yup, he will deal.
What is missing here is the Simon Cowell of the outfit. I recommended Davis but I think he would be sucking up too much in public. I don't know who could be hard enough in this setting… but I know it isn't Nicki Minaj