Ellen DeGeneres. Simon Fuller says, Ellen DeGeneres will join as Paula Abdul’s replacement after preliminary auditions phase, along Avril Lavigne and Shania Twain as guest judges.

Paula Julie Abdul, who was born on 19 June, 1962 is quite a multiple personality. She is an American pop singer, record producer, dancer as well as choreographer. She has been an actress and a television personality as well. She has won the ‘Primetime Emmy Award’ for ‘Outstanding Choreography’ twice.

Simon Fuller, the creator and Executive Producer for the show has a lot of confidence in the final replacement for Paula Abdul, Ellen DeGeneres as well as expectations to rejuvenate the popularity graph. The new judge is 1958 born American stand-up comedienne as well as an actress. She already hosts the Ellen DeGeneres Show, an award winning syndicate talk show.

Paula Abdul was inducted in the reality television music ‘competition’ show American Idol in the year 2002. She joined the party as a judge for the show alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson. Abdul won the hearts of the both participants as well as the audience and she was considered a sympathetic and compassionate judge. Due to many conflicts over verdict especially with Cowell, Paula wished to quit but Cowell somehow got the credit to convince her not to leave the show.

Although she faced a lot of criticism about her ‘arm-flapping’ clapping or praising style as well as few selected typical remarks for the contestants of the show and her ‘incompatibility of constructive criticism yet, in 2006 she got her role as a judge extended for 3 more years.

It is believed that on 4 August 2009, Paula Abdul announced to confirm she’ll not return for the ninth season of American Idol, as her demand of $20 million was turned down by the program officials.

Here is a photo of Paula Abdul and that of her replacement, Ellen DeGeneres as well.

Paula Abdul

Ellen DeGeneres