Ellen DeGeneres will join American Idol as their fourth judge alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi. Read more on American Idol’s newest judge below!

Ellen DeGeneres will be replacing Paula Abdul who did not have her contract renewed for 2010.

“I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol,” Ms. DeGeneres said in a statement. “I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.”

On Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show to air on Thursday, Ellen says she won’t abandon her talk show but will have  “a day job and a night job.”

“The times we’re living in,” she quipped, “we’re all doing that.”

“Hopefully, I’m the people’s point of view because I’m just like you,” DeGeneres said on her show. “I sit at home and I watch it, and I don’t have that technical … I’m not looking at it in a critical way from the producer’s mind. I’m looking at it as a person who is going to buy the music and is going to relate to that person.”

Ellen also added, “I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol. I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.”

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Images: Wenn.com

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