Sure, Simon Cowell has always been the real star of American Idol, and former judge Paula Abdul certainly had her share of memorable TV moments over the last eight seasons. But in season 9 (a season that, if I’m being honest, didn’t offer a huge number of real standout singers until tonight), the focus has been on the Idol judges more than ever before. From Paula’s departure to Simon’s announcement of his imminent resignation, from the many rotating celebrity guest judges to all the gossip about Simon’s possible replacement (Howard Stern? Elton John? Diddy?), the real drama this season has taken place behind the judging table, not in front of it.

And tonight was of course the season’s most dramatic episode yet, as it marked the debut of Idol’s new permanent judge, Ellen DeGeneres, filling the nicey-nice role vacated by judge-with-a-heart-of-QVC-gold Paula Abdul last year.

From the instant Ellen’s hiring was stunningly announced in September 2009, speculation ran rampant regarding how she’d handle the demanding new job–with many naysayers doubting her professional credentials to judge music, and others further claiming that during her guest spot on season 5 of So You Think You Can Dance (a one-off gig that eventually led to her Idol employment) all she did was crack rambling jokes and deliver softball critiques, absent of any actual constructive feedback.

I, however, have always looked forward to Ellen’s Idol stint. I’ve always believed she possessed the needed qualifications for the job (as she put it tonight: “I do know what it’s like to stand onstage and please an entire roomful of people”). And I’ve further insisted that her long-documented unabashed fandom for AI and her gentle demeanor when interviewing past contestants indicated she’d give the show heart and soul and she’d be a much-needed good “good cop” to Simon’s “bad cop.” As long as she could come up with critiques other than “Are you a carpenter? Because you NAILED it,” I’d be OK with the addition of Ellen to the show.

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Credits to source: http://new.music.yahoo.com; Author: Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks