Ellen Exits Idol, J. Lo In

ELLEN OUT, J. LO IN: Ellen DeGeneres has decided to bow out from her role as a judge on American Idol next season, and she'll reportedly be replaced by Jennifer Lopez. The announcement of Ellen's exit was made in a Fox press release. “A couple months ago, I let Fox and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she said in a statement. “It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on Idol and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.” (7/29p)