By Zanub Saeed
After singers Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler said they were done with "American Idol" this week, the FOX television reality show is trying to get another famous musician to become one of the judges for the competition - and Mariah Carey just may be it.
Rumors are surfacing that multiple-Grammy-winner Carey is current in "serious talks," said People magazine on Friday, to take a judging position on the hit reality show.
"She's in play," an insider told People. "They are in serious talks."
"American Idol," a spin-off of Britain's "Pop Idol," was started by notorious producer and judge Simon Cowell nearly ten years ago, along with singer Paula Abdul and music producer Randy Jackson. Over the years, and since the departure of Cowell and Abdul, other notable celebrities have taken the judging chair, including comedian Ellen Degeneres and producer Kara DioGuardi. The latest set of judges included Lopez and Tyler before the pair, within days of each other, announced they were leaving the show to pursue their music careers.
Tyler announced on Thursday that he would not returning as he wanted focus more time on recording music and going on tour with his long-time band, Aerosmith.
"After some long ... hard ... thoughts ... I've decided it's time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit," Tyler said in a statement Thursday. "I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I'm back - but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I got two fists in the air and I'm kicking the door open with my band."
Lopez revealed on NBC's "Today," while promoting the release of the third installment of "Ice Age 3: Continental Drift," out this Friday, that she would not be returning to "American Idol," this fall.
"I've loved it so much. I've enjoyed the show so much. I enjoy just the whole process of the show ... It's a tough decision either way, but I have to say there are so many things I do that I put on hold for that," Lopez, 42, said. "It's a heartbreaking decision if I have to go."
Currently, Jackson is the only judge who has been on the show since the beginning.
