If you watched last night’s episode of “American Idol,” you may have noticed a new rule. Because last week’s broadcast ran about 8 minutes over schedule, producers made a new rule about the judges’ comments after each contestant’s performance: only two of the four judges are allowed to speak at a time.

“American Idol” tried to end on time Tuesday, implementing a format that allowed only two judges to review a singer.

Host Ryan Seacrest explained: “We’re working in teams tonight, so we make it in on time.”

Judge Simon Cowell said they had to do it that way because fellow female panelists Paula Abdul and Kara Dioguardi talked too much last week.

Still, the popular Fox talent contest ran three minutes over schedule.

Last Tuesday’s show ran over by eight minutes. Judges did not have time to comment on Adam Lambert’s rendition of “Mad World.”

[From Huffington Post]

I’ve said it before: who really cares what any of these clowns have to say? It’s America that votes on the contestants. Anyway, the format change is just another reason why there is so much tension at the judges’ table this season. Sources are reporting that only three of the judges will come back next year – but no one knows for sure which three will be returning.

It’s not just the contestants fighting to stay alive each week on American Idol. Both Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi are in danger of losing their spots alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson at the overcrowded judges’ table next season, and the tension among the panelists has become unbearable.

“The plan to add a fourth person backfired,” an Idol insider tells OK! about the troubles that have been mounting since Kara joined the cast at the beginning of this season. “Now the producers are left with a tough decision: Do they go back to the original three-judge format, or leave Kara there?”

With all four judges in contract negotiation — and no ninth-season spots confirmed — the competition has turned fierce. “As long as the show brings in millions of viewers, everyone wants a piece of it,” says a pal of the former pop star. “Paula wants to remain on the program for as long as Simon is involved, and Kara’s trying to stay on for as much time as possible. She wants Paula to get the ax.”

The increasing turmoil marks a shift from the camaraderie once enjoyed by the female judges, who had been pals for a decade.

“Kara was bold enough to come tap me on the shoulder,” Paula has said of their initial meeting on an NYC sidewalk. After a few weeks of knowing the aspiring songwriter, Paula invited her to L.A. “I moved a complete stranger into my home and we were the best roommates,” Paula has said. “I took her all around, and she has become one of the most successful songwriters.”

But Paula shocked everyone when she told OK! in January, “Kara and I get along great and have known each other for years, but we tried four judges before when we had celebrity guest judges sitting in, and it just doesn’t work.” Kara hit back in a statement: “Paula has a right to her opinions, but I was disappointed by her comments and hurt that she did not address them to me in person.”

Soon, things turned from what Randy, 52, dubbed “man versus woman” to a girl-on-girl brawl!

[From OK! Magazine]

The judges really need to check their egos – this show is about the contestants, not them! With the exception of Simon, any of the other three judges could easily be replaced by chimpanzees, and they would do just as good a job. The bottom line is, nobody cares about the judges or their stupid feuds, as long as it doesn’t ruin the show. All we care about is the singing!