American Idol's New Judges Explain Why They Are All Nice
Don’t expect any of American Idol‘s three new judges – Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie – to be mean to contestants the way Simon Cowell was on the show.
The three entertainers told Variety that none of them would take on the Simon “role.”
“We’re artists, not record company executives or critics,” Luke said. “These 15- and 16 year-olds are still a couple of years away, but you can see their promise, the potential. We’re not there to discourage them. If we word it wrong, they may give up all up.”
“Young kids take things to heart. I can be sarcastic as all get out, and even a little snarky,” Katy added. “Like Simon, I’m also a truth-teller, a straight shooter. But at the end of the day, I’m not here to tell anyone they suck. It’s not about that.”
Pictured inside: Luke, Katy, and Lionel arriving for an American Idol taping on Thursday (November 16) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.