Ellen DeGeneres' long-awaited debut on
American Idol is finally set to begin on Tuesday, February 9.
The witty DeGeneres is taking over Paula Abdul's spot as a judge on
the show's panel, where she will sit alongside Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson and host Ryan Seacrest.
It seems there might be some fireworks on the anvil between DeGeneres and Cowell, as the candid DeGeneres recently told Fox she had "one idea of Simon and it's changed - he's actually meaner than I thought," a website reported.
For the Hollywood round beginning next week, contestants will go through intense rehearsals and auditions for a coveted spot among the Top 24.