So the search is over and the extensive trek has brought the American Idol producers to -- Ellen DeGeneres? Yes you heard correctly.

The first question that logically springs to mind is what credibility does she have to be judging American Idol? She has no ties to the music industry. She was never a writer, producer or fizzled out pop star. She’s been a couch jockey, handicapping the contestants each week in her PJs. Second, you have to wonder about her schedule. She runs a daily talk show during the day which I would think would keep her very busy. So moonlighting as an American Idol judge would seem to be a significant chunk of work to pile on her proverbial plate each week. Also I question if a fourth American Idol judge is really necessary. Last season, the AI producers had problems pacing the show so that everyone could put in their respective two cents for each contestant. Did that extra talking head really offer us anything we hadn’t heard spout out of the prior three? What is so wrong with holding down the fort with the three judges already manning the panel?

On the other hand, there are a lot of reasons why the Ellen pick makes a lot of sense. Ellen will see a pop in her ratings for her talk show since she’ll be the newest fixture on the most popular television show in America. The Idol producers get a funny, likable judge who can cut up with the best of them and add comedic value to the show. All that being said, you have to wonder if this is like the debacle when Dennis Miller manned the booth for Monday Night Football. Things that sound good on paper don’t always work out when applied to real life.

It does finally put the nail in the coffin of Paula’s return. Speculation had been running rampant of late all though there has been nothing material to warrant it. This will also end the turnstile of celebrity judges that have been filling Paula’s shoes in her absence. We’ve seen Victoria Beckham, Mary J Blige, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry and Shania Twain all try their hand at Idol judging. That eclectic array of personalities should prove interesting on the Idol audition tour. DeGeneres is set to take over the helm after the tryout rounds for season 9.