American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres has allegedly threatened to quit the show if shock jock Howard Stern replaces Simon Cowell. Insiders claim DeGeneres has told producers she will leave “immediately.”

“Ellen has made it crystal clear that if Howard is hired, she’d immediately leave the show,” a source says. “She’s told just about anyone who will listen she’s opposed to the idea.”


DeGeneres has not commented. Producers are looking for a replacement for Cowell, who is leaving the show after the current season. Other rumored favorites to replace Cowell include Tommy Mottola, Guy Oseary and Jamie Foxx.

Caliente

Bret Michaels, Sharon Osbourne and Cyndi Lauper may all get to hear the words “you’re fired” from Donald Trump on the NBC program’s new season.

Nine others are joining them, including — for now — former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached last year and is facing federal racketeering, extortion and fraud charges. He’s accused of trying to trade state government business for campaign cash and of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Blagojevich was denied the opportunity to compete on last summer’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

News: Rod Blagojevich’s Reality-TV Dream Is Dashed

Blagojevich’s reality show dreams could be dashed again. He was due in court Monday for a hearing in his federal corruption case, and his lawyers could address his upcoming appearance on Celebrity Apprentice.

A photo of the new cast shooting their opening appeared in the New York Post and reveals that actress Holly Robinson Peete and former baseball star Darryl Strawberry will also be facing the Donald this cycle.

Rounding out the competition: wrestlers Goldberg and Maria Kanellis, Take Home Chef Curtis Stone, comedian Sinbad, Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders and writer/comedian Carol Leifer — the inspiration behind Seinfeld’s Elaine.

The selection of this menagerie of people already has taken a hit. Seth Meyers joked on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” that the new cast of Celebrity Apprentice reduces the meaning of “celebrity” to “mammal.”

smile for the camera so we can sell this picture to tabloids and make millions of dollars off our staged wedding”cheese!”

We’ve already taken fans inside Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag’s April wedding.

But here’s a newly-released photo of the entire cast of The Hills at the event. It’s enough to make an MTV executive cry over the incoming cash…

Pictured above, from left to right:

Jayde Nicole; Brody Jenner; Holly Montag; Speidi; Audrina Patridge; Stephanie Prat; Kristin Cavallari; and Lauren Bosworth.

The wedding ceremony will be featured on this week’s hour-long season finale of The Hills. Will you be watching it?

“American Idol” finalist Allison Iraheta has a reason to cry.

The flame-haired 17-year-old high school student from Los Angeles, who crooned Janis Joplin’s “Cry Baby” for her rock performance this week, was revealed Wednesday to have received the fewest viewer votes, leaving three singers in the popular Fox singing competition.

Iraheta seemed to take her dismissal in stride, belting out an energized “Cry Baby” reprise then razzing the last three dudes standing — Kris Allen, Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert. Throughout the competition, judge Simon Cowell chided Iraheta for not showing off more of her personality, but she finally lashed back at the acerbic British judge on Tuesday.

“He was asking for it,” she said.

Before the results were revealed, the final four were joined by this week’s mentor, former Guns ‘N Roses guitarist Slash, for a frantic rendition of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.” Also taking the “Idol” stage — for the first time ever! — was judge Paula Abdul in a smokey pre-taped performance of her new single, “I’m Just Here for the Music.”

Tuesday night’s pre-show drama didn’t seem to linger during the lead-up to Iraheta’s elimination. The behemoth “Idol” logo which toppled over was back — and glowing — in place above the audience. And that moving staircase was also operational Wednesday after a crew member was sent to the hospital following a reported 20-foot fall from the top Tuesday.

However, Seacrest still seemed a little shaken up following all of the tumultuous tumbling, especially after No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani strutted down the steps, behind the judges’ table and through the crowd while belting out “I’m Just a Girl” for an elimination episode performance. Seacrest joked she was making him nervous running around the stage.

“It’s been a high-risk place this week,” he said.

The finalists left in contest are Lambert, a 27-year-old theater actor from San Diego; Gokey, a 29-year-old church music director from Milwaukee; and Allen, a 23-year-old college student from Conway, Ark.

This week, the three singers will travel to their hometowns before performing two songs next week: one of their choosing, another from the show’s judges.

The next “Idol” will be crowned May 20.